Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-05
WITHIN HIS RIGHTS
CONGRESSMAN L1TTAUER TELLS
OF GLOVE CONTRACT.
Declares He Committed Neither Moral
Nor Legal WfonEs in the
Matter. 1s

Representative Littauer. IN an interview
in New York last night, made the follow
ing statement: o, sa
II am, of course, surprised and. dfsap-
POINTED at the decision Of the Secretary
of War that there may exist even prima
facia case of violation Of statute. The
decision only creates inquiry as to
whether a technical violation of law has
been committed, and removes from the
case entirely any suggestion of dishon-
esty or dishonorabie action ON my part.
and of any improper use Of my influence
as a representative in regard to any glove
contracts.
IT can ask no more sweeping and COM
plete vindication Of my honor and bust
ness integrity than tha final findings OF
the Secretary. ,
'As to the matter which has been re-
ferred to the Attorney General, I am
at a loss to understand how any question.
even OF a most refined technical nature.
can exist al to the perfect propriety ana
legality Of the contract OF December I.
1898 The uncontradicted evidence con-
cerninx this contract develops these facts:
Mr.. Lyon was general contractor TO the
War Department. furnishing not only
gloves but caps. cottons, ducks and vart-
GUS other articles
'"Thars was awarded to him q contract
for 5000 muskrat fur gauntlets, which
he purchased from US at price OF N.Se
per pair. This price, we asceFtained dur
ing the process Of manufacture, was too
low, as informed him.
subsequently, Mr.. Lyon bid. and his bid
was accepted for 10000 similar gloves.
with a privilege to the government Of
requiring 50 per cent more, which the
government took advantage Of. After
the acceptance Of the bid he called upon
me to furnish him with the goods. In
formed him that I would not furnish them
kAo% oiv-a l,,,l bnoy,
furnished, we having sustained loss IN
the transaction, as l had previously In
formed him During our conversations
took a sheet Of paper and In my hand
writing calculated the price Of the goods
which. with Is per cent profit to my
firm, would have amounted to $1.S1 per
pair, which was the price at which i
had previously offered to make the gaunt-
let's. During the discussion reduced this
anticipated profit to 10 per cent. making
the price s1.73.
Mr.. Lyon. who was furrier, familiar
with the material that entered into the
manufacture Of the fur part of the gloves.
insisted that had overestimated the num-
Der of skins that would enter into the pro-
duction of a dozen gloves. and subtoined
to my memorandum in his handwriting his
estimate Of the cost, which he fixed after
correction Of his previous figures at s.. 46Ia.
would not acqufesce in hts estimate Of the
cost, and he would not acquiesce III mine.
He importuned me, however. not to leave
him in the lurch, as he had already con-
tracted to furnish the goods to the govern
ment at $1.65. ct turned out that In fact
he had contracted for them at SITE, al
though 1 did not know IT, and ne finally
bought the goods at $1.6S. but conceded
that II 1t should be demonstrated after the
actual manufacture OF the goods that they
had cost me less than $L65, his account
would be credited with ona,half Of the Diff
ference between the actual cost per PAIR
and 81. 65 at which we had sold the goods
to him. This difference was ascer.ained to
be 8. 7.06. and he was credited with this
rebate which amounted to 81, 783.52
Our books give evidence dn detail of this
transaction. MT. Lyon was charged for the
gloves at s1.66 per pair and his account
was subsequently craditedbfwith the rebate
referred to. -. so-a az.
IF. as the-.Secretary says, There is no
doubt that manufacturing firm. os,s men,
Der of which happens to be member OF
Congress, has a right to manufacture ana
sell goods to jobbers who are SLING govern
ment contracts. and, that theN 10 no. come
within the prohibition OF the statute SO
long the contract between the firm and
the 1obber Is q separate and distinct trans
action, from the contract between the job
Der and the government, fail to sea. and !
am sure the community will fail to see. how
even a technical or legal violation OF any
statute or OF any code of moral or COM
mercfal propriety or any inyidious criticism
or censure can be founded upon this trans
action ---