Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-01-26
A SQUEAL FROM A CRATER

A SQUEAL FROM A CRATER
The Clearwater Republican does not
intend to engage in an exc ded d S.
cussion of county printing. Nor
shall we offer any excuse for the re-
publican county board in Ignoring
the Orotino Tribune in this matter.
But we do feel that word about the
whine from the Tribune that it has
been ignored is not out of place at
this time, stree the Tribune has seen
lit to open up the issue
The Orofino Tribune has no right to
ask recognition. 1t has proven itself
a perfect glutton for county funds
when it had an opportunity. and stood
sponsor for and defended every graft
from the skinning of the people cut
of interest on county funds to the buy
ing of bridge plans at 81, 400 per
1t was not content with the maximum
allowed by law for county printing
it charged, on one occasion, 81 per
line for 81 lines, and paid it back
when the Republican caught it with
the goods.
When its gang had control of the
county did it believe in letting county
printing by public bid; did it show
any disposition to let the Clearwater
Republican do county printing at
three cents line when it was de-
manding al d collecting TEN cents a
line for the same service? Oh no, it
acquired the doctrine it now preache 5
only after al outraged publ had
forcibly weaned it from the public
trough, Like all gluttons it sets up
a squeal.
Had the Tribune crowd won in the
last election it would have hogged
the county printing, just as it always
has, including the village prirt ting
since May now coming two years.
The democrats used county print
ing to reward their county organ, and
paid the limit. The republicans, for
two years, without competit on, have
saved this county at least i, 900 PEI
year on printing alone, and the county
is today getting its printing as low
as any county in the state.
Tee taxpayer is being considered
and his interests looked after; the
Tribune gang squeezed the taxpayer to
the limit for the benefit of their or
gan, the Orofno Tribune.
The Blake gang, thru Frank Ze-
lenka, chairman of the county board,
invited the Clearwater Republican to
bid on county printing and tnen gave
it to the Tribune at ten cents a line
when we offered to 40 the same work
for three cents per line. Not salts
fed with this graft, the Blake gang,
the day before their term of office ex-
pired, gave the Orofino Tribune a
second contract for the ensuing two
years, or until January, 1917, at TEN
! CENTS PER LINE. The Tribune
tried to hold this rank, illegal con-
tract, and approved it, altho / meant
loss of at least $2, 600 to the tax
payers of Clearwater county.
Later it entered deal for village
printing that has cost Orofno taxpay-
ers several hundred dollars in excess
of what the town would have paid
out for printing paving ordinances
had the work been let to the Clear
water Republican, with or without a
! bid.
The Orofno Tribune comes into
court with dirty hands and is in nc
j position TO talk. AS consistently
might Villa complain if Carranza hap
pened to stab him in the back. More
than this the only matter of any in
terest to the people is whether or not
they are getting a square deal. The
Tribune will hardly, in the face OF
its record, contend the republican,
are paying toe much for county print.
ing. The majority of the people OF
Clearwater county have had all of the
Orofino Tribune they want.