Show Purchasing for the People Our state treasurer voiced some sentiments in his biennial report which s should receive the hearty support of the taxpayers of this state He recommends the establishment of a state purchasing purchasing purchasing pur pur- chasing agency to purchase all supplies and equipment for Utah state departments and institutions In this alone he lie points the way to the saving of thousands and I thousands of dollars for Utah taxpayers The purchasing of supplies supplies supplies sup sup- plies has become a science requiring the services of skilled buyers I Wholesale purchasing always receives the recognition of dealers j and manufacturers I f The purchaser of a n dozen lead lend pencils receives a better price than the man who buys bus one The principle applies to nearly eve every p article and commodity offered for sale Buying in quantity saves the dealers time and better prices are the result Utah like every Y other state in iri the union has to buy for numerous departments and institutions At the present time each I I department and institution buys its own f supplies an and equipment I In short each department becomes an individual buyer It pays the price of the retail buyers Combine all these departments depart depart- departments I I ments and institutions under one purchasing head and the result j is purchases in wholesale quantity One has only to compare I retail prices with wholesale prices to note the savings that may be effected I n 11 The idea advanced by Mr tIre Jewkes is not new Corporations t j bent on saving every possible penny have had purchasing agents in in their organizations for y years They have been maintained by byI I I corporations handling consid considerably less money than the state of Utah I The city has its purchasing agent and boasts a saving to the I taxpayers 5 as a result If H a city can do it certainly a state can I j i The business is similar and the state p purchases more supplies than the city If it pays the city it will pay the state A year ago THE EVENING TELEGRAM I advanced this i I thought to the taxpayers and commissioners of Salt Lake county It t showed where material savings could be made for the taxpayers if the county were to maintain a purchasing agent to buy supplies for all aU county departments and institutions i I It showed that a big saving could be effected in the poor fund alone County charges now apply to the pauper clerk for help j I They need coal coil They need food They need bedding Their I every desire is is s standardized Th The wants are duplicated I They are aie given cash The rhe things they wanted must be ne purI purchased purchased pur pur- I chased at retail prices They receive less for their money than if their t wants were supplied at wholes wholesale le prices Is there any reason reason why the co county ly could not maint maintain a commissary purchase these necessities at wholesale prices and distribute them to its charges its departments and its institutions Last year ear this county spent How much of this could have been saved if the county had eliminated the profit of the middleman And the middleman has he any just complaint They are not so 50 greedy as to desire big profits on money spent by the county to aid stricken families As for the money spent on in ini institutions in- in i J. J it comes from a public fund Middleman 1 and consumer j alike contribute to this fund Could there be any objection to toi i making this fund do its utmost even though political tolls and i- i patronage should be eliminated and affect the purses of middlemen I I who happened to be of the right political complexion If a purchasing agent had directed the letting of the last I I f county ty printing tin cont contract act he would woul l have done it on Il a bu business iles basis He would not h 11 ve let the cl contract at 60 cents ah ati inch i when he could have obtained the same service the same I ti boa tion n the same results for half the price It is only one example I I |