The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-10-07

Il sincerely hope that my refusal
or your request to go up and pledge
my support to Mr.. Stearnes for re-
election had nothing to do with your
action in this transa ction."
Everett Assumes Responsibility.
Mr.. Everett. in a letter to Mr..
Saunders, under date of August 80.
acknowledges receipt OF the cuts and
| states that he gave Mr.. Dame
check for 800 on the old account.
Mr.. Everett adds:
In regard to the Journal matter:
] made the change because / received
lower bid to both the extra page
cost item and on the basic 4S-page
cost item. In computing these items.
l used Cat your request) your item
lied account for the June issue Of the
Journal
You gave me no bid whatever on
the paper question. The other firm
did, and at a rate, which in compari-
son with your former charges. you
could not have undercut. In short, the
bid accepted by me was cheaper as a
the one submitted by you. Hence.
as business proposition, ! accepted
1t.
MY action had nothing whatever
to do with Mr.. Stearnes candidacy,
nor had Mr.. Stearnes the slightest
part In my action. He does not know
of 1t today. SO far as / am aware.
II blame there be. the blame is mine.
No one else Is responsible. l want
this clearly and emphatically under
stood.
While regretting the severance of
our business relations, I have no ex-
fcuses to make. acted in q business
like manner about a business-like af-
fair. In Justice to the Journal could
not have acted otherwise
"Manifestiy Unfair" Says saunders.
OF September Is. explains HIS delay
in replying with the statement that
he had been confined to his home by
illness. The letter continues:
''Of course there could be no ques-
ton of your getting a lower price on
cheaper paper for printing the De-
partment of Public Instructions off,
cial publication. The specification
given me was on exceedingly high
the quality of the paper was reduced,
the cost of the publication was very
much reduced accordingly. was not
asked to submit price on the chang
ed specification, which was manifest
ly unfair to me.
! In your letter you said you took
the June issue as a sample. You
should recollect that there was an ex-
ira charge of $21.40 for having the
mailing clerk to put aside of the
school Journal two campaign docu-
| ments, which were intended to assist
Mr., Stearnes to reelection, and paid
for out of the school Journal money.
(. A saving OF s2l.+0 for each of ten
| issues would more than Offset the re-
duction OF 5000 you claim to have
obtained.
The understanding OF the several
people who heard the conversation be-
tween you and me. when at my Office
in regard to the matter. was that the
question of the publication was set
tied according TO the argument be-
tween you and myself. We were very
much surprised to find that we were
not going to publish the Journal this
year. after what took place. and I
can only account for same on account
OF my refusal to pledge my support
to Mr.. Stearnes. as the reason for
losing the publication.
To Agree Would He Unworthy.
AS I explained to you, l was the
chairman of the City Democratic
Committee and secretary of the Third
District Democratic Committee and |
would not be worthy to hold either
position had I been willing to sell
the influence OF my position for q Job
Va ~ iAtitlk. <Ab long rs i nave pSSn
on the committee OF the Democratic
party. have never allowed any per-
son to compensate me for services
rendered and ] hope the day may
never come that l am willing to sell
the ONCE given me by the people OF
this city to promote my private bust
ness.
Whether Mr.. stearnes knew of
your action or not makes very little
Ill
| Ing to me from reliable sources you
are acting as one of his managers in
his campaign and the excuse OF his
not knowing OF your proposition to
me amounts to very little. as you are
paid State Officer and his assistant
After taking all the above in con-
siderat,on. I am forced to one con-
clusion: had l been willing to pledge
my support to Mr. Stearnes for re-
election. would still be the contractor
tpublisher) for the School Journal
mo question could have been raised
in regard to this matter had you not
raised the question of my supporting
Mr.. Stearnes when you came to get
the price for printing State publica-
ton. but the fact of your tying to
your proposition my support for Mr..
Stearnes forces me 20 the above con-
clusfon.
1T was very unfortunate that you
should have seen At to couple the
printing matter with my support OF
Mr.. Stearnes, as one is forced to the
conclusion that the printing OF the
School journal was placed for the
beneht OF Mr.. Stearnes. II would be
all right for you or me to do so in
our private affairs. but 1t does not
seem right for paid State ofIicer. 1t
was your duty to get the best price you
could. but In justice you should have
used the same specifications to all, and
| than had no request been made Of
me to support Mr.. Stearnes. would
have felt that I had been treated
fairly.
Wants Old Debt Paid
"As regards the old debt which was
left by the former editor. Mr.. Blan-
ton. there remains still unpaid SITS.
and interest, was willing to carry
this while I was printing your publi-
cation, but since the change I do not
see why I should be burdened with
this long-standing account, and l
must insist that this matter be at
tended to. a. cannot continue carry
ing this burden. While. OF course. I
know that It wis not made by you.
since you have taken Mr.. Blanton's