Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1888-09-15

BUYING roR11oN BLANKzTs
Facts About the Transaction %
Given by Major Mckinley.
New Yosk Prssa
Owing 70 the repeated requests from
readers Of the Press for information
about the blanket contract, We again
print the facts ~ Get forth by Major Nc.
Kinley in his speech In congress. No
one questions the absolute truth Of
these statements:
On the 9osh Of March, 1887, the Unit
Cd States government advertised for
bids for the purchase Of blankets for the
use Of the medical department Of the
army. This was in 1887. under the
present administration. There were
foreign bids and there were American
bids. Now, II the president 10 right in
saying that the duty is added to the
cost, then the foreign cost. duty added.
ought to be just equal TO the American
price. Now. what are tho facts Of thus
trsusactioni AsI have said, there was
. foreign bid. and there was An Ameri.
can bid. The foreign bid was for four
pound blanket for medical purposes,
to bs furnished for 1925 2-1O. For tho
ssme four pound blanket for the same
purposes. the American bid was 1855,
there being difference Of 80 $40 cents.
Who do you suppose got the contraot'
There was . foreign bid and an Ameri.
can bid. and the difference between the
bids was 20 cents on each blanket. Now,
tell mo which manufacturer, the Amer.
loan or English, got the CONTRACT Il
there anybody here who would not haye
given Il TO the American. there being q
difference Of only 80 cents between the
bids,
L. there any gentleman on this floor
who would send abroad to get . pair Of
blankets merely 70 save thirty cents on
them, thus taking away from tho Amer.
ican manufacturer, aud the American
1 laborer that much business! However
that may be, that contract did go
abroad. English labor, with foreign
wool, made those. 1000 blankets for the
use Of our army. American labor was
boycotted, and they came in without
paying duty. The government took I'd.
vantage Of law that stands on the stat.
ute book and admitted them free ol
duty. There being 10 little revenue in
the treasury, it was necessary TO save
every penny, 20 they took advantage OF
that Law which permits the United
States to bring in goods free Of duty.
Now let us look At the figures. The
duty on blankets Of that quality Is l8
cents pound and IS per cent I'd val.
orem. Eighteen cents . pound upon
1000 blankets. 4 pounds each, Is d 40;
IS per cent ad valorem IL q, ,576. 40,
making total duty upon those 1000
blankets. which were bought from . for.
eisn blanket maker, Of 43.Ol6.40. The
cost Of those blankets, free Of duty.
amounts 70 S5,2O4; with the duty added
the total would be q, 5000.
Now. il the president il right and il
the chairman Of the committee on ways
and means 10 right in saying that this
duty is added to the price 10 the Amer.
lean consumer. then q, go 40 is exactly
what the American price would be.
Now, then, gentlemen, what was the
American plice1 The American price
was $5.120. That il, il was 92,400 less
than the foreign cost, duty added.
Without any duty the difference be.
tween the cost Of the American and the
cost Of the foreign blankets on the whole
1000 was about 1900. Nov, you see
the American manufacturer does not
get the duty, and that, submit. is suf
6cient reason why he does not give II
10 his workmen. lam very sorry, Mr.
Chairman. that tho president Of The
United States did not know Of this tran.
saction, which had occurred under BID
own administration, 20 that he might
have avoided making the blunder which
he made in his message when lie said
that the duty Was added to the cost
And I do not know what those around
me may think about it, but l am very
sony that our government went abroad
and bought those blankets just 70 save
thirty cents apiece on them.
Mr.. Chairman, I wish that this gov
ernment Of ours, which is supported BY
its own people, and not by foreigners
would patronize it, own people. I thinl
that y IN example OF patriotism which
should be set BY those charged with
public administration. wish the mer
who pay the taxes 70 support thS gov.
ernment, 70 pay the presidents salary
and other expenses ot the government
would b patronised when the govern
ment has anything to buy; don't YOU
And are you not little ashamed Of thil
transacttoa, all Of youf I do not knoy
whether the like WAS ever done unde
any former administration OF not; bat !
never ought to be done, except Ia lin,
Io( war or great public necessity, BY an,
sfsture administFasioo Of any party.