Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-12
BILLS WILL BE HELD UP
PURCHASING AGENT OF THE POST
OFFICE DEPARTMENT IGNORED.
Goods Sold to Other Oficia1s-Creditors
Will Have to Await Appro-
priation by Congress.

Since the appointment of William f..
Cochran the first purchasing agent of the
Fost Office Department there has been some
misunderstanding of the prerogatives of
that office on the part Of some of the other
Coordinate branches of the postal service.
There is no doubt that the matter will be
corrected at the coming session Of Con-
gress, at the same time that that body pro-
vides a fund for the payment Of the salary
Of the purchasing agent and arranges for
chief clerk for that official.
But at this moment the various divisions
and bureaus of the department which have
been in the habit Of making their own pur-
chases do not all take kindly to the new
Office and some of them have been making
purchases as if it did not exist All pur-
chases for the department must go through
the hands Of the auditor for the Post Office
Department before the bills are settled and,
since this bureau has decided in favor of the
purchasing agent, there will be some trou-
Die experienced by those who have sold ma
terial to the department to collect their
bllls. In fact, 1t will require an act of
Congress to pay them.
Functions Of Purchasing Agent.
The act creating the office of purchasing
agent expressly provided that all supplies
for the Post Office Department must be pur-
chased by the purchasing agent. after bids
have been asked for Spd the contract
awarded to the lowest bidder who is able
to furnish the supplies satisfactorily to the
requirements of the department 1t makes
no allowances for the purchase of any sup
pies by any other person official than
the purchasing agent and all bills incurred
by that official in the discharge of his du-
tles' as outlined by Congress in the creating
act, will be subject to auditing and final
payment by warrant drawn on the Treas
ury of the United States
Any bills coming to the auditors office
from any other division than that of the
purchasing agent must be turned down by
the auditors office and the only way the
claimants can get their money will be to
enter their claims before Congress and get
a special appropriation for their payment
IL is likely, at the same time that some
one Will be severely handled by that body
for the misconstruction of its act and in
the lace or the clearest of language by
which to interpret 1t.
The Purchasing Agent Ignored.
Prior to the death of Postmaster General
Payne that official was fully aware that
Congress had not provided for a salary for
the purchasing agent, except to stipulate
Its amount, and also that there were no
funds with which to pay it. He knew, how
ever. that the national legislative body
would rectify the oversight as soon as 1t
again met, ana that 1t also would make
provision for a chief clerk for the bureau
He was aware that the auditors Office was
not likely to pass any bills incurred by
others than the purchasing agent after
the induction into office of that official and
he did what he could to check the tendency
on the part of some to continue to order
their own supplies in seeming defiance of
the act of Congress.
There have been no fragrant cases that
can be mentioned of a defiance of this act
but 1t is cautiously stated by those in
touch with the intimate affairs of the de-
partment that there will be some bills turn
ed down by the auditor on this very ac-
count. The only remedy in the hands of
those who have sold to the government
through these channels will be an appeal
to Congress. a measure which, when once
taken. will forever settle the mooted point
the purchasing agent and those other ou-
reaus which have been balky about having
a privilege taken from them.
Congress will also have its attention
called to the fact that no provision has
been made for a chief clerk for the new
bureau, and as consequence thereof Mr.
Cochran has been unable to leave his Of
flee to take his vacation because there was
no one in whose hands to leave the affairs
of the office. A chief clerk is authorized
to sign papers in the absence of the chief
of the bureau, and If Mr.. Cochran left the
Office at this time the accumulation of i'm
portant documents which would await him
on his return would be too much for any
one man to get through with in anything
like reasonable time. Therefore he waits
the coming session of Congress with un-
usual eagernesS, both a salary and a chief
clerk hanging in the balance.