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Show Vlj SENATE BILL NO. 9. (Salt Lake Herald ) City Attorney Dininnys proposed amendment to Senate Bill No. 9 modifies modi-fies that dangerous measure in degree de-gree without affecting the principle involved. The idea is commendable in that it signifies city government willingness to accept half a loaf rather ra-ther than get no bread at all. Also, it indicates the possession of a modest mod-est appetite on the part of whatever contractor might harbor hopes of enjoying city government favoritism tinder the terms of tho proposed legislation. leg-islation. Whatever reasons may exist for permitting per-mitting city work to be done without accepting competitive bids, ana awarding award-ing the contract to the lowest and best bidder, they can be as nothing compared to the abuses such power would foster. Public policy requires that governmental transactions be conducted in the open The system of checks and balances Imposed by constitutions, and by statutory law", does not presuppose public officials to be scoundrels, since the men who first wrote that method into the fundamental fun-damental law of the nation wore themselves In control of the nation Presumably they did not doubt their own honesty, but merely acted in accordance ac-cordance with the dictates of common sense. |