The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-04-21
LOCAL HOUSES
F0RCESAVING
OF co. MONEY
Printing Houses Force Change
in Methods by County Au-
ditOr Frank johnson =
HE TRADES IN FARGO
Thousands of Dollars of COun-
ty Money Spent With Fav-
Orite at High Prices

Bismarck printing houses. demard-
ing Of County Auditor Frank J. john
son an equal opportunity with one
Fargo printing house into which
Johnson has poured Burleigh county
taxpayers money, have uncovered
waste and extravaganza, if nothing
more, in the county auditors office.
If the same condition is true with
respect to other purchases made un-
der the influence of County AuLitor
johnson, one source of high taxes has
been uncovered. Already in the one
line of purchases, the activities of
Bismarck printing houses has fore
ed saving Of ultimately many thou
! sands Of dollars to the county, unless
the county auditor is able to mani
pulate affairs so that the decision Of
the county commissioners and the
law requiring bids for certain print
ing supplies may be avoided, to the
benefit of the one Fargo printing
house favored by johnson.
Instead of "Trade in Bismarck"
Johnson's motto appears to have been
"Trade in Fargo"
In 1922 the county spent $3,906.54
for printing mostly with one Fargo
printing house, and $3,393.S2 was
spent mostly with the same house in
1923.
The item Of printing advertising,
stationery, etc. is no small item in
'he county's business. From July 1,
1921 to June 80, 1922 the county paid
"ut $1O,99s27 for books, stationery,
printing and advertising. From July
|. 1922 to June 80, 1923, the county
oaid for tho same $13.058.06.
Just Chance At 1t
During this time at least three
Bismarck printing houses were cla-
noring-not simply for business but
merely for a chance to bid on the
,usiness-and still the money p4id
by them in taxes and others went
% the one Fargo printing house fav-
,red by Johnson. In Fargo, by the
way, the board of county commission
rs permits Cass county firms to bid
md keeps the business at home.
The long efforts of the local houses
'inally resulted in call for bids.
On one item alone-assessment books
md supplies, the successful bid was
$4,000 whereas Johnson had handed
,ver to his favored Fargo house last
year for the same supplies $61O.40.
lie paid ten times as much of the
county's money wnen he did not
have to call for bids.
The same ratio doubtless obtains
on many other items, but Tribune
representatives have sought in vain
% obtain from the county auditor
the vouchers fyr many other items
30 that comparison could be made.
Repeated requests have been made
Il the auditor for the vouchers, but
Zach time he had declined to pro-
luce them.
Some comparisons The Tribune has
heen able to get. They include: The
county paid for satisfaction of mort
gage blanks $4,000 in 1928 and the
recent bid was $3.50.
The county paid $3l5.00 for 10000
TAX receipts last year and the recent
bid was $72.00.
The county paid in 1923 for $40
mage and index loose leaf record
book $500 and the recent bid was
$3.50.
Yet They Pay Taxes
The Bismarck printing houses have
never contended the county business
should be parceled out to them at
their own price. They have only in
sisted they should, be given an op-
portunity to compete fog the busi-
ness. In the past it has been denied
! them.
Yet the Bismarck printing and
stationery houses paid $4,S21.77 taxes
in 1928.
The bids are ridiculously low, all
printers will testify Unless there is
manipulation intended in the bids
the successful bidder will lose money.
However the bids were not framed so
that every article of the kind bid
Ion must be delivered at the same
price-the bidder could deliver john
son one or two articles at the low.
price and then johnson let the bidder
take other work at high price.
Nevertheless. the situation-which
was forced by the local printing
houses and not by the official charg-
ed with doing his duty and saving
the county money-actually can re-
suit in big saving.