The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-16
More OF Flagg's Economy.


Decidedly the most amusing erpose Of Mr..
Comptol ler Flagg's fiuancieriug was contained
in the report of the Corporation Committee Of
Ways and Supplies, published in yesterdays
paper. 1t seems that the Comptroller has been
in the habit of advertising under the ordinances
for tenders for supplying the Corporation and
its departments with stationery; but, instead of
awarding the whole job to the lowest tender,
as the law provides, Mr.. Fagg selects from the
tenders of each the articles set down at the low
est rates, and thus makes a contract with half
dozen houses instead Of one. Now, it is quite
obvious to every one who is acquainted with
business that statiorer like every other mer-
chant, cannot afford to sell lot Of goods worth
500 at the same rate Of profit as he would
lot worth 81 900 The statiopers who rendered
at Flagg's reqnest-there were only seven,
most of the trade having seen too ruch Of
Fla2g's mode Of doing business H. icslre TO
deal with him--threw in some articles at lower
rates, proportioDately, than others, looking to
the aggregate profit to make the account square.
To their dire confnsion, Flagg has picked out
of each tender the very articles they thus threw
in almost at loss, and, fejected the other items
The consequence is That in the words Of the
committee, "it is utterly impossible to procure
even the most ordinary description of articles
at the prices named" Our experience of Cor
poration doings leaves us in no doubt as to
what the result will be. AS was done in the
case Of the street contractors, the contracts
will not be fulfilled, and the city will be COM
PEELED to pay full retail prices for all its sta
tionery. Needless to add that Flagg acted in
defiance of law. No such dissection of tenders
was contemplated by the charter or ordinances
the trainers of those laws directed the award
TO he made to the lowest bidder, regarding
each tender as an integral whole.
Thus Flagg saves the money Of the people of
New York II he ccntented himself with break
ing the law, and setting the Legislature and
Common Council at defiance, looking out the
while for the public welfare and interest some
excuse might be urged Tor his refractory tenn
per. Bat a. violate the Law and at the same
time 10 A1ata.e the public expenditure by adj
herring 34Sfcolish crotchets of his own, is too
much to be borne in silence. Let the Comp
tollsr choose between his two propensites.
Let bin either bully the Common Council, and
laugh at their laws, or keep a smooth face and
Increase the taxes. People might suffer Flagg
to set law and authority at defiance if he was
an economical guardian Of the public money;
or they might submit-being tolerably accus-
toned so to dc--to bis extravaganza, if he set
an example Of subordiuation and respect for the
popular will. But to be bullied and aeeced all
at ouce is putting their temper to too severe o
trial.
The fact Is, we think Mr.. Flagg's race Is nearly
run. We Suspect he must have been delnding him
self into the belief that he was popular officer,
and fancying, because the Journai of Commerce
sustained him in bad English, that the people