Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 May 1911 — REPUBLICAN DIES HARD. [ARTICLE]

REPUBLICAN DIES HARD.

“Whom the Gods Seek to Destroy They First Make Mad.” It was indeed a tremendous disappointment to the fending Rensselaer Republican to have the supreme court affirm the decision in the Bader bridge graft case, and, as it is hardly the thing to abuse Prosecutor Longwell or covertly thrust Judge Hanley any more, it now pours its vials of wrath at The Democrat editor and makes numerous false and silly accusations about us. It attempts to say we cheated the telephone company in printing its last cards, which job was let on competitive bids. The board on which said card was printed is 8-ply white blanks; the previous card was 10-ply; some few on as heavy as 12-ply, but the job was wanted as cheaply as possible and we showed the superintendent the 8-ply. He said that was heavy enough, and we made our bid accordingly. The difference in the cost of the 8-ply and 10-ply, on the number of cards ordered, was precisely $1.40, but our bid was, according to the Republican, $3 the lowest. The telephone company got precisely what it knew it was getting, and got full count, too. Our bid was for 1,600, which we furnished, while the Republican says its bid was for 1,500, or 100 less than we were to furnish. It says we furnished a different paper to two county officers a couple of years ago when wehad the county stationery contract than that specified, but didn’t file any bill for same. W° did do so, because the specifications were for Strathmore Parchment and one or two of the officers did not like that paper, although it is an expensive paper. Strathmore is not made in ruled goods, and as these officers all told did not require but 808 letter heads, (see Com. Record 13, page 411) we got a paper that was made up in ruled headings, at their request, and it cost precisely the same money as the Strathmore. It did not, however, comply with the specifications in respect to brand, and we filed no bill for these 800 letter heads, worth $2. Sorry' we didn’t give the Republican a chance to kick, which it now publicly admits it was only waiting a chance for, but if we wanted to giye Jasper county 800 letter heads free gratis we guess we had a right to do so. But so unsatisfactory was Strathmore Parchment paper to some of the officers that

after trying it for two years—-one-year under our contract and one year under the Republican’s (and we’ll gamble a nickle that the Republican furnished some of its contract out of jstock that was not of this brand, and drew pay for it, too) that the matter of the particular brand of paper was changed this year to let each officer make his own selection. Don’t take our word for this. Ask Auditor Leatherman if this is not true. It also repeats that old chestnut about our entering into a contract with George Marshall—it omits Leslie Clark, one of the present owners of the Republican, this time—to receive a part of the money paid for city printing. More than a year ago it made a similar charge and the city council directed the city attorney to investigate the charges—which the Republican failed to note at the time. We published the fact and urged that an investigation be made, but the city attorney, who is also the republican county chairman, lias never made any report, as shown by the city records. Now, again, we urge that he make a report on this charge. We don’t fear it at all, and if the Republican is so anxious about it we suggest that it also raise its voice and demand in the resonant tones of its military editor that Mr. Leopold reports in this matter.

It might also urge that Mr. Leopold prepare that ordinance regulating the city printing, which he was directed to do last August, when The Democrat, as it has done for several years, in accordance with a city ordinance, put in a bid for this work at one-third what the Republican is paid without contract. Two years ago George Williams told the council it didn’t have to abide by its own ordinance, to keep the work from us, and last year it was side-tracked by refering it to Mr. Leopold. But we have made our bid right along in good faith and put up a gilt-edged SSOO bond each time, as the city rec-ords-will showWhy doesn’t the Republican urge a report on these charges, as Ihe Democrat has been doing? Is it afraid to face its own music? It is too bad that the Repub4ican always gets on the wrong side of every proposition. But it does invariably. Scores of leading republicans of the county are free to confess that so long as it insists in this course the g. o. p. in Jasper county is in a bad way.