Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1924-10-23

J. B. SHE'LL.
he be again elected. A leopard
can't change his spots
If his administration did any
thing honestly. openly, and for the
benefit of all the people. I don't re-
call it. II an honest, open, lawful
contract was let under his former
administration I never ran across it.
Wise laws enacted for the protec-
ton of the public. in public buying
end public contract letting, were
boldly Gouted. His appointees
brazenly admitted that they did not
observe these wholesome laws
Their competitive bidding was not
invited low bidders vert ignored,
or snubbed. The high bid was us-
ually construed as Lowest and
best" Public work was sighted,
money shamefully wasted and the
public suffered. ] live here III the
storm center, where daily complaints
were lodged, By business men, local
and foreign, regarding the conduct
Of his france department; his pur-
chasing department and his highway
department.
He says his administration was
economical He quotes long col
umns of figures to prove it. But the
lie is given in his claims for econ
omy. when you look at, and com
pare his totals, with former admin
istratiOn expenses. Great Demo
cratic Governors, like Campbell,
Hoadley, and Harmon, run our
state, on from $5,000,000 to $12,-
O0O, 900 per annum,. Great Repub-
lican Governors, like Foraker, Nc
Kinley, Bushnell, Nash, Herrick,
gave us brilliant administrations on
from $6,000,000 to $9,000,000.
Then Harry l.. Davis came, insti
tuted his particular brand of econ
omy. under his odious reorganization
plan, and deprived his. people of ev-
cry semblance of home rule, and
boosted our state expenses. He had
a Len SmaIl-$1 l 1.000-Chicago ex-
pert come to Ohio, and tell him how
to do it. An appropriation of $67,-
100000 was made for him, and he
actually spent $51, ,665, ,009. He now
calls this economy; / call it waste!
Some call it graft!
To illustrate my charges, which
can be multiplied, want to give you
a few concrete examples, illustrating
what was done during his admins
ration.
A Little Illustration
The state school for the deaf
needed SO tons of coal, annually,
for the bake oven. They did not
advertise for bids, but specified so
tons. Bids were received on so
tons. The high bid of $605 per
ton was accepted. The contract of
purchase was written up for 500
tons-(a ten year coal supply. It
wac claimed that this created an
opportunity for graft on $50 extra
tons, or $2,722.50. A low bidder
complained; a suit was filed, charg-
ing fraud, and court of equity en-
Joined the 450 ton contract, as
fraudulent.
Another Illustration
The boys Industrial school, at
Lancaster, needed 6416 tons of coal.
The state purchasing department ad-
vertised for bids. They accepted
high bid of $3.50 per ton. A few
days later this contract was an
nulled, and a new contract, with
man who had not bid, was signed
for 1900 tons instead of 6416.
Then the price was boosted from
$3.50 to $2.88 per ton, without
competitive bidding. 1t was claim
ed that this little change might net
a graft of $13,201.92; but low
bidder complained; an injunction
suit was filed, charging fraud;
court of equity enjoiHed the con-
tract as fraudulent. At the same
time an honest purchasing agent
for Columbus was buying the same
grade of coal at $1.45.
This illustrates the attempted
purchase of about 100000 tons of
coal, for state uses, which was so
brazenly illegal, that Attorney Gen
eral Price refused to defend the
state purchasing department and
state finance department, saying
their conduct was indefensible. THE
entire purchase was enjoined, and
on Reimbursement about $780,
600 Tor ST per tom was saved to
the state. The officers involved re-
signed, hurriedly left, and State
Auditor Tracy took over the books
Of the department So I could give
many other illustrations of secret
bids, illegal eral bids, of bids being
opened and shown to cfmpetitors be-
fore the day of opening, of contracts
changed, prices raiser, low bids re-
iected, and high bids accepted. One
bidder would be required to deliver
over long series of months. during