Sunday Washington globe., 1902-05-11
And It's Name Is Mikey Louis
of the Supply Division.
THE ANNUAL AWARDS
For Ink, Twine and SundPies the
Cause of Mikey's Nervousness and
Excitement--HOw He Obtains Ad-
vance Information Removal OF
Marsten and Appointment OF How
ley-WaPning TO the New Clerk and
and His Chief

Mikey LOUIS Chief of the Supply Division
of the Post-Ofice Department, is sweating
blood! He is on thorns these days and is
so uoticeably uneasy, hdgety and cross that
nobody of less rank than a Senator or a fa-
vorite (female) clerk can approach him.
And this is all because Of the annual con-
tract letting for inks, twiues and other sup
plies in his department The bids have
been received and opened, but the awards
have not yet been announced And this
latter fact is the cause of Mikey's perturba-
ton, etc
The chief clerk Of the First Assistant
Postmaster General is the chairman of the
committee to award the contracts. His
name is Howley not Marsten, as the
general public supposes. Mr.. Marsten was
relieved shortly after Mr. Wynue's appoint
meut as First Assistant Postmaster General.
Mr.. Marsten was let down easy by being
detailed with three others to make an in
vestigatiou and report of the pneumatic
tube business for the department. Mr..
Howley Immediately took Mr.. Marsten's
place as chief clerk and his appointment
will be duly announced on the return and
assignment of Mr.. Marsten to another posi-
ton.
Messrs. Marsten and Howley are ire
prOachable officials and the GLOBE believes
incorruptible. And it is this very fact that
is worrying Mikey, for his Cincinnati
friends Ault and Wiborg have bid 81 cents
for the ink against Philadelphia firms bid
of eighteen cents. Now the problem con-
fronting Mikey is how to manipulate mat
ters so that Wiborg & Ault secures the con-
tract, despite their bid of double price?
Mikey has heretofore been equal to all
such emergencies, especially when Perry
Heath ruled the roost, Mikey's plan was
simplicity itself He withdrew the ink
from competition, went into the open mar
ket and purchased il from his friends and
Mr.. Heath's relatives, Wiborg & Ault, Of
Cincinnati. He not only purchased all the
ink the department could use, but he had
destroyed all the ink on hand The GLOBE
charges this corrupt remnant of the Heath
regime with forcing an employe to destroy
in the furnace large quantities of ink in
their original sealed cansl We challenge
NIikey to arrest us for libel on this charge,
and we notify his superior, Mr.. Wynne, that
we have the witnesses to prove it home
And much more, tool
To resume, Mikey is now lowering around
like a buzzard over carrion watching that
award The stenographer in the Office of
Wynne has husband, who is a So 200 clerk
in the Rural Free Delivery, under Macheu,
Mikey's friend, and collaboration Mikey
knows, through Machen, everything trans
piriug in Mr.. Wynne's Office It was this
means of information that gave the gang
such corner" on poor Johnson that he
had to lay down
Now the question arises, is Mr.. Wyune to
he oh tOrOfprrua6 IN aiTv,sIar rr,o,, ,o- ,.,1
will Mikey be able to reach the chief clerks
decision and influence it by advance in
formation of what is determined on or
going to happen?
We shall watch this award with paternal
tenderness and see if a firm is awarded the
ink which bids 81 cents while an equally
responsible Philadelphia firm offers to sup.
ply the standard article at I8 cents.
And while we are on this topic of supplies
we desire to admonish Mr.. Howley that in
the matter of twine, jute, ETC., particular
friend of Mikey's is one Mr. Helm, who
never manufactured pound of twiue in his
life and who has neither shop nor factory
for its manufacture. Yet he is a bidder
And what is more, Mr. Howley ne has
heretofore been a successful bidderl
Blikey trembles for him now because he
has, so far no lines on you or your chief
and hence his frequent consultation with
Gus Machen and running around like hen
with an egg Do not permit him, Mr.. Hol.
loway to drop the egg in your nest, or if
you do you and your chief will experience
the same fate that overlook your predeces.
sors- The clique Of which Machen is the
head aud Mikey Louis the tail is powerful
one for evil but they are harmless for good
tile good of the service-and if you are
caught in the meshes of the net they have
spread for you and your chief, the fault be
on your combined heads, after this fair
warning by the GLOBE Meantime we shall
watch the awards with absorbing interest.