Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-13

, NOR plate. Secretary Daniels called a
halt almost the first day he entered
office Through real competitive bid
ding he has already saved the gov
eminent more than $2.OOO.0Oo. and has
been ia Office only one year.
Recently he awarded a contract for
bidding 100 torpedo TASKS, Including
heads. There was competition: new
contractors entered the field previously
monopolized by the ring. and the sec
Rotary OF the navy was able To- pur-
chase Zoe TASKS for s5S,246 which
under former conditions would have
cost S115.O75-
The bids of the Bethlehem Steel Co.
and the Midvale Steel Co, two OF the
three concerns composing the armor
ring. under honest competitive bidding
showed a reduction of ~ per cent as
compared with bids for similar for
gings submitted To these companies
only four months previous.
Personally / believe that these Off
GERS who in the expenditure OF the
peoples money have been paying Sis.
N75 for supplies which. had they been
as alert I'm the peoples interest as
Was the secretary OF the navy. could
have been obtained for S5S.246. should.
somewhere or in some manner, be
required TO make a public accounting
for their acts.
Ever since my election | have been
endeavoring TO obtain facts relative TO
the expenditure of army and navy ap-
preparations Ny very first visit with
the army officers at the war depart
ment convinced me that / had an up
hill journey ahead OF me. Any re-
quest for information was resented as
an attempt to pry into the personal
affairs of army officers. Every pos
sible obstruction was placed in the
way. and some letters remained I'M
aswered for more than two months
Scarcely ever have / been able to OBJ
tain the exact information asked for
The small group of army officers
who are running things care very little
about the average member of congress
These officers want no interference.
and least OF all close scrutiny of the
price. they pay for ammunition. either
by Mr.. Congressman or anyone else.
The army and navy officers who run
things were in the saddle long before
the inexperienced member of congress
came on the scene. and will no doubt
be on the job long time after he has
taken his departure. Administrations
come and go. but the army and navy !
goes on forever Army |
and navy officers never have to go be- |
fore the people and answer for their |
acts. and they have a powerful organi- !!
cation to smooth things over and to /.
protect them.
Here is just one experience ! have
had in my endeavor TO obtain informa- |
ton concerning the Rock Island arse !
nal. to which / was entitled as the /
in congress of the dis /
trict in which the arsenal is located. /
but which information / have never 4
been able to receive
Some time back Representative I
Moore. of Pennsylvania. placed in the /
record extensive data |
by Colonel George Montgom-
cry. commandant of the Frankford |
arsenal at Philadelphia, showing the
advantage OF that plant for manufac-
turing.
wrote Colonel George w. Burr.
of the Rock Island arse
nal. requesting similar information TO
that prepared by Colonel Montgomery
1n behalf OF Frandford arsenal. Col
Jnel Burr is an enthusiastic supporter
Of Rock Island. and in every good
'aith replied that ii would be a pleas
Ire 10 furnish the information re-
iuested; that as a result of the free
water power at Rock Island. where
he government owns its own power
plant in the Mississippi. he could make
showing that would be much to the