Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1903 — To Break Printing Combines. [ARTICLE]

To Break Printing Combines.

The state senate has passed a bill which it is thought will benefit country printers and also tend to break up MbS pre ent practice of big printing firms combining and dividing up the state, and allowing each firm to have full swing in its allotted territory. Under the pressent law printing supplies, blank books, stationery etc., is divided up into three or four classes and the bids are made by classes. This gives the country publishers small chance to compete with the big firms, for all but one of these classes, and sometimes all, contain goods which country printers can not furnish. This new bill requires the advertisments for all printing supplies to be in separate articles, and that bids be on each article and contracts let accordingly. We doubt if the bill accomplishes the object it aims at. The big firms will still keep up their combination and in counties where the resident printers show much disposition to cut in, these big firms will bid way below the country printers on such articles and lines as they can furnish, and make it up on high prices on such things as they can not. We believe the best way to head off these big stationery pirates is to pass a law requiring a competent county purchasing agent to be appointed in every county, by the judge of the circuit court, who will buy all these goods in the open market, as they are needed, and who will be required to keep a faithful account of every article bought with the price and to publish the same in the county newspapers. Some good man about the court houses, or near by business man, could be appointed and his pay need only be a small amount as no great deal of time would be required for the work.