The Washington herald., 1908-01-15
HAS THINGS HIS WAY
lIr. StillingS' Own Method
in Awarding Contracts,
COMPETITION IS NOT NEEDED
Unknown Firm Gets Con-
trnet 10 supply $4,000 Worth OF
Furniture, While Another Concern
that Supplies About so Per Cent of
the Trade Cannot Set Explanation.

hasn't confined his letting of contracts 10
any one week or month or year. nor has
ne confined his letting of contracts. ap-
parently, to even the odd Audit System
without competition-although candor
compels the admission that it looks as
if our Public Printer has let contracts TO
the system without any competition
whenever he could.
However passing SUCH Teprehensible
action on the part Of Mr.. stillings IS
letting contracts without competition,
which is, indeed, sad commentary upon
the fair and unsmirched history Of the
Government Printing Office under the
regime of Mr.. Stillings. let us pass with
brisk gaze to one Of the Public Printers
more recent contractual exploits
in glancing over this passing bit of
history, that has its touching side as well
as its merry. it must be remembered that
all the information was given by
reputable business men OF this city, who
know about what they are talking.
some New Furniture.
Vice President Raynor. the active and
amiable head Of the odd Audit System,
once remarked 10 a reporter for The
Washington Herald that there would
soon be some new furniture in the job
room" The 'jobroom" was a right de-
cent looking place when the vice presi-
dent and the reporter went through one
pleasant afternoon last month, but on
the word of the former. new furniture
WIS needed. and then it'll be a fine look
ing place" said he. as he merrily jngled
his bunch Of keys in his capacious pocket,
that had never known, perhaps, the want
which goes with inability to get govern
ment contracts.
Vice President Raynor, mayhap. didn't
intend to deceive the reporter. possibly
he thought it wouldn't have been inter
esting to let the latter know that already
the great and good Government Printing
Office had let contracts for furniture for
that Job room"
Men who handle printers supplies and
job room furniture say there are pos
sibly two firms in this country which
engage extensively in the manufacture Of
high-class furniture, such as job room
type cases, &c.
Naturally, most men would expect that
when the Government Printing Office
went out 10 get furniture Of this kind
its sole executive. Public Printer Charles
a. Sullings, would seek the best firm. or
firms, and the firms known to put up the
best work
Neither to the right hand nor 10 the
left hand aid our Public Printer so in
seeking this furniture. One of the firms
mentioned, it is said, manufactures and
furnishes about go per cent OF this kind
of furniture in the country. Obviously.
the other firm must make something be-
tween nothing and 10 per cent of the total.
History Makes Answer.
Did Public Printer Charles A. Sullings
go to the first firm or the second? His
tory hastens to breathe loudly. He did
not Instead, he gave the contract
which is said to amount to something like
81, 900. TO a small firm which is compara-
lively unknown.
Not thus easily was the silent Public
Printer TO get away with a contract Of
this kind. One Of the men connected
with the bigger Of the firms mentioned
about his letting The Public Printer
was not extraordinarily gracious about
this visit. He would not tell his visitor
the amount at which the contract was
let to the comparatively unknown firm,
nor would he let him see the specifca-
tions on which the contract was let
The contract, It IS alleged, was let en-
tirely without any competition, assuredly
/ so without competition upon the part of
| the largest firm Of its kind in the cOun-
try. Mr.. Stillings did not care TO discuss
/ the letting thereof either.
! It is natural enough for a man Ike our
/ Public Printer, Mr. Charles A. Stillings.
who handles some $5,000000 each year, and
/ who says he doesn't care TO whom he let's
contracts. to get careless over a small
amount like S25. .000, or about that
/ He is said. to have justified himself for
/ letting this contract to this one firm,
without any known competition, on the
ground that the work was Of a special
nature. The firm which does % per cent
/ of such work in this country quite nat
urally thought it was able 10 do special
work as well as a comparatively unknown
| firm.