New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-19
WASHINGTON.
-HE 1NpIAN RINGS CONTRACTs.

-aE INDIAN RINGS CONTRACTS.
CONDITIONS THAT HONEST CONTRACTORS FHp II
POSSIBLE TO FuLFILL-H0w RING coNTHAcTOne
ARE FAVORED.
lyEoM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rnrbUssl
WASHINGTON, April ia short time age
TIE TRIBUNE called attention to an advertisements fon
the Indian Office calling for supplies OF beef IN which
the contractor who made tho successful bid would bs
allowed only five days the date Of the confaet IN
which to begin delivering the beef II was also stAsed
that person could ful THU condition except soma one
in the Indian Fling who OF getiiog tho eora<&
and had prepared beforehand to execute H.
The person who got tho e0ntraet-J. W. L. ssvoes--
was nc. the lowest bidder and was known az The In
dian Office six days before the opening OF the bs tbat
he would get tho contract The advertisements for In
dian goods supplies &C.. for the fiscal year ending June
80. 1876, now being published in tlio Administration
organs also evidently drawn In the interests OF the
Indian Ring IL deemed an important step toward
honest administration by the old Board OF Indian Com
nissoncrs when they succeeded In causing the deliveries
Of -four, bacon corn. pork &C. to be made at designated
Cities the they could find appointed
inspectors 10 that the vaoas articles delivered
In conformity with the sample confrstesi for; and
In tho last advertisement they would accept Of NO bids
for delivery at the agencies"
This year. however, tho old plan OF delivery q, the
agencies been resumed and there can he no eurer
evidence o, tho real value Of the late Board power In
the direction Of economy OF the want Of SUI: power az
inclination In the new Board appointed by Mr. peano,
and the fact that the efforts OF the Department are al ia
the interest OF tho Indian Ring
BY this plan of delivery at the sgeneice the con-
honest will he powerless to enforce complains
with contracts Just the engineers or the csnss N
Ring Indian agent must hold his tongue ana
tase what he gets well knowg has there s - no s
his superior officers are embraced III ne
will be subject to inspection by the hoard Of IndaIs
Commissioners, and such articles as may IN any rspe.s
eantraStSr held to furnish Sshes Of The rssosa quart
within five days, or failing in that they Win be Pc
This clause Is evidently Intended TO Brighten % a WOO
sioner OF Indian Affairs knows that blankets Of The
liar kiud required or the Indian once az gwen ~ zoe
especially TO I'LL the contracts manufactured ennli
supply the number required 70 replace rejected Iet 10
contractor under his contract else could fnDisa
"otlers of the required quality I'm that t'rne
pork no honest pan will rick re lection at the aeen,dc
under the existing regime IN the Interior ID, Imrifsn
where. The Tribune has heretofore shoxn ne lge
Ring has held the contracts FOR several yearsn rae
since the appointment Of the Secretary OF me IN
terror III evidence needed that the officers OF t,
Government who authorized by law 10 nake the IL:
dian contracts themselves Interested IN oppoefg Dor
est competition, these advertisements furnmn ample
proof OF the fact.
CURRENT TOPICS AT TIE CAPITAL.
THE QUADRUPLEX TELEGRAPH CONrRO yIiRsC.
WASHINGTON, April is, 1873
The Edison quadruplex telegraph controversy
has assumed phase Mr. Edison originally assigned
an interest in his invention 10 George Prescott and
joint application made for patent Mr.. Prescett
agreed assign 10 the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany his interest in The patent but the Automatic Te
graph Company claimed the whole benefit Of the nycp
ton through contract with Mr. Edison An Application
made the Secretary Of the Interior to induce him
ovcrrue the decision OF the Commissioner OF Patents
and to make Mr.. Edison tho sole patentse The appeal
made by George Harrington, who also claims TO be
Mr.. Edson's assignee. His counsel, W. j. Chandler
and J. Fl. Il. Istrobe, contended Friday that
the Secretary had Jurisdiction In this case
Gen. Butler, counsel for Mr. Edison insisted that the
patent should Issue his client alone the ground that
colt, was In the nature of partnSsp, which had
GeeD dissolved by the withdrawal Of Mr. Edison without
his having received dollar from Mr.. Prescott for any
interest in IL. The patent should not be granted 70
Messrs Ediaon and Prescott conformity as the Comm,s
issued 10 Edison leaving Gny equities which might 30
claimed 70 exist BY virtue o. assignment e DC sduds
raising the question OF the Secretary OF the Interiors M
oyer e rae Of Pnsp a ra assy
final as 10 ell purely executive questions lie deDed that
the Secretary of the Interior had Jurisdiction what
ever over any questions relating to patents
Con Butler aud Leonard Myers replied oy citing Do
cisons Of the Supreme Court and the usage OF the
Patent Office respecting the nature OF assigumens-
Secretary Delano IN postponng his Decision ssldi
in the instance the duty OF examining and deetDg
upon All questions that arise before ho 10 his office and
are presented TO him but unable to bring my nind
to the conclusion that it would be my doy 20 sgn
patent because in his best judgment lie had directed 70
me, Should be Of the opinion that his conclusions wers
clearly and distinctly erroneous" In oonelusion seer
tary Deapo Informed the counsel that he would allow
fifteen days for the preparation OF printed arguments on
the merits Of the the record after which daye
further time would be allowed for counsel TO tie replies 70
MILITARY POWER TO BE TESTED.
The five members of the Louisiana Legisla>
ture who were elected nom their seats by Gen. do
Trobriand acting under Gen sheridans orders, tho
4th January last have begun suits against those two
officers for 800 damages and the VIII be tried
In tho United States Circuit Court Judge Woods pre-
siding at its Spring ern in New orleans, beginning
the fourth Monday In April The defense OF Gems.
Sheridan and de Trobriani VIII be conducted behalf
of tho United statos Government by tho firm Of Enons,
Burnett G. Hammond OF New-York these gentlemea
having been designated by the Attorney General for this
duty Tho trial OF this ease Win be very important and
interesting, 1t involves the decision Of the question
whether tho United Government has the right,
ut the request OF the Governor OF State 10 inter
ferc in the organization or legislature TIC case 10
whichever way the verdict 10 Judge wOodss cout
EXAMINATION OF BANK CHEcxe
The Secretary of the Treaslry,in view OF the diff
ferenees Of opinion between the Of Internal
Revenue and the Controller Of the Currency az to the en-.
animation Of National banks for the discovery OF
stamped checks, has decided upon method which will
be satisfactory to ell parties, and acceptable 10 tho
banks The hanks opposed to having Internal
Revenue officers, without experience IN bank Affairs,
overhaul their papers and exercise espionage their
business thus throwing open their affairs to clssses
OF oficers-the bank examiners and Internal Revenue
officers 2he decision CT the Solicitor OF the Treasury.
which was to effect that law authorized on en-
animation by the revenue officers viii be far modified
require the bank examiners to make the invcstgar
same time they arc making their regular inspections
u I'd TT M IN