Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-06-16
PENNY WISE
 POUND FOOLISH" Is Characterization Given Economical Attitude of Present Administration IS WORCESTERSHIRE Used by General Supply Committee Which Purchases Supplies for the
 Government.
WORCESTERSHIRE
#(By Sydney Epsey.)

] (By Sydney Epsey.)
 | Washington, June 15.-"Penny wise and pound foolish,'' is the character l ization given the economical attitude of the present administration by some of the leading and-patters at the capitol, who have been advocating more liberal expenditures in all gov ernmental work. Not only is economy in general assahed, but the manner in which various heads, of government departments operate in trying to cut down expenses in their respective de- partments. is attacked. ., x E .;Ei
 One, of the illustrations that has been, pointed out is. the method adopt; ed yin. .,letting government contracts for office furniture recently, by the General Supply Committee, an ihsti- tuition with headquarters in the Treas ury Department, and which exercises undisputed sway in all government departments in Washington. This in stitution, it is alleged, has succeeded in the interests of economy" and efficiency in evolving a set of re- quirements which will result in re- fusal of all the first class office fur niture concerns to bid for contracts for office furniture.
 This year, the committee .has is- sued demand for an arbitrary or special line of office furniture, nota- bly,, filing devices, as distinguished from the standard goods used by all the great commercial houses, libraries and like institutions all over the country. The reason is to avoid any appearance of favoring any particu- lar manufacturers. As prominent congressman put it Gin working out the praiseworthy plan, the gentlemen of the supply committee will succeed in parting company with all of the manufacturers.
 l The pecularity of the plan lies ill the fact that although the specified tions retain the standard sizes for drawers, cards, papers, etc., they vary enough in the framework of the fill 1 ing devices, so that the units of one manufacturer will not conflict with those of another manufacturers, or with the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of filing devices already owned by the government
 There is much interest in congress, therefore, as to the effect of this cam paign. Hearings have been held by 1 the committee and infuriated manu- lecturers have brought out their steam roller in an effort to compel, through congressional influence. the adoption by the committee of differ ent methods ill the letting of con- tracts.
 From the testimony brought out during the hearings, it developed that manufacturers are required to bid on- ly on blanket requirements. That is to say, while the government specl- fies the estimated number of articles 1 it will require, it reserves the right to order any greater or any less quantity, or none at all. First, 1t was shown that the manufacturers are asked to go to the expense Of providing for special work and spec ial machinery upon special line of devices, V hich may not even be pur- chased. One concern making steel cases, fo1 which bids have been asked expended more than $100.00O for the dies for it's standard goods. It has been asked to spend almost the same sum for chance to get some of the government contract work. As the leading file case concerns do busi- ness Of from $1,O00.OO0 to $5.o00.0Oo a veal each, while the total purchas- les ;byi the governHent, amount to- only about $6O. O.00O. it can readily be seen 4thatI the general, supply 1committee, has, to say the least, made mistake. 1! To help gut the committee, cqmp--