The Washington times., 1906-11-23
ENGRAVING BUREAU
AWARDED CONTRACT
TO PRINT STAMPS
Cortelyou Thinks CoStli-
er Bid Viii Be Offset
in the End.

Postmaster General Cortelyou
has awarded to he Bureau of En-
craving and Printing of the Treas
ury Department. the contract for
furnishing postage stamps and
books Of stamps for the postal ser
vice during the period of four
years beginning February I, 1907.
This award was made after the
fullest consideration of the pro-
posals submitted. There were only
two bidders, the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing and the
American Bank Note Company of
New York.
The annual saving, if the award had
been made TO the private bidder, would
have been approximately 1900, but the
Postmaster Generals investigation OF the
subject convinced him that this amount
would be more than offset by the loss
or the machinery Of the postage stamp
plant in the Bureau OF Engraving and
Printing, even If IL should be sold TO
The American Bank Note Company az
lis present market value.
Not Directed by Congress.
While Congress has not directed that
postage stamps shrould be manufactur-
ed at the Bureau Of Engraving and
PRINTING, II has authorized the POST
master General To have them manufac-
lured there when, In ais Judgment, 10
DO so would be for the best interests of
the Postofice Department.
IN the course OF a memorandum upon
The case. the Postmaster General saws.
1t appears 10 be the policy of the
Government, as shown by various acts
OF congress. TO manufacture it's cur
rehcy, revanue stamps. securities. etc
by It's own agencies and under teh su-
perVision OF its own officials. and IL
would be contrary 10 that policy 10 give
over 10 private company the con-
tract for the manufacture of hostage
stamps, which are securities of the
United States, solely for the purpose of
erecting a saving 10 the PostoIsce De-
partment OF an amount relatively small
ana largely problematical.
Doubt as to Legal Obligation.
THE American Bank Note Compauv.
IN It's letter OF November Is. offers n
the Government the option of fiye sue
. cessiye renewals. of four years each.
Upon The same terms and conditions
as now proposed. Of the contract for
the manufacture of postage stamps and
stamps in books. Admitting the fair
ness of this offer and the good faith of
the company in making il, there may be
serious doubt whether IL would be legal
~ binding upon the company, II accent
ed BY the Postmaster General and
whether indeed. it's acceptance would be
warranted by public policy.
Justifes Decision.
For the foregoing reasons ana with
out either the ability or responsibility
Of the American Bank Note Company.
II does not seem to me that the award
Of the contract for printing postage
stamps andstamps Ia books 10 that COM
pany would be justified.
The proposal Of the American Bank
Note Company for furnishing To the
Postocettice Department, during the
four-year period beginning February !.
1901 postage stamps and books of
stamps Of the same designs and denomi-
nations as those now in use. which pro-
posal was submitted under the adver-
tisenent dated February .. 1896. is here
by rejected, and contract for supplying
such stamps and books of stamps during
said period viii be awarded TO the Bu-
reau OF Engraving and Printing"