The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-01-12
EsOW TIE PEOPLES POCKETS
AREPlCkED AT WASHINGTON
Stationary C0ntraCts Of the 1nte.
riOr Department,

~ IA u
AREPlCkED AT WASHINGTON.
Stationary Contracss OF the Qnte-
@ riOr Department.
From the N. Y. Herald, January
The stationary contracts of the Inte-
rior Department are again a subject of
some stir. 1t will be recolIected that
Mr.. Ella, of the Printing Committee of
the House, made some Investigations in
regard to the Patent Office printing, in
Gliding bond paper. which, in connection
with other investigations of the Re
trenchnent Committee, led to the pass,
age Of i Joint resolution by the Senate
to break up the contracts Of the Interior
Department with the firm enjoying the
profits of the comfortable job and give
it to the lowest hidders-another Wash.
ington firm. Out of these Investigations
it becaue evident that the Patent Office
was suffering, and the Commissioners
made complaint to the Secretary of the
Interior, who appointed commission to
investigate the complaint The toii-
tractors themselves are reported to have
had hand in the appointment Of the
commission. which would seem to be
warranted by the report which was
made.
Instead of finding any abuse i'll the
manner in which supplies were furnish
ed the commission found that the con
tractors were entitled TO be paid for
100000 sheets of bond paper which
they never had contract for and which
the acting Commissioner Of Patents at
the time never ordered. 1t may be re-
collected that they furnished 100000
sheets last May at eight cents a sheet,
which the Committee on Printing ascer-
tained cost about one and half cents a
sheet, and which was enough, at the rate
it is now used, to last dozen years. 1t
would seem that man clear-headed
enough to examine patent ought to
see an abuse in this. if he couldn't find
any in their. getting pay for $1,000 or
$4,000 worth of goods in about one
month, when the man who kept account
of all received for more than three-quar-
ters of the time did net receive more
than $500 worth, and nobody can And
who had the rest
The report made by the Printing Com
mittee in July shows very large sum
had been paid for blank books-so large,
indeed as to astonish the present Com
missioner, who set about to see who had
received them. He found six index
books charged at twenty-five dollars
each, which were all that had been fur
nished and which were not worth seven
ty five cents apiece. He found forty
six caveat looks charged at more than
forty dollars each, when there could not
be en- found in the office, and they not
worth half the price charged. The
Printing Committees report shows that
the office was paying forty dollars per
1000 for patent cards, worth about five,
and twenty-five dollars per 1000 for
card tags which were worth about S3 so
which astonishcd the Commissioner. but
not as much as it did to find 10000
had been paid for, while only $4,000
could be accounted for. Brown manila
envelopes, the Printing Committee found
were costing forty eight dollars per
1000, which, with printing added, prob
ably cost 500 per 1000, and while 140,-
600 were paid for the Patent Office it
could not be found where more than 49,
600 had been used.
The Printing Committee also found
the Patent Office was paying $40 per
1000 for patent heads which are now
costing but S25 per 1000 There were
$4,000 charged and paid for, but not
half that number could be accounted for
as used. These astounding facts led to
an upsetting of mattors in the Patent
Office, and the Commissioner made COM
plants of the manner in which the Pat
ent Office had been supplied. A com
mittee to examine them was appointed,
which, with these facts before them,
have not been able to find any abuse In
the supplies, but, on the contrary, dis
cover that the Patent Office ought to
/ pay the enterprising contractors $4,000
for 100000 sheets of bond paper, which
the Secretary of the Interior ord ers to
he paid
The Secretary appointed committee
on awards of stationery, which made a
report to the Interior Department june
q, 1868, stating that bond paper was
placed on the schedule inadvertently and
THAT, in addition to the amount on hand
an order had been given for 100000
sheets, which had been delivered when
the bids were opened" "And as the
Patent Office would not need any more
of the article in question it was proper
| lv disregardcd' in making the stationery
contracts. The acting Commissioner OF
Patents also sent Il statement to men,
Der of the House when the matter was
under discussion saying that only one
100000 lot of bond paper had ever been
bargaincd for i'll any way. Yet this com.
mittee find and the Secretary orders
S24, coo to be paid for lot which was
never ordered, when there is dozen
years stock on hand. A beautiful COM
mentary, truly, ON the method in which
department business is conducted.
Throughout the United States the
thieving of the party in power is the
same. 1t is grinding to poverty all but
those having their arms elbows deep in
the Treasury
The people have one remedy left, and
only one-the ballot box. Turn the
thieves out and. put honest men in office
and prosperity will come again.
A Brilliant H'erorati0n.