The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-09-17
p o LITic Al.
SCOTCH W.4TER PIPES.

SCOTCH W.4I,ER PIPES,
The Opposition papers have been having "a |
good time" for some weeks past, in denouncing !
the General Government, for making contract |
with some Scotch iron manufacturers 10 supply |
portion ofthe water-pipes required for the
completion Of the aqueduei at Washingto
We have PAID no attention to this accusation, |
because ii bore fals1hood upon lis face, and Va
did not believe that any Intelligent Citizen |!
would credit il for moment. Ii is well known /
That the Government makes 10 contracts with !
out first publicly inviting proposals Or bids for
the work to be done, or the materials to be fur |
nished. II is also we'll known that whenever
contract is awarded, the mans of toe success
ful bidder is publicly announced. As this was
done in the case Of these water-pipes, and as
Mr.. Lawrence Myers, Citizen of Philadelphia, |
was the person 10 whom the contract for their
supply was given, it necessarily follows that
the charge that this very contract has '6een
awarded 10 foreign manufacturers, is faise.-
But, with that entire disregard Of truth for
which the opposition press is notorious, the
charge is reiterated day af:er day, aud adhered
TO with shameless pertinacty, for no other
purpose than 10 deceive the people into the be-
lief that the present Democratic Administration
prefers TO encourage the foreign in preference
to the home manufacturer. We therefore deem
II our duty, once for all 10 expose this premed- /
iiated Misrepresentation, and the shallow foun-
dation upon which il rests. And we can do it I
in no more effective way than by publishing
the letter of Capt Meigs, the Chlei Engineer Of
the aqueduct work, on tins subject, Ii is PLAIN
and conclusive. He says:
"An advertisement for the materials and work
needed to complete the aqueduct published
for two months, under th+ laws Of Congress
This advertisement engaged that the lowest re-
sponsible bidder should have the contract, and
the contract for the remainder OF the iron pipes,
mqnv miles of which had been already furnish
ed bv citizen of Camden, ". j., ulder for
Der contract, tcdS awarded 10 c3t}2en Of FhH-
adeiphia, Mr.. Laurence .UyerS. Thus were
all parties treated with equal fairness, aud the
interests of the United States, which pays TOR
the pipes, protected. The price is low. Ibr
contract is too large TO be filled By one mans
means in the required time, and Mr.. Myers
dplphia TO assist him; but suppose, for ! know
nothing OF the matter, he finds their prices too
high for his contract, and seeks better telms a
broad.
"If this be so, who is to blame Is It the
engineer. who, acting under the ldws, iavitrd
fair competition; the contractor who seeks To
make the bes, terms he can, or the Phiiade-
mia manufacturers, who allow a Scotch firm
tbn mil off In nd
their own doors
81 hone that the contractor will succeed in
making or purchasing bis pipes in THIS country,
No one more than myself would regret to see
the capital supplied with water through pipes
not of our own manufacture, but Certainly
cannot InterfeIe in the private business OF
contractor, and il was my duty to award la'
contract 10 the lowest bidder. He happens tc
be Philadelphian."
1t would be right and proper, we think, io
our government, in inviting proposals Tor am
materials required in the prosecution OF lis work
Of Improvement, TO stipulate that they shall be
in all cases, of American production, or manu-
facture. But the Government has no Inheren
power 10 make such stipulation. It can onl,
do II under the authority of an Act OF Congress
the Opposition politicians are reaiy a"A'''
to benefit and protect our home manufactures
why don't they go to work IN the right way
instead of complaining against those VINO ar
mere instruments for executing the laws, an
have no discretionary power in themselves :
In all future appropriations for the purchase
articles which the General Government heel
10 carry on its housekeeping, let a provision
inserted requiring them to be of American Prf
duction. We do not believe single mem5'
oil Congress would be found voting against sue
proposition. Until the question is raised, al
its opponents are known, the complaints al
depunc,ations of the Know-Nothing and Bla'
Republican press are mere idle cIamor' al al
will be everywhere treated as such.-Read''
Gszstte.
U-The Opposition are amusing themsels ~
-I..a.- NTl3t 10