Sunday Washington globe., 1901-12-22

Mckinley crowd, Mikcy dropped on
freight train near Washington and called
on Perry. He was willing to paint lamp
posts. carry lunches to IN. clerks, or do any
Of the meuia work now being performed
by old soldiers such as sweeping doors,
washing sDittoons etc
But Perry Heath had something in view
for Mikey He landed his protege for 90
days in the supply division after "6ring"
the competent Democratic official who was
in charge This go-day racket. it is needless
to state was to beat the civil service law, as
will De seen further along.
Having landed his man, Perry notified the
Civil Service Commission that he wanted
an expert for the head Of the supply divis-
ion He furnished the commission a list Of
questions which the applicants for the
position were required to answer. AT the
end Of ninety days Perry made sure that
his friend Mikey would be able TO memor-
ize the answers. But however slick Mikey
is in other things the intricacies of English
literature and language proved too much
for him. and on his private examination by
Perry he found to his dismay that Mikey
would surely fail. Hence he had another
ninety-day extension granted him. But
here came in a startling discovery, Mikey
was an alien The Civil Service Commits
sion discovered this fact Then Perry had
Mikey post haste before the courts to "de-
clare his intentions, " and Mikey declared.
of course, that he was after the Office Of
Superintendent of the Supply Division.
Finally the examination took place and
two at least of the applicants put it all over
Mickey They were, however Americans,
natives and to the manor born, and like the
old soldiers, largely handicapped by
this misfortune Messrs. Snyder Of the In
terror Department aud Tibbot Of the War
Department beat Mikey hands down. Tib-
bot Is one Of The most competent gentle
men Of his class in the service Of the gov,
ernmenl He was at the time of the exami-
nation a clerk in the supply division, and
familiar with the duties Of superintendent.
The same may be said of Snyder.
Perry Heath instructed the commissioners
that so many marks must be allowed Mikey
for experience, inasmuch as he had held
the position for one hundred and eighty
days These marks added to the answers he
had memorized landed Mikey as per Perry IS
program.
Then began the reign of the foreigner.
and the Americans hunted their holes in
great shape Tibbot secured a transfer to
save his scalp, as did others, while some
fell beneath the ak: notably am old soldier
named Paul Mr Paul was in and had
dropsy. His physician, a reputable prac-
titioner, so certified, but Mikey sent one of
his sundowner clerks and this physician (?)
made the report, dictated by Mikey, that
Paul was suffering from the effects of
alcoholism. and he was promptly dis
charged by this imported Pollock We
have to pause here to allow our indignation
to cool of.
Resumiug the narrative, the GLOBE will
now direct attention to even a more serious
phase of this affair. Superintendent Lewis
had himself declared Chairman of the
Awarding Committee of Three members, to
whom all bids for supplies are submitted
aud who are authorized to award contracts
for the same These supplies consist of
cordage, stationery Of all kinds, twiues and
INK Stick a pin in this item Of ink, gentle
reader aud keep it there until we come
to it,
The post-ofice supply division furnish
every post Office in the United States aud
its subject kingdoms, provinces and priu
cipalities all the twines, steel STAMPS, sta
tionery, ink and other supplies used in the
respective offices. Annually the supply
division invites bids for these articles and
the three members sit in committee Of the
whole. examine the bids and make the
awards.
There is in Cincinnati firm of which the
head, Mr.. Ault, is a countryman, acquaint.
ance, 'riend, and, we believe, relative of
Superintendent Lewis. This 6rm sells ink.
Mr.. Lewis discovered that the ink used by
his predecessor was no good He discov-
cred, too by process of mathematical cal
culation that some of the highest bidders
we're the lowest. Mr.. Lewis differed from
his American born colleagues on the board,
and insisted on awarding contracts to the
the firms he had selected The two
members, a majority of the board
made their report to Mr. Heath and their
awards to the lowest and best bidders Mr.
Lewis made his report also, and the awards
he had decided upon. Mr. Heath. strange
Cd to say decided in favor of Mr. Lewis
and the firms to whom he had awarded the
contract Whereat there was scandal But
the scandal was intensified when Superin-
tendeut Lewis had the most important item
in the schedule Of awards withdrawn from
the same and had the power conferred on
him by Mr.. Heath to go into the open mar
ket and purchase the ink wherever he
pleased Now, gentle reader withdraw
that pin and follow Mr.. Lewis to Cincinnati.
The friend and countryman of Mr.. Lewis
furnished the iukl Nay he not only fur
nished il. but every pound Of ink in the
supply division was ordered destroyed by
superintendent Lewis, and when the engi-
ueer refused 20 put any more Of il in his
furnaces Lewis had the ink carted out TO the
dump n its original vessels aud had them
emptied on the public dump.
He then ordered every post-office under
the Dag Of the Republic supplied with the
Ault & WilbOrg Cincinnati ink and in such
quantities that protests came in from the
unsophisticated American postmasters, as
10 the waste extravaganza and unnecessary
quantities Of ink with which they we're be-
ing loaded up. These officials never
dreamed that they were under the reign of
Mr. Perry Heath's importation There
was peace IN Warsaw for a brief spell, but
Mr. Lewis issued another ukase that no
body who was not a bone fde manufacturer
could bid on twiue Hence, his friend Mr.
Helm who never had manufactured a
pound Of iute twine, secured the award
Mr.. Helm was agent of Fuller & Co.. but IL