Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-15
Accused of Fastening Award
of Stamped Contract
VIGOROUS PROTEST MADE
Failure Of Reply to Letter. Asking
Hearing Complained Of.
PosTPoNEMENT Is DEMANDED
Joint Committee, Representing In
terests of Printers and Publishers,
Files Written Statement.

Accusing Postmaster General Hitchcock
of doing everything i'm his power to
hasten the final award Of the huge con-
.ract for printing stamped envelopes
Notwithstanding that the House has
passed a bill forbidding such a contract
and the Senate IS expected 10 pass a
similar measure i'm December and not
wthstanding that the contract in ques-
ton does not go into effect until July 1.
19l1--the national Joint COMMITTEES rep
resenting printers and publishers through
out the country has filed with the Post
master General vigorous protest
against his action.
Prior Correspondence Ignored.
The letter Of protest was sent to Post
master General Hitchcock by Byron $.
Adams. secretary OF the national Joint
committee. Mr.. Adams calls attention to
the manner i'm which "A request for a per-
sonal interview for the representatives OF
the committee was ignored by Mr.. Hitch
cock, and how a second request was met
with letter from Mr.. Hitchcock's pri-
vate secretary asking II a written state
ment OF the committees arguments would
not be satisfactory.
Mr.. Adams letter contains the written
statement or the committees arguments.
1t points out that the committee does not
consider that this is a satisfactory meth
Cd of stating it's case.
Unless some action is taken by the
postmaster General to delay the contract.
1t is possible that injunction p. oceedings
will be begun against Mr.. Hitchcock, and
Controller of the Treasury TraceNeil
Will be asked to hold up the warrants i'm
payment of the contractor
At the Post Office Department today IL
was said that no information relating to
the matter could be given i'm the absence
OF Postmaster General Hitchcock, who Is
in New York and not expected to return
until Monday.
Statement of Joint Committee.
The statement made to the Postmaster
General by Mr.. Adams refers to the ac-
ton of the department In ignoring the
request Of the joint committee wisen II
asked for a hearing September 20, and
points out that
I'VE received no answer to our appli Va
ton for a hearing, and bids were opened
according to previous notice September
10
only one bidder appeared. That one
was from the firm which now has the
contract and which has apparently
organized its business and with the help
OF the department has SO enormously
increased the same that no other enve-
|
or dares to compete with II.
"Its control OF special equipment. IA.
GLIDING costly machines and patented
devices, helps to constitute . monopoly.
which has seemingly become impreG-
nable.
although the committee received NO
reply to the request made September
20 to the Postmaster General. II has
been furnished with q communication
dated September 81. addressed to a rep
resentative In Congress. and signed by
the acting postmaster general, where
in the reason given for calling Tor the
bids Ave months earlier than heretofore
"'To await the outcome OF the legis-
lation mentioned would mean the sac
rifice OF competition for this important
contract: because no other bidder than
the present contractor could then get
ready in time"
The committee seizes upon the above
extract to prove it's contention that
there is now no competition whatever,
and that the present contractor needs
no additional time to prepare for con-
tract to take effect July i. 1911. or
rather the renewal OF the existing con-
tract"
The joint committee again asks that
the award of the contract be held in
allegiance until on or after March 4, 1911,
in order that the members OF the United
States Senate may be given an opportu-
nifty to act upon the merits OF the Tou
Velle-Nelson bill.
fastening Award Of Contract.
The department officials, IL is alleged
in the statement, are Fastening the award
of the contract for the very purpose OF
heading or the passage of the bill Ut
the coming short session. To prove this
the joint allied committee quotes an ex-
tract from a letter from the acting third
assistant postmaster general in reply TO
a manufacturer of envelopes. under date
of September %, follows:
IL may say, however. wholly as mat
ter Of information, and without in any
way committing the department to any
departure from the provisions of the pub
lished specifications i'm question. that IL IL
enact legislation that would impair the
obligations of the government"
LAS this language was applied spe-
officially to the awarding OF a pending
contract under bids opened September
g." the committee then proceeds TO
state, "it can only indicate the view OF
the Post Office Department, that such a
an obligation to the government which
Congress would hesitate or refuse 20
impair.
1.-THE problem therefore has narrowed
down to this: Will the Post Office De-
partment in the interest of justice and
fair play to all parties concerned re-
frain from awarding at this time a new
July i. 1911? Or will it execute said con-
tract, thereby creating what Its own ON
Gals allege will be an obligation or the
government with the effect IL not Tor
the intended purpose of influencing a
branch of Congress as to the passage o.