Arizona republican., 1898-12-13
THE WAR CONTRACTS.
Some Current Malicious Stories Con-
 tradic5ed.

Ernest Loeb of Lafayette, Ind, asks whether Mark Hanna was awarded the government contract for coal with out even any bids from any other con tractor being opened or considered?' 9 He says tat such an assertion had Aeen made on the streets Of that city, and he wants to know the truth. Neither the army nor the navy nor any other department of the govern ment has purchased a dollars worth of coal CT any other kind of supplies whatsoever directly or indirectly, from Mark Hanna, or from any company with which he is connected. The story to which NJ. Loeb alludes was started by Representative Han" Lewis of the state of Washington. Although Mir. Lewis was repeatedly corrected by the officials Of the war and navy depart ments, he continued to repeat t-4e state ment upon the stump during the entire campaign, and is probably telling it yet. All of the coal and ether supplies furnished the army and navy during the late war were purchased of the low est responsible bidder, according to the law, with the exception of some emer- gency supplies, which were bought last May for immediate use. Neither Mir. I1anna nor any Of the companies to which he belongs nave submitted bids for any contract.
 The navy department did buy the yacht Comanche from Henry Melville Hanna, a brother Of the senator from Chio, but Mark Hanna Aad-no interest in it and knew nothing about the trade except what he read in the newspapers. Nor was !1he yachl. offered to the gov ernment The Connanche was selected Gr,-- f- or IrI- of c-1 vessels, upon the recommendation of a board of inspectors, as being available fer an auxiliary cruiser, and the price paid fer her was fixed by the board with out any proposition directly or in directly from il. N. Hanna. He in- formed the board lhae 1t could have the yacht at Q valuation which it mi ght fix, and the same course was followed with several other yachts bought from private individuals.
 While I am on this subject is may be well tc say also that neither the wal nor navy department has purchased anything from or given any contracts to Abner Mckinley, the presidents brother, or to any firm CT company in which he was known to be initeresteI. NOT has MT. Mckinley ever approached the secretary of war, the secretary Of
 
 the cCmmissary general of the army, or the corresponding officers of the navy or any ether official on any such business.
 A New York paper has been publish ing sensational stories for several days in regard to the manipulation Of army contracts by the presidents brother, bus the only cases it has referred to are those of contracts which MT. McKin- ley's friends did not obtain. Fron, these publications it would appear thal he had no influence whatever in either the war or the navy dep3l tment. If MT. Mckinley was interested with any of the biuuers, or if any manufacturer paid him money to secure contracts, he kept precious quiet about it, because he knew that the president would never permit him to use his influence in such matters, and no member of the cabinet CT official would listen to him for mo ment, for fear of the presidents dis pleasure.-W. E. Cur5is in Chicago Rec ord