Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-10
BIDS WILL BE ASKED
FOR NEXT FOURTH"
DINNER, SAYS BAILEY
Chairman of Councils
Committee Admits He
Needed Pleas of Business
Men to Give Banquet at
the Adelphia.

An the leading Philadelphia hotels VIII
be asked 10 submit bids for the next IN
| dependence nay luncheon given by the
/ CITY OF Philadelphia II John II. Baizley.
chairman OF Councils Fourth of July
! Committee. has his way SO, at least, says
! Mr.. Bailey, who has been chairman OF
! the committee for the last six years and
J who bids fair to be chairman again In
! 1916
Mr.. Bailey made the foregoing state
/ ment following criticisms Of the manner
| I'm which money was spent In the recent
Fourth OF July celebration without ask
ing bids for several items OF expenditure
OF more than $500 Mr.. Bai2ley explained
that there had been nothing unusual in
the fact that bids had not been asked
He said that It was customary for the
committee to use its own discretion In
spending the appropriation made by Coun-
ellis for the municipal celebration in this
city
Tho appropriation made by Councils for
the municipal celebration this year was
$4,000.
Although Mr.. Bailey was firm in his
contention that there had been nothing
unusual about the manner Of procedure,
he agreed that IL would only be fair TO
allow all the leading hotels to submit
bids FOR the Independence Day luncheon
The luncheon was given this year at the
llOltl NUGlpllu anu NOSl PE-oNs
"Nl the leading hotels should have n
shot nt It," Mr.. Bailey said, "Phila-
dclphia has several fine hotels and there
is no reason why preference should be
shown one way or the other.
"If / am chairman of the committee
again next year, and hope to be, ! shall
explain to representatives, Of the leading
hotels lust what we want In the way OF
luncheon or banquet and ask for bids
from each. That would be only fair"
Mr.. Bailey explained that he felt he
had been made the goat at the recent
exposure of the fact that bids had not
been asked.
an regards to the Independence Day
luncheon, or banquet 1t has not been Gus
tomary to ask for bids as | have said be-
fore" Mr.. Bailey remarked. Never !
theloss. I think IT only fair that bids |
should be asked. Some Chestnut street |
business men urged that the luncheon be |
held at the Adclphia this year. but | see |
no reason why it should be held I'm one |
hotel IN preference to another. We have |
at least four leading hotels here, and the
luncheon should go to the lowest bidder.
That will be the case next year, | hope.
"Of course, Chestnut street business
men would like the luncheon at the Adel-
phia because 1t brings many people to
Chestnut street, and strangers invariably
remember their first Impressions of n
city. But there is no reason why the
same should not be said of Broad street,
and there you have the Walton, the Belle
9ue and the Ritz-Carlton. They are all
fine hotels. Besides there are other fine
hotels in the city"
His decision to ask bids for the next
luncheon, Mr.. Bailey explained. was due
not only to his spirit of fairness, but also
% the fact that he wished to avoid the
possibility of kick" similar to the one
made recently
81 have been in public life for 40 years"
lr. Baizley said. "and have never yet
ictcd in a way which could he called dis
honorable, and l feel sure never shall.
II assure you again that bids for the
leNt luncheon will be asked from all the
eadinG hotels If I am chairman of the
committee next year"