People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1894 — THAT STAR CHAMBER! [ARTICLE]

THAT STAR CHAMBER!

GOOD GIFTS UNTO MEN. To Some Ivory Penholders; To Others, Jack-knives, and unto one S2O with which to buy His Wife a Cloak. The man that squeals. This revelation hits, And he can wear the shoe— Who thinks It fits. In the last year of the reign of King O. P. Tabor, at the time when bids for stationary and blank books, for the province of Jasper, for the year A. D. 1894 were received, behold many were the scribes and book-mak-ers that bid for the fat job. On the day of the bidding, when all the captains of the great companies were present, the king gathered his court into the office of the high sheriff, and there in secret session broke the seals of each and every bid. Each bidder was allowed to be present and to explain when his particulor bid was opened. One bidder more favored than the rest, was in some mysterious, providential way, allowed to find out, or is supposed to have found out, the amount of the two lowest bids, before he was called to witness the opening and to explain the nature of his bid. This favored, or rather, fortunate bidder was the captain of the great Burford Company, of the far off city of Indianapolis. His competitors were Morrison & Co., of the same village, and Spring, Emmerson & Co., of the city of Lafayette. The second captain gave a lump bid, that is a bid to do all the blank and book work for the county, for 8995. The Lafayette captain offered to do the work, the whole work, for 8650. The bid the man of Burford had put in was a schedule bid, but as Providence, or some little birds had told him that his competitors had made lump bids, he, when before the great court, lumped it too, and made it 8595, did we say? If he did really make this bid, and it was accepted, was he afterwards allowed to withdraw it, and bid again, 8640.. The remarkable part of all this wondrous work was, why Providence and little birds should have such a leaning toward the man of the capital city as to let him know the bids of honest competitors; and why, if 8595 was his first lump bid. was he allowed to raise it to 8640. And again why could not the three commissioners of the Republican tribe see that Providence and little birds were carrying tidings through the key-hole of Star Chamber door to the representative and servant of the great Democratic Burford Co.? After this last bid one of the other captains asked to be allowed to make another bid, but was told that the bidding was closed. Thinking that meant the awarding of the contract to another party, he brushed the dust from his feet, bid the court good-day, and left the town. Now, behold, when this day is over, a great feast was held, the grand opening of the La Palace De Strick occurred this night, and at this feast one of the mighty captains “set ’em up” to the boys and birds to the tune of 825. At this feast sat King 0. P. Tabor. Behold, after this day’s session of the court, one little bobtailed bird puts a 820 cloak on his wife, bought, it is supposed by money received for services rendered in Star Chamber lobby and about the court house premises. Slick ivory penholders; shiny, new jack knives, etc., were the recently acquired property of Star Chamber lobby, after this day of bidding for the contract to furnish blank books and stationary for King Tabor’s province of Jasper. But now, after Providence and little birds have moved so mysteriously their wonders to perform, we are told that the contract is really not let, and that some time in this month, at a special session of the court an-

other 810.50 day will be spent in considering the matter again. I With patience will we wait for I the appointed time and see who gets the contract, and <at what price the work is done. Now, aside from revelations and conjectures, and speaking plainly, after the manner of men, we must say that Star Chamber methods, as practiced in this county recently is not the way. in the long run. to get the best and cheapest work done for the county. Be it known that contracts are secured in Jasper county through tricks of a Star Chamber lobby, honest men will offer no bids for our work. When bids for books and stationary are asked for next year, sharpers, assisted by Star Chamber lobby, will in all probability, take the job at their own figures and the taxpayers will foot the bill. We have here made but few positive statements; a hint to the wise is sufficient. We only wish to warn and wake up some of our public servants. We do not make the flat charge of bribery, indeed we hardly think there was out and out bribery used. Gifts and tricks were doubtless employed to secure influence, information and explanations. Our commissioners were either imposed upon or they winked at some things it was their duty to frown down. We will wait and watch.

We now read a great deal about “idle money in New York.” But is it really idle? Not at all. It is held there to convince the present Congress that an increase of circulation is not needed. Capitalists do not keep their money idle when they can loan it so readily and at such high rates as now, except for a purpose. Another, to the already numerous secret orders in our town, has just been added the Knights of the Star Chamber Keyhole.