The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-07-16

AHl
A great many business men and spec
ulators, whose consciences would revolt
at an open and bare-faced swindle, when
perpetrated on business associate, seem
to think that there is nothing wrong
or nlegitimate in cheating the Govern
raent. So widespread is this singular
theory, that it appears to be impossible for
a Government contractor, or an army COM
misssary. to deal as honestly with the Gov
eminent as with individuals Corporations
are said to have no souls when transacting
business with individuals We are not SO
certain that individuals do not meet them
on their own grounds. If the reports
concerning the furnishing of ar my supplies
are an indication, tits very evident they do.
There is no hesitancy, ordinarily, in charg-
ing the Government two or three prices for
articles furnished, if some official can Be
bribed to wink at the transaction. Even
when the Government advertises for propo-
sails, it seems to be tacitly conceded that
whoever can, by some successful hookse
crook, get on the right side or the officer in
whose bands is placed the decision as to
the bids, he win be the successful bidder. IF
he is compelled to put in q nominslly low
bid in order to secure the contract, in nine
cases out of ten, it may safely be inferred
that either an article altogether inferior TO
that agreed upon viii be furnished, or some
purchase will be rugged up to draw pay
beyond that contemplated in the specifca-
tons and the bidding In this way thous-
auds of good mechanics, who, in the simpli-
city of their hearts, imagined everything
was done " or the square, and bid in good
faith, anticipating that the job would, in ike
good faith, be given to the lowest bidder,
have failed to obtain the work and the Gov
eminent fails to receive the benefit of their
services; is swindled by having the work
half done, or by paying an amount entirely
above that agreed to.
There is but one way of checking the
system offraud which clings to these govern
ment transactions. That is, for those bid
ders who are unsuccessful to make it their
business to see that the more fortunate bid
der fulfill his contract to the letter, and
that he receives no more than he proposed
doing the work for. This of course, is at
tended with some labor and difficulty, but
it will prove wonderfully effective in check
ing fraudulent bids and fraudulent awards.
IF man bids lower than he can afford to
do the work, compel him to abide the conse-
quences, and perhaps the next time a con-
tract is to be let he will not underbid with
the expectation of making up his losses by
cheating in the quality Of the articles fer
nished, or inducing some official TO kelp
him out by squeezing his claim through
Congress or the Legislature. We are pleased
to observe that in Eastern cities this rule is
being adopted to some extent A beef con
tractor notifies all whom it may concern
that he failed to obtain the contract for sup
plying troops by some one bidding entirely
below what good article could be furnish
ed for. He intends. he says, to watch his
successful competitor, and if he does not
supply as good an article as set forth in the
specifications, he designs making the fact
known to the proper authorities. If an at
tempt is made to secure extra pay, he will
be promptly on hand ID file protest. So,
we can fairly infer that one contractor, at
least will be held to a strict aecounta-
bility. ~. s-.s-
We think no harm viii result from
similar course in this State. One Of our
prominent business men recently haeded in
a bid for furnishing clothing to one of the
regiments lately organized The contract
was given to an opponent who bid twenty
five cents higher on a suit. Now.
she gentlemen in this. city owed il
to himself and the State, to ferret
ont the reason why his bid. was. set
aside for one tbFt was not so low. If the
goods furnished by the successful bidder
was claimed to be better than that propos-
ed By him, he should have watched the pro-
ceedings until the garments were finished,
and if they failed to be the articles cortem-
plated in the bid, the fact ashould be made
public. Millions of dollars viii go into the
hands Of designing and Inscriptions con-
tractors, unless a careful watch is kept upon
their operations aud the Government Off |
cisls through whom they expect to accom-
plish their ends. This war is likely to cost
sufficient at BEST and if horde of leeches
are permitted to fatten off the treasury by
contracts, the expenses will be
enormous, and the taxes necessary to meet
them most burdensome. Letevery lover of his