Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-07-28


one had the right to sell the lumber or
} divert the labor. The goVrnment OF
the United States is
NOT A DEALER IN LUMBER
or prOcurer Of labor; but the Tankness
OF the offeuse Of the secretary in thi3 re-
gard lies in the fact that his work was
done and mis- material procured without
the knowledge OF the commRndant OF
the yard or the civil engineer, whose
subordinate was employed to do the job,
aud who took the lumber from the stock
on hand at the yard belonging to the
government; and it is evident from the
proof that this employee, one Childs,
either imposed on the government or the
secretary. Several pages are devoted to
the enumeration of cases where runner
Gus political sharks have been borne up
on the pay-r0lls without rendering any
service in return whatever. In regard to
OPEN PURCHASES,
the report g. ates: Under the various acts
Of congress relating to the naval service,
running from March s. 1912, to April II,
1866, and more particularly referring to
the mode and manner Of making pur-
chases and contracts, it is made the duty
Of the navy department in the purchase
of supplies or making OF contracts to sd.
vertise a sufficient time previously for
proposals respecting the same, and in
the case of certain materials four weeks
in one or more principal papers pub
lished in the place where the articles are
to be furnished, unless time will not per-
NIT an immediate delivery, or perform
ance is required by public exigency,
The
MOST FLAGRANT INSTANCE
of the open violation Of this lsW cit ed il
the case Of VIM. Matthews, Of NV
York, who contracts with the chief OF
the bureau Of provisions and clothing,
the chief of which bureau modestly says
in extenuation of his violations OF the
law, that he did it for the good Of the
service, and yet in his Fl 81 examination
taken by Mr.. Willis, Of the committee,
pleaded ignorance OF the fact that the
law required an advertisement to be
made. Matthews has supplied to the
navy department, principally to the bu-
resu OF provisions aud clothing, since
1871, nearly $780, 900 worth of goods,
materials, etc., the major portion Of
which has been done without advertise
m9nt or competition. His regular bUsi-
ness is chat OF 8 retailer OF dry gOOde,
y
nished naval clothing Lstterly, he has
supplied beef, pork, ship furniture, etc.
These articles he would purchase him
self
IN OPEN MARKET,
after making his agreement with the
bureau or purchasing paymaster, and
then turn them over t. the department
at a profit ranging from fifteen 10 thirty
v7,il l,n -,
his proof, pages 257, 26l, 272 and 273 of
the miscellaneous testimony taken by
the committee, averaging the rate Of
profit made by Matthew's in these traus-
sections at twenty per cent. 1t is mani
fest that the government in these pur-
chsses from him alone has lost from
$500, 900 to 100000. In other words, by
fair, open competition, the committee are
persuaded that in these transactions
alone the government could have saved
over $500, 600. Their agent could have
bought, as Mr.. Matthews did, the same
articles
AT THE SAME PRICES.
Is Mathews or Others who like him so |
deal with the government to be censured |
and the chief actor to escape? Robeson's
purchase Of vessels is thus des 3riOed: |
There have been purchased by the pres
ent secretary of the navy two vessels,
and one by his chief Of the bureau OF |
HanscOm. There pur-
ohases have been made without auihori-
~ Of law and without any specific ap.
preparation made for that purpose. The |
Dispatch, formerly America, and the |
Rio Bravo, formerly Planter, were
bought by the secretary at cost for the
IF H.,
Bravo of $l4 600. Both, however, have
Sea Weed was bought by the chief of
at a cost of $500, without
he knowledge of the secre tary, but in
asmuch as that chief
Is NOT REBUKED
~ the secretary, it is inferable thai this
is approved by hin. The bu.
eau officer reasons like the secretary,
hat there was an exigency requiring
uch purchase, and it being admissible |
hat such plea protects these agents of
he government in the purchase of ves-
els, it is difficult to seq why other off.
ers and agents may not do likewise
md each and all Of them purchase in
definitely, limited only by the amount
# money upon which they can lay their
lands and their own discretion. The
do not fail:rO zee
AN OPPORTUNITY OF FRAUD
u practices like these, but sre coptent
low to call the attention Of the house to
he contempt of the law manifested in
his regard by these officers of the gov
Repairing old vessels in the
lavy and building new ones under the
lame OF repairs, is the subject Of a very
chapter, in which it Is shown
lCw millions have been sunk without
ny return. One Of the most marked
videEces OF the navy departments
plundering is shown in Robe
on's allowance of old claims rejected by
primer secretaries. The report shows
hat claims aggregating nearly $I,0O0,-
10 were allowed by him, nearly all OF
which were fraudulent, and had be- en- so
ss3ed upon by his predecessors. Among
hem are the SecOr and Cattell claims.
IN the foreign account OF the navy de-
artment the report goes into q history
I the Jay Cooke, M'Culloch d Co. mat
er, tut
OEs NOT IMPROVE ON GLOvER's RE.
PORT
n this subjec! already published. The
Ward gun job is shown up in a fierce
HAPPIER Of depunciation, accompanying
damntDg array Of facts. In his final !
9sume WhitthOrne dwelIs on Robgson's
tier disregard of all laws, and then OF.
rs the following in the way of TefOrma-
on: Reformation thorough and COM
lete is demanded in this branch Of the
lblic service, not only to relieve the
lbiic treasury of the bsrnacles that are
Ipidiy destroying its wealth, but to re-
ore the navy to that prCui emiDence
once so honOrably occupied. This
lould be done, and speedily, If we !
ould preserve it. It can be doGe, and
saving Of from $1,000, 900 to $4,000. ,
" per annum from the average appro- I
istions of the lsst seven years. The :
oper support Of our navy-that is to =
y, the p8y of its officers and men-the :
aintenance Of q sufficient number of Z
Vineyards, the ordinary repairs of ves- +
Is and their machinery, with their a
oper equipments and armament. TO- :
ther with the ordinary incidental and 1
ntlngept expenses, can be met with +
annual appropriation Of SI2OO1. 600 .
I'd then, with an annual Approximation
S3,OOO,OOO, devoted to a permanent o
crease of the navy, wisely and iudi-
Justly expended in conformity aud in -
rmOny with 3
lie PROGRESS OF MODERN IMPROVE, y
MENTs, d
few years our navy will regain ifs Il
It position before the world. To jnsu- "
rate this reform your committee have a.