The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-04-06
GSrcxERBocKER ASSURANCE.
Secretary Hitchcock Answers th~
aFroteSf' OF the New Nork
Boasa ag Traae


,he board OF trade Of New York city:
Secretary Iltt~hceeb's letter.
department oi the Interior,
"Wash.ngion, April 3, 1880.
Dear Sir--l have the honor 90 ac-
knowledge the receipt Of your letter Of
the 5ist ultlmo, replying 60 mine of
the 2sth. And u understand its con-
tents correctly your protest against
the opening Of bids for the Indian sup
plies this department ~ required 10
furnish elsewhere than In New York
excepting In the case OF such a. are
beat equipped TO furnish such as we
ARE glad 60 admit those cities can
furnish. your claim being that New
iurt ir ti1r iirvi or priruur, 5,,ITis,-;; ii=
many lines, and. therefore, inferential-
IS. not ln all lines.
40 DinrrImszaa,sn Intena.a.
-in reply beg TO to assure you that
q 10 not proposed 10 In any way dis
e-imininutc against New York. nor yet
60 favor any city or section, bat sim
piy io provide the equal opportunity
ln which each IL entitled.
The Protest Respectfully Noted.
Your protest. from your point OF
view, Il natural. and is respectfully
noted. but protests do not usually de.
tcrmine facts and conclusions depend.
ent upon evidence and actual tranSae.
ticns, end while you claim a primary
posi;ion for New York, ! am pleased
To note your generous admission that
some of her sister cities may be prop
erly equipped competitors.
Actual PtRaseA Must Determine.
TO what extent aud successfully
they can thus compete can only be de
tcrminrd by actual figures which, In
the present case. are t0 be represented
by bona fide bids. The department.
ndv-f ii-cmrnis aud schedules call foi
bids from responsible contractors re-
gurdless oi their place Of residence
/ such bidders as are successful can
purchase the articles they may CON
tract 10 deliver either In New York or
elFewhere. 40 long as Nuch articles are
d, liyerrd in strict conformity with
the conditions OF the contract with
the government which, Ia no way die.
tatcs AZ to the primary place Of pur.
chase.
THE Great west In Growing.
"You win pardon me. II decline "a
either discuss or critlcise the actions
Of my predecessor, especially with
reference to Official orders issued fivs
years ago.
~fhe manufacturing aud market
condition Of our leading western
cities AZ you must he aware have re.
venled marvellous development dur.
ing that period. and their boards ol
trade and business leagues make rea.
sonable and forcible demands that
such extraordinary development and
increased resources with their result.
ing advantages, shall be duly and
properly recognized.
There are government warehouses
for Indian supplies, both In New York
and chirago, and there's no foundation
for the suggestion that either Is TO b.
dispensed with.
Must Protect she Government.
both the advertisements and schcd.
ulcy Of the department we're prepared
and issued after a most careful invcs.
iiRaiion In protection Of the intereAt,
Of the government, which. In view oi
nSccrtained facts. should not restrict
the opportunity Of bidding to one 10.
cslity. especially when thn, locality J.
mere ihnn a thousand miles distant
from the reservations and settlements
where nearly the whole Of the supple,
advertised for are 20 he distributed
and consumed. and thus, by such re-.
siriction, fail TO obtain the best results
for the government.
The Actual Biaa Must Decide.
"'rhe correctness. on the contrary
of the plan adopted by this depart.
ment, can only be properly decided hy
the actual bids 20 lie opened at Chi
CaFo on the 2sth Of April. aud at New
York on the sd of May.
AS before stated, there IL nothing
10 prevent the successful bidders from
uIuking their purchases In New Yora
should they find that market the
primary and most advantageous ID
which 90 make their selections.
seeks Equal Pabiteity.
"As your letter, pcrhapsinadvertent
~, appeared in the journal OF Com
merce before II reached me, shall
take the liberty Of giving this reply
equal publicity. ] remain,
Yours very respectfully.
EA. HITCHCOCK sccrctarS.