New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-11
PATENT OFFICE FRAUDS.
DEBATE ON THE PURCHASES MADE BY THE IN
TERROR DEPARTMENT.


ecuted:
Mr. Ella. from the Committee on Printing, reported
Joint resolution "a r. No 43g relative to certain pur
ehases Ivy the Interior Department; winch was re"u
The iSnt resolution directs the Secretary of the Interior
not 10 receive or make payment $4,000 sheets of bond
paner claimed 10 have been ordered Of the stationery
contractors for the Interior Department at cost OF
Claimed TO be duo to SAID contractors the Of $780,
charged ard received for printing 1900 patent nea9s
value of 10000 Of boud paper at eight cents per
sheet in the custody OF said contractors uues n
same is returned and that he also deduct from ihe u
paid bills the charged FOR goods (not
their contracO above the prices at which inc soou' "'
Mr. EiAi desire merely to explain this Joint resea'
So,nc tne 100 the parties had the stationery con-
tract with Interior Department tor tnS o 6 beets
of bond paper AT of cents per sheet Inc ev
denco shows that there was an CIGI hat Uce The ey
dence further thai the Acting ConnlssoheO Vi ne
nSymcnt Of $4,000 sheets more tho order to purchase
which he failed to procure from the secretary VI eho
Interior The other item embraced in the report is 2
charge made for printing 5000 patent heads for which
the Government furnished the paper at the rae Oh S4U
per thousand for the printing These parties SagrG Ur
these sheets at that rate and received TIER pay
while they printed only 1000 sheets upon tre aV
sheets the balance for which they charged ana %
payment work has ever been done Ihey nad "a ther
hands sa Se sheets e ahd the BALANCE $1,000 sheets
mains there unused In the balance OF the unpaid D
are items which they have charged from two TO zen
times the fair market price although tey wJ h oSt
by their contract 10 furnish these articles az tie
all that is embraced in the resolution now ca TIC pre-
Tine prcSous question was seconded and the main ques
ton ordered ard under the operation dneeo d ne rS
resolution ordered to DC engoseu alu read tbe
time and being engroSsed 1t was accordingly le" 'Ho
The Question was upon passage Of the Joint resolu
Mr LAFLIN-wil the gentleman yield to me for few
Mr. Ef a-Certainly.
Mr. LAFLIN-It is due to the gentleman from New .
Hampshire Rir Ela presents this report that mas
met the approval OF my associate upon the Coninee OH
Printing the geneman from arc m NV gnn;ieman from
NewampShire state that for the result OF lhis es
ton, for the assduy ana care with when u nus uSsn
prosecuted the House and country are indebted 10
the gentleman who makes this report While ne himself
has been CONDUCTED without the sGd C SG
than himself And I think that whoever shall 90 the
Committee the honor to read this report VIII Iee saSne9
that its whole aud language indicate lar aud
liberal spirit toward all the parties involved III TINS con-
So far rs I know every opportunity that these men
cond ask has been granted TO gentlemen interested
In this matter rake every possible explanation Ana
wish here, upon my responsibility as Chairman on the
Committee on Printing state that have seen nothing
In the disposition Of the gentleman from whalnlSnfs
mr. Ela or In the disposition OF any person SomnSGea
with Committee, TO refuse TO any ana every hdVd
ual appearing before Committee every possible OPP
portunity for explanation regret Az uvh a. a3
member of this House can regret-possiDy as nue as
any person Connected with tins matter can regrethI
we have compelled to arrive at the conclusion en-
bodied in tins report And any member of the House,
the Committee will be that they have charged too
much but they have charged TOO little in the resolution
this because is their desire TO give parties involved
hnI inns We os tS report Shows large number Of
articles, mOrdnae In quantity are charged as nsVims
been delivered to the PaentOfee, which we cannot ma
that Office, yet because the parties processing 70 nave
performed this contract swear 10 tne uevefy 81 for o
Government swears that he received these goods we
have given these parties the benefit Of that doubt and
have failed to make "A reclamation upon them which gen
tlemen, upon reading the report might perhaps thhK
In this resolution want members to understand. we
desire the House 20 itself these propositions
III EnNa Slt a
for certain amount of bond paper which the pro-
fess to have ready for delivery at most extraordinary
Department second that these parties shall be obliged
which has been advanced to them in anticipation for
work which has been charged ana never teit8r 9so
ernment Of the United States for certain number Of
the Government has paid. These the three PROPOSE
tons involved in tins resolution
ion is this that exhibits in the Interior Department
part Of the agents Of the Government either gross care
lessness, gross stupidity or gross crninallty the
wish show upon what principle stationery contracts
been awarded IN the Interior Department during
the last two or three years Proposals having been IN
for stationery for this Department. aud bids having
the character Of those bids under instructions to award
the contract to the lowest bdderin the interest OF the
determine what il for the interest Of the Government
they add up the prices of articles by units and divide the
total by the aggregate number OF articles to ind out
which is the lowest bad for the interest OF the Govern
ment instead of TAXING the aggregate Of the totals
reams Of paper at SO per ream; 80 many dozens pen
ellis at 81 5O smany OF pens at S. 80, making three
classes of articles. The aggregate price Of the units is
taken divided by three aud By this method of cal
euaton the aggregate prices are lower than those OF
who may be making pretty fair BID the man whose
units cheaper takes The contract The result is that
awarding these contracts the individual whose units
the the smallest sum receives the
tract although the aggregate Tor all the articles 10 he de-
lvered is many thousand dollars more than the similar
aggregate Of another party
Some gentlemen around me ask me 70 give further
explanation of this matter party, for instance, puts
pound paper at 20 cents legal paper Uhe
value Of which almost every gentleman IN the House
knows at % cents a iean; but when lie comes TO
article large quantities OF which are 10 be used by the
Departmen-the knowledge Of which Is obtained in
which net perhaps able to state with
tantybe bids for those articles at most eXtravagant
price For Instance while bidding pound paper at
20 cents rea bids for many sheets of bond paper
at cents sheet; while the proof before the Committee
and which the parties themselves ready attest
Is that be bought at fair market price, allowing
fair profit, at two cents a sheet
Mi. MILIER-I would like 10 know from the gentleman
whether these frauds which II appears have been COM
mitted IN the Interior Department occurred under the
administration OF the present head OF that Department.
Mr. LAFLIN-How far the bills resulting from these
contracts have passed under the supervision OF the
emit Secretary OF the Interior cannot say. will say
however that q question arose IN connection with this
very bond paper whether the Secretary Of the Interior
had actually authorized for the delivery OF this
bond paper. 1t is evident that in instance lie
did but think il is due to the Secretary of the Interior
TO say that misled by advice OF subOrdnaes
In whom he had confidence | have seen nothing, Mr.
Speaker. connection with this investigation which, in
my Judgment, reflects upon either the integrity the
capacity of the Secretary Of the Interior.
Mr. BROMWEI.Ge-I wish TO inquire Of tho gentleman
from New-York whether the parties have connved
these frauds still in Office hold any position OF
profit trust under the Government II so, does the
ing contemplate bringing the subject to the attention Of
the House TO secure their remOval3
that question in full All say that this
Investigation had its origin so far as understand II, In
tcriug upon the performance OF his duties began 10
ering certain stationery He himself prosecuted this
eat hat sucbfr "A