The Washington herald., 1908-01-05

of similar tenor from another govern
ment. On 1t were listed the names Of
all bidders, and the amounts which
each submitted
5'he man who gave this information
also said his firm and the other which
bid were fairly we'll qualified to COM
ply with the terms of the contract. if
1t had been awarded 10 them, and that
probably these two are the only ones
in the country which eould supply the
high-grade material which evidently,
from a comparison of the different bids.
must have been furnished.
The first firm bid on the high grade
stuff S4,953.45; the second firm bid on
the same grade. S4,503.50. The con-
tract-the notice of award not stating
the grade-was given TO The Audit Sys-
TEN for $4,41S, or $3.50 less-if the
high grade was supplied-than the bid
of the second firm for the high grade.
The material in question this repre-
sentative stated. was being placed in
the Government Printing Office about
ten DAYS after he received notice that
The Audit System had secured the con-
tract. 1t came, he said, from Grand
Rapids, Mich, and IL would have taken
at least ten days for goods from that
city to get here by freight, and was
special stuff.
In No way High Grade.
Since the material was installed in the
Government Printing Office. people who
are qualified to make such a statement,
have said il is in no way high grade
Mr.. Sullings signed the award to The
Audit System evidently. for he told this
representative on the evening referred 70
that he could give contracts to whoever
he pleased
Mr.. Stillings. who said he hadn't time
TO bother with these matters, and who
referred this firm to Vice President Ray
nor, of The Audit System, also bidder,
for information awarded this contract
amounting 20 more than $500 to The
Audit System, and didn't take the trouble
TO notify other bidders on which grade
he based his award.
Mr.. Stlllings did not send notice Of
award of the contract until July TO- while
the bids of one firm, at least. had been
submitted late in May AS Mr.. Stillings
had directed inquiries about specifications
to be submitted to Vice President Ray
nor. it is safe to assume that the bids of
these other firms were submitted to Vice
President Raynor. also, when The Audit
| System was a bidder and got the con-
tract.
/ The stuff. it has been stated and has
| been asserted by two men thoroughly IA
miliar with such stuff, was to have been
| of a special nature Yet ten days after
| the notice 81 award the stuff. coming
/ from a firm in Grand Rapids. Mich, was
/ in Washington
/ Both firms have felt the injustice Of
/ this award, but realized for many months
that 1t was as Nir. Stnlings had told the
/ representative Of one OF them-he could
let contracts 10 whoever he pleased.
The Printed Formula.
In the Specification for open market
purchase" which was sent out to these
firms on May 9. there is printed for
mula in which are these words: Subject
to your best cash discount if paid within
/ ten days 9
/ Did Public Printer Charles A StllingS
pay The Audit System, to which he
awarded this contract, calling for 81 as
/ from the government. In ten days and
! get its best cash discount
/ II he did he can no doubt show IT,
| Who kuoWS9 as they say i'm Mexico