The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-04
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1869.
r,,a HnteriOr Department Stationery
and Printing Frauds.

and Printing Frauds,
AVRw WEEKS ago we referred to certain al
legged frauds in the purchase OF stationery for
the Interior Department. We have now
before us the report Of the special COM
mittee of the House of Representatives.
oonsisting OF Messrs A. H. LSfin, Jacob ii.
Rla, and II. L. Cake, appointed to Investigate
ths matter. The charges brought against the
officers of the department and the contractors
ara more than sustained, aud system OF
systsmatio swindlipg has been brought to
light which is highly edifying to taxpayers
who indulge in dreams OF return TO specie
payments ard an ultimate liquidation of the
national debt. The report shows tlat the
stationery contract for the Interior Depart
ment for 1868 was awarded TO the highest in
stead Of the lowest bidder. This was accom-
plished 10y the sue ,essful bidder making
his column Of units lowest, while
his aggregate OF charges was highest. For
example, on single items Dempsey 4 Toole
are 80 As! below Coyle Il Towers, wilhelm the
aggregate total they are $4. 9l21S above them.
It was by this system of bidding that the oou-
tracts were awarded TO Dempsey Toole. But
this gerrymsnderipg was not the worst tea-
turs of the oase the greatest reliance for profits
was in the purchase of articles outside tbs
contract schedule, which in the In
terror Department amounted to about
fifteen per cent, and in the Patent Office
to about seventy-6ve per cent. The COMMITTEES
report that all articles not in the soheduls
were charged at fabulous prices, although the
contract provides that they shall be furnished
at the lowest market rates.
The greatest abuses have been in the Patent
Office, where no Congressional control has
hitherto been exercised over the expenditures
When Commissioner Foote entered upon his
duties, his attention was attracted TO the matter
10y the enormous quantity of goods charged
and the exorbtant character OF the
bills for stationery presented to him. He iui-
mediately commenced to make an inquiry into
the matter, and instituted a reform by requir-
ing al orders to be entered in an order-book,
and all heads of rooms to keep pass-books,
upon which their requirements are entered.
The result of this was that the bills averaged
less than s265 per month with abundant sup
plies and q larger stock on hand in January
than when the system was commenced in
September.
The committee also found that the Patent
Office was unable to account for articles paid
for. Forty-six csveat books were charged
and paid for since February, 1868, at $40 and
S4l each, while not one OF them was to b,
found in the office. 51s,OOO printed blanks
were charged and paid for, when less than
100000 could be accounted for by the require
ments of the Office, and vast variety OF other
articles in like proportion. The prices charged
were as extravsgant as the quantities; books
worth 50 were charged at :45; cards worth 50
were charged at $40; printing envelopes worth
$3.50 per thousand were charged at $40 and
$40, and a great number OF similar items,
swindled by wholesale.
A commission appointed by the Secretary
of the Interior to investigate the affair, on the
complaint of Commissioner Foote, states that
the loss to the Office since July, 1867, has
been $8l 548'45, and yet they reported that
they were unable to fud any evidences OF
abuse or fraud on the part of the contractors,
and the Congressional committee very per-
tinsntly remark that this conclusion of the
commissioners is beyond their comprehen-
sion. The committee find that Dempsey *
Toele have a contract for undelvsred bond
paper, which was awarded them in manner
contrary to law and at the most exorbitant
prices, and they have therefore submitted a
Joint resolution directing the Secretary Of the
Interior not to receive or make payment for
the paper.
The people of the country have general
idea that the Government is being swindled
out of immense sums every year by fraudu-
lent contracts and other devices, bu. 1t Is only
occasionally that any developments are made
showing how and by whom the thing Is done
The amount obtained wrongfully from the
Treasury by these stationery contracts is pro
badly only drop in the bucket, and in com
parison with other swindles 1t is OF minoi
moment. Many OF the departm ents at Wash
ington want a thorough cleaning-out, and the
rasoality encouraged under Andrew Johnson
administration put stop to. A new state
affairs will be inaugurated in few weeks
and we have every reason to believe tina
General Grant will devote all his energies t.
the task OF effecting decided reform, whicl
will last through his term Of office at least.
poyand,s Naturalization scheme.
The naturalization bill introduced into th