The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-16
KEEP COMMISSION
 ST|RS THINGS UP Various Departments Pay Diff ferent Prices for Staples NIX IS ONE GOOD EXAMPLE Government Prnt,ng Office Pays $4.32 a Quart and Postoffice Department
 Pays But $1.34-Will Probe
 Subject Further.
NIX IS ONE GOOD EXAMPLE

Subject Further.
 Washington, September 15.-(Special.)- The Keep commission, which has been in vestigating the affairs of the government departments here for several months past, Is said to have stumbled upon several items in the accounts of purchasing of ficers demanding further attention. Com parison of prices paid for supplies in diff ferent departments shows that in some cases there Is difference of 100 per cent. All are supposed to buy under the same method, letting the contract to the lowest and best bidder. Yet, despite this the difference of from 10 to 100 per cent is not infrequent. It is the plan of the com mission to recommend that a central pur- chasing office buy articles for all de- partments. This will assure the best pos sible articles for all. The commission will first take up reforms that can be ef fected without new Legislation. These in- clude the whole question of supplies, amounts used, qualities, price, etc. It Is said to be assured that millions an- nually can be saved in this way alone.
 Variations in Specific Articles.
 Variations in price of specific articles of supplies, as they are bought for diff ferent departments, show a wide discrep- nncy in the purchasing method Under the item of inks 1t Is found there is wide variance In prices paid in the different departments. For example, 1t is declared that when the Keep commission came to examine even so small an item as the ink supply that the following result was shown: Ink per dozen quarts, agricultural department, $4, government printing of- flee, $432; department of justice, g 32; de- partment of commerce and labor, S2 50; postoffice department, $1.34.
 Other items are said to show almost a similar variation.
 Heads of Departments Responsible. Representative Livingston of Georgia, who was the ranking democrat on the ap- proprations committee in the last House, and who will probably succeed himself in the next Congress-, said tonight that he believed the main trouble to be with the heads of the departments.
 If they had time to devote to the de- tails of the affairs of the departments" said Colonel Livingston, they might be able to avoid these discrepancies in price. How many millions are wasted in Just these small details no one knows. An ap- proprfation calling for lump sum of, say million dollars, does not excite any particular interest on the part of the people, but when you get down to de- tails it Is a different matter. l take 1t for granted that an appropriation for the contingent fund will be asked in the next session, and detailed statement of that will be demanded" , Colonel Livingston expressed the opinion that Speaker Cannon and his House fol- lowing would not seriously interfere with the intentions of the democrats to de- mand a full Investigation.
 "They owe 1t to themselves" said Mir. Livingston. 'to fully investigate the sev- eral departments"
 e-~---~---~~--~@-~---~-~ --~-~-~---~---~-~-~---~--- estate deals. but promised to examine the records.
 MT. Rogers expressed his desire to ask a few questions about the sale of bonds on December 31 to J. F. Morgan & Co. and the re-purchase on January 2.
 Now, MT. Perkins, you acted in the transactions for the insurance company and also for J. P Morgan &s Cor"
 T completed the transactions for I. P. Morgan & Co. because that house was the only place where I could realize a fair sum for the bonds at that time. We lost nothing in that transaction, and we made nothing, but in financial transac- tions it Is sometimes just as important not to make loss as to show profit MT. Hughes You did not change your position at all?"
 Assemblyman Rogers: Has there been any other case in which you have acted for both the New York Life and J. P. Morgan & Co. at the same time?'
 q recall no other transactions" he said. MT. McKeen. Did you confer on this matter with any other member of J. P. Morgan & Coz
 .No.'
 Tn effect you acted at once for both J. P. Morgan &. Co. and the New York Life?"
 "Yes there was no possibility of loss and had no other course open to me but to do as I did"
 Did any of j. P. Morgan & Co.'S people know of the transactions"
 T presume those who saw 1t through did'
 Senator Armstrong: Did you personal ly carry the stock from the New York Life to J. P. Morgan & Co.'S office?"
 T have made no deliver;es since l have been in the service of tse com pany."
 .sWho, then, made the actual delivery?' You should ask the custodian of the securities did the initiai work and was responsible for the transaction.'
 Was there any delivery:
 We got a dras.; I know that"
 Now in the transactions whc did MT. Perkins, an officer of the New York Life Insurance company, give way to MT. Per kins, an officer of J. P. Morgan & Co., q don't understand your point"
 Well, you as an officer of the New York Life. issue an order, and Perkins as an officer of J. P. Morgan & Co. re- ceives 1t? When were you acting fer The New York Life? For J. F. Morgan & Co? When were jou acting for the New York Life?'
 "All the time.
 "when were you acting for J. P. Nor gan & Cor
 That depends on the occasion''
 ''Well if you are acting for the New for J. P. Morgan & Co.," remarked Sen ator Armstrong.
 Mir. Perkins Protests.
 Mir Perkins then burst into protesta- tion.
 MT. Chairman, act as I think right do not think whether I am acting for the New York Life or J. P Morgan & Co. I follow my conscience and do that I think is right" The senator was unmoved and asked: "But where did your loyalty to one or the other end?"
 Assemblyman Rogers broke in and said: .srhe senator is thinking of the scripture, "A man cannot serve two masters
 'sIn other syndicate transactions be- sides the $500, 900 deal. who furnished the money" asked MT. Hughes
 "We did"
 "who conducts the joint accounts on behalf of the New York Life?"
 'T do; all of them."
 "In regard to the Boston bonds-you