Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-30
Mr.. PETTYS RESPONSE
Comments Upon a Recent
Published Criticism.
RECORD OF HIS OFFICE
DEFENDS THE ACTS OF PROPERTY
CLERK BECKETT.
Denial That Purchases in Open Market
Denial That Purchases in Open Market
Have Cause the District
I eavy Loes.


Ex-Auditor Petty sent to the Commission
ers today his last communication before re-
firing from office in reply to published
criticism that Acting Auditor Tweedale
reports purchases by competition would
save about $4,000 annually-wasteful ex-
penditure approved by Mr.. Petty without
protest
In reply he says: Il have to say that
Acting Auditor Tweedale being a man of
honor. could not have made such an asser-
ton. us relating to me, for the reason that
the statement. with its accompaniment of
inference and comment, Is utterly false.
without a single element of truth In letter.
syllable word or thought
1T has been fixed rule of my official
lfe to look closely after these open market
purchases. knowing the opportunity they
offer for extravaganza and the employees
in the office of the property clerk will bear
testimony to the untiring industry with
which 1 have followed those of any impor-
lance l have gone to Mr.. Beckett hun
drcds of times with protests whenever
there was occasion. and l must say in be-
half of this honest faithful. sally over
worked official that he never failed to re-
spond to my requests for competition Had
his force been equal to that If he ether
property office, he would doubtless have
!
occasion arising for my intervention
Praiseworthy Effort.
1.-The end which Mr.. Tweedafe Is seeking
to accomplish. that is to have an order
issued recurring competitive bids in the
purchase of supplies, IS entirely praise-
worthy. and his recent action to this end
was taken after a conference with me, and
upon my advice. He knew of my constant
efforts to guard against loss or wastclul-
ensS, and believed that 1t would be better
to prevent both by a formal order OF the
Commissioners rather than by PERSONAL ef-
forts from time to time on the part or the
auditor. AS in keeping with his suESes
tons generally. this one was wise ana APP
pealed to my Judgment so thorouShi? that
| gave 1t immediate approval. without
which he would not have taken step IN
the direction of its embodiment IL an ex-
ecutive order.
While the rule thus proposed is good as
"A business method, its value as money
saving plan does not necessarily follow
For example: One of the items named IN the
reauisition which was held up, AMI which
was the origin of this inquiry. is refrigera-
tor, priced at $50. This refrigerator 1s
patented article. considered among the very
best on the market, but handled only by one
firm The lowest price at which citizen
can buy 1t is S63. but under a special ar
rangement, made with the dealer by Mr.
Beckett. 1t was sold to this District at 500
or course, a refrigerator Of the Same ca
pacity can be bought for. say $50, but that
does not imply a saving Of 50 which would
otherwise have been improperly expended
1t means, simply, that the ons for which |
reuuisition was made. and which might out
last the cheaper article for years, would not
be selected.
Property Clerk Beckett does not make
his purchases blindly, but In pursuance Of |
agreements made with dealers in all ella sses
of supplies by which he secures regular dis
counts ranging from - to 20 per cent below
what the average buyer pays. thus guarding
District against
proving the reckless accusations OF extrav-
agance made against him."
He says that instead of $4,000 being
saved by the issuance and execution of the
proposed order $500 is ii liberal estimate of
the Saving" Aforesaid
Commissioner Vests Find"
commissioner West Is quoted saying:
- find upon examina ton that 1t has been
the custom for many years for some subor-
dinate employe Of the District to buy for
the District when and where 1t suited their
pleasure. paying retail prices for all their
purchases and no competition oeing invited.
The acquisitions for the articles thus select
ed have been approved by the auditor and
the property clerk without question:
Il do not know who gave IN. Commits
sioner this Information. but DO know and
can prove by the purchasing agents of the
District that In so IA as 1t applies to me.
II was manufactured out of tho whole
cloth.
Commissioner Macfarland's Leniency
Il recall but official answering to
Commissioner Vests description whose
name l withhold, but which will be fur
nished If desired. and in whose case the eff
forts l made to keep him in check are
matters of common knowledge both in my
office and in that of the property clerk.
This man. unlike those upon whom the
tower of Sloan fell. was indeed a sin
ner above all men IN this respect and 1
often brought him to book That Is,
reported his misdoings to Commissioner
Macfarland. under whose supervision he
came. in the hope that the latter would
launch prohibitive order against him and
his practices. but in every the Com
missioner. while commencing my watchful-
ness. condoned the offense, and l retired
from the field discounted. One well-re-
membered case. among a number of others.
occurs to me. in which this refractory off,
ciai ordered not far from a thousand dol
lars worth of work without the authority
or knowledge Of either the property clerk
or the auditor which was executed at
prices largely in excess of contract rates:
and when reported the facts to Commits
sioner mcfarland he compltmsnted me-
but II he punished the offender the fact has
escaped the notice of the historian OF Dis
trict happenings.
A Recorded Opinion.
Commissioner Macfarland is quoted as
the author of the following Endorsement:
In approving the recommendation of
the acting auditor. transmitted with ap-
prevail by the Commissioner in charge of |
the auditors Office and the property clerks |
office. 1 desire to record my opinion that |
| the auditor and the property clerk should |
have brought this matter to the ATTENTION
| OF the Commissioners long ago.
MY surprise upon reading this criticism |
was extreme. and will be appreciated when |
u Is known that Commissioner Mcfarland |
| for two years past, and Commissioner West |
| ever since he entered upon Office, have daily |
approved requisitions for open market pur- |
! chase. under the appropriation for conttn- |
| gent expenses. and II they failed to know |
| what they were doing 1t was no fault Of |
the auditor or OF the property clerk