, 1865-02-10
An EIGHTY MILLION JOE IN CON-


There Is now before the Naval Committee
Of the House Of Representatives memorial
from thirty one contractors with the Navy
Department, for holls and steam machinery,
asking Of Congress an appropriation for their
benefit, Of a sum not exceeding twenty per
cent Of the amount Of their contracts, to in
dcmnify them fo7 alleged losses on thosc
contracts, incurred, as they asscrt In their
memorial, By reason Of the action of Con-
gross in Cepreciating the currency and thus
causing an,adrance in the cost OF mateFia's
and labor. The amount Of these contracts,
dating from 1861 to 1861, with the Bureau Of
ssStcam Engineering" Is about twenty n1ll-
lions, with the ssBureau Of Construction
about forty millions, and with the Depart
mcnt direct, say ten millions, making m agg-
cesate in round numbers Of eighty
millions. These contractors being, one
in a1aine, thrcc in Boston. two in
Providence, one In Hartford tlir-
teen in New York, one in Newburg. N. r,
four in Philadelphia, one in Chester, Pa, four
IN Baltimore, bringa powerful lobbying in
hueuce to bear on the Eastern members, and
If the Treasury is to be rescued from this raid
Of the contractors It must be done by the
fidelity Of our Western members. We shall
hold them to their responsibility on tais
point. 0fcourse not one cent Of this vast
sum should be paid. At the time they made
the contracts many Others stood ready to
take the some contracts on the came terms,
and II these parties have not found them pro-
dtablc VIC have only to sny that it Is no part
Of the cohtrnct that the contractors should
ind thcm profitable. When contractors
make three OF four prices out Of the Govern
ment they never return either Of them, aud
is 1t to be established as precedent
that when The contractor makes money
lie is to keep 1t, and when he fails to
make money the Government is to make
IN 10 him the profits be expected This de.
etroys the whole argument and reason for
doing any taing whatever By contract. 4
contract supposes That the contractor is to
rely upon bis economy, energy and skill to
make g profit ont Of his contract, though he
take 1t at the lowest terms offered. But II
the contractor is to be enriched by special
Congressional bonuses independent Of the
contract, what need Of the contract system
It has all tho crils Of The contract system
without its compromising advantages.
But these contractors charge that Congress
has by o-er-issuing the paper of the govern
mcnt depleted the currency. But to whom
| has Congress ore.-i:sucd It except to this
same class of contractors! Who have fattcn
| cd ont OF the war so luxurioualy md p!ctho
rically rs they! They are bloated from needy
speculators into millionaises by this SAME
ssoyer issue" Of paper currency.
| Finally, their contracts were made aftel
this over-iesue Of paper currency had begun
ard when it was anticipated that it would b'
fully as gTeat as it has been They #er'
| made by shrcwd business men In full view o
| depreciation Of currency, and rise
prices ut least as great as have occurred
| They, therefore, of COURSE, made their esti
| mates on which their contracts arc based Sc
as to coger these facts, and the5r fair pro7t
arc in He contract prioe. It is not to be sup
| posed that these shrewd ship-buildeis aF|
| such children as to be competent to p1cat
the 'tbaby act" on these contracts. Of cours'
| what they want is that the House com
mittec should recognize the val
idity OF :, their claim to somethin:
BY appoinfsng a commissioner to investigate
the question Of the amount Of their losses
| Of course they could have performed the worl
SO rs to show . loss, and yet realNe q profit
This would be The easiest game In the worli
and yery honorable men could he found II
r!ay it where the stakes are eighty million
Of dollars: All contractors with prirat
pa.tics during the samc time hare has
to sustain the burden caused by tn
depreciation IN currency; why shoul'
contractors with The Government be made n
exception: There is no reason whatever 70
It. Tie currency which pays the soldier i
the amy his paltry sixteen dollars a mont
Is good enough for these contractors, who's
pile of " "grccnbacks'' is already go high tha
thew emit sec over it. Let Our Senators an
Representatives look to this bill, and put
heavy foot on it that no similar scheme
plumber will ever come before them again.
| -.xsHk. \ An zAY1Ifs