The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-02-16
THE INDIAN SUPPLY BUSI
NESS
A Significant Letter from Congressman
Ryan on the Subject.

Ryan on the Subject.
The manner of conducting the bust.
ness Of purchasing Indian supplies has
always been matter of surprise. The
hurry of advertising for and receiving
bids has always led TO dissatisfaction.
The fact, too, that the business is trans
acted in New York, as far as possible
from where the supplies are purchased
and used, has served to throw around
and fraud. The only conclusion that
could be reached was that the business
was conducted to the advantage of New
York rings.
We are glad that Kansas congress
man-Hon. Thos. Ryan of this district
is investigating this matter, and pro-
poses that the people of The west
shall have fair showing.
II is matter of great deal of interest
to this region of country, and Mr.. Ryan
should pursue the subject until there is
a change for the better We copy a
portion of his letter 10 the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs:
II must strike every rejecting mind
as somewhat anomalous thar bids
should be invited and contracts awarded
at the chief commercial center on the
Atlantic seabOard for supplies which
must be purchased from 1000 to 800
miles west of that city, and so much
nearer the various distributing points
The states of Missouri, Kansas, Ne
braska, Iowa and Minnesota constitute
the greatest wheat, corn, pork and beef
producing area on the continent or in the
world, and from these states is drawn
the great bulk of the food supply deliv-
cred TO the Indians. MinnesoIa's flour
ing mills are the most extensive in the
world, and that state could supply the
wants of all the Indians fed through the
agency of the government without appre-
ciably diminishing her grain surplus.
The same may be SAID of my own state,
large part of which is contiguous to
the Indian territory, and from which a
very large part of the supplies are drawn
for the Indians located in that territory |
And yet, contracts for supplying the In
dams within the state of Minnesota and |
adjacent TO il, and those within easy |
reach of Kansas producers are awarded |
in the city of New York.
cannot conceive that any sound rea-
son can be given for traDsacting this I'M |
POlAobt Du9AhCoo op Adl lIOlu luC OdSO VI |
supply. The disadvantages OF this sys- |
tenn can be shown from the history of |
the service, and from the experience of
every man familiar with the facts.
1t is most respectfully suggested,
therefore, that you give such directions |
as will insure the reception of bids and |
awards of contracts for such supplies in
the future at some suitable point in the |
Missouri valley. And further, that there |
be such an extension of time and such |
notifications of the plan of advertising |
as will tend tn make more general the |
knowledge of the governments needs, |
and correspondingly increase the facili- |
ties for general and genuine compete
ton.
To Mr.. Ryan's letter Commissioner |
Price makes reply, promising some re-
forms in the abuses which have grown |
out of the way of doing things. He |
says:
Advertisements for proposals are now
published in all the principal news
papers In the country for at least three
weeks, and am ready to remedy, in
part, the evil you complain of, and will |
give instructions that, in the future
schedules of supplies be more general
ly distributed among the principal post
offices in Kansas and other states or
territories, and if possible, grant more
time in which to perfect and file the
bids. However, in my opinion, the
principal reason why persons fail to bid
for goods and supplies for the Indian
service is found in the fact that under
the restrictions thrown around the
business of this office, (sRAetheF wise or
not, / will not here discuss)
contractors have to- wait from
thirty to sixty days, after the goods are
delivered, until payment is made to them.
Not enough power in the payment of
accounts for goods and supplies for the
Indian service is given to the secretary
of the interior and the commissioner of
Indian affairs, and too much power to
override any action taken even by the
head of the interior department is vested
or assumed by subordinate officers of
the treasury department, and until this
is remedIed persons Will be very slow TO
bid and contract for supplies for the In
dian service.
If congress will make sufficient appro-
priation TO meet all expenses in the pur-
chase and shipment of goods and sup
plies, | will try to carry out your sugges-
tions and recommend 10 the honorable
secretary of the interior, that bids for
supplies for 1888, be opened in the
West