The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1917-09-15

I4T7N its issue Of Aug. 20, 1916,
| The MENACE warned the
bk people Of Missouri against
I'LL John L. Sullivan, the papist
and Knight Of Columbus candidate
for secretary of state. Though Mis-
souri, voters notably needed numer-
Gus warnings Of this paper in that
campaign, Sullivan got through to
election by some such inadvertance
as the tail goes with the hide or
gasoline odor with Packard.
However, it is not the Johndee
distillate that smells to heaven in
the vicinity of MisSouri's capital to-
day; but those usually modest and
non-odorous license tags which the
state buys in large quantities and
issues to car owners as visible evi-
dence Of their compliance with the
law.
The story is told quite fully in the
St. Louis Post-DiSpatch of August
23; and The MENACE has verified
the details to prove its contention
that Sullivan, and the like, are not
the kind to trust with public office
and the expenditure of public funds,
I BY the operation of a recent law,
two tags will be required for each
automobile in the state of Missouri.
The total number necessary will be
approximately 100000. The pur-
chase of these tags seems to be a
public duty, convertible into a pri-
vate snap, by the secretary of state.
Heretofore the contract has been
awarded to the lowest bidder; and
by contract for the 1912 supply, the
tags were furnished by the Grimm
Stamp and Badge Company at s
cents for the first 100000 and 1C
cents each for all above that guam.
tity. The reason for the difference
in price was due to the larger size
necessary for the numbers contain.
ing more figures.
When the time drew near fol
awarding the contract for 1918, Mr.
Grimm made two trips to Jefferson
City, and wrote several letters, ask
iEg for permission to bid on the new
contract. TO these he received NJ
reply until July 80, when he wa
advised in a brief note that the con
tract had been let. He then wrot,
to ask who got it and at what figure
No answer was given to the frs
communication. A second lette
brought the information that tn
contract had been made with tn
Universal Manufacturing and Sta
tionery Company at a fiat rate o
Is cents each.
The Grimms had been arbitraril
shut out, and deal closed by whicl
the state would pay approximate
$4,000 for what the Grimm Siam
and Badge Company was willing t
furnish for approximately $4,000
BY that transaction the state los
$4,000; or will lose it if the Stat
Tax Commission does not interfer
by virtue of its legal right.
And thereby hangs a tale of othc
, interesting and explanatory detail;
Mr.. Grimm happens to be a Protes
! tant, or hereto as Sullivan's fatht
confessor would call him. Sullivan
, the good Catholic and valian
Knight Of Columbus, heeds the pa
! pal encyclical in which Pope lie
XIII "of blessed memory" on jar
10, 1890, told his subjects through
out the world that among their chic
duties as citizens they would "giv
support to men Of acknowledge
s worth, and who pledge themselves
: deserve well in the Catholic cause
, This papal edict has special beal
e ing upon who should receive papis
votes, and who should receive pull
Q lie patronage disbursed by papiSt o.
y fcials. Mr., Grimm and associate
being heretics, their worth could NJ
e be acknowledged and rewarded b
: a true son of the "only true faith
Moreover, they had probably faile