Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-11-17
Speaking Of Business" Administra.
tionS.

in perfectly serious government
ought to make {. fortune out of the
passing administration in Maine. For
be 1t remembered, the Curtis admins.
tration has stood in the high places
and proclaimed. Its business" acumer
and accomplishments. And, from time
to time, We have compared those
claims with the facts, when the matter
was for serious consideration by the
taxpayers. But row the case is diff
ferent; the voters can't change it, a
leopard admins /, alton canot change
its spots, and thus the most philosophi-
cal way to look Upon it is to consider
the way thereof and laugh.
In serial torn the story reads:
Chapter
On June Is the Governor and
Council advertised for sealed pro-
prosals for doins Class A of the State
printing, which comprises the book
and pamphlet printing, for a term be-
ginning July 1. 1916, and ending June
80, 1918.
AS an earnest OF the good faith of
the bidders CT lifted check for $500
was required to be furnished by each
bidder.
The bids were opened June q.
There were three bidders, the Kenne-
bee Journal, the Lewiston Journal
and the Waterville Sentinel. The bid
of the Lewiston journal was the high
est and thar OF the Kennebec Journal
the lowest. The bids of the Kenne-
bee Journal and the Waterville Senti-
mel were very elise but figures on the
previous two years work show that
that of the Ken,:cbec Journal is sew
eral thousand dollars lower than the
Sentinel on the two years work.
If the promise Of the Governor and
Council meant anything it meant that
the bidders could depend on the con-
tract being awarded or rejected within
o reasonable tine. In fact a state
ment was made III the invitation for
proposals that tho award would be
made for a tenn beginning July /,
1916.
Chapter II
On Aug. 4 the iAcnnebec journal edi-
torially preiicteG as follows:
ut looks as though the Governor
and Council did not care to award
the contract to the Kennebec Jour-
nal, and did not have the courage
to award it to tho Waterville Sentinel
until after election. After the results
of the election ale known and the
present administration turned down
as undoubtedly they will be, the Gov
ernor and Council can then award the
contract to the Waterville Sentinel
without fear OF condemnation from
the voters for their business admin
istration."
CHAPTER III
Election over ard the Curtis admin
istration voted out as predicted by the
Journal. All bids were rejected and
certified checks returned, after holding
$500 of each biGuer's money for more
than three mont.ia.
Chapter "
New bids were called for on Oct. Is
and opened on Oct. 80. The bidders
were the same az before and the Ken
nebec Journal Was still the lowest bid
%1
save several thousand dollars for the
state.
Chapter v
On Nov. Is the following order was
passed by the Governor and Council:
ord Ordered. that the the contract for doing
printing for the term beginning Dec.
l. 1916. and ending Nov. 30. 1918. be
awarded to the Waterville Sentinel
Publishing Co.. of Waterville, Maine:
for the best interests of the State to
accept the bids submitted by said COM
pany for doing said work.
Conclusion.
Anyone familiar with the reputation
Of the Kennebec Journal Co., it's bust
ness methods. INC quality of the work
turned out in It's establishment, and
its facilities for handling work, as
compared with those of the Waterville
Sentinel Co.. will readily see the humor
of the excuse OF the Governor and
Council for giving the work to the
Sentinel Co., even without considering
the location of the two plants and their
contrasted availability for handling the
States printing.
Added to thi; already humorous
situation are these significant facts:
While this business administration
has, by one means or another. delayed
the making of contracts for State
printing until the last hours of its
business" life. 1t has permitted its
party organ to do the States work un-
der an OLD contract. at much higher
prices than offered by bidders for con-
tracts in hand; and now. at the
eleventh hour, makes contracts for
state work throughout a succeeding
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