Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1922-01-26
B|LLANY DEFENDS FEDERAL
POLICY IN MAIL CONTRACTS
IN MOUNTAIN STAR ROUTES
Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral Replies to Editorial in
Free Press

II II. Billany, fourth assistant post
master general, in charge OF the dlyl-
sion of rural mails at Washington, ID.
G.. has replied, under date of January
7. to an editorial in the Idaho County
Free Press Of December 8, on award
inc of contracts for carrying the mail
on star routes in Idaho county.
In his letter, Mr.. Billany sets forth
what purports to be the postoffice de-
nartment Is attitude on mail transpor-
tation to and from the isolated post
offices Throughout the mountainous
country of Idaho county. Here is his
letter,
OFFICIALS LETTER
The article in your publication of
Dec. s, 1921, with regard to the
awarding of mail contracts has been
brought TO my attention, and in view
of the statements made therein, it
/ seems proper that I should call atten-
ton to a few facts and circumstances
in connection with the operation of
this class of service, especially as
the awarding of such contracts is un-
der my jurisdiction.
With special reference to your state
ments concerning the policy to Cheat
down the prices' and the department
"expecting too much from mail con
tractors for the compensation that is
paid them,'' it may be stated that the
law specifically provides that the
award of contract for this class of
service shall be to the lowest bidder
whose proposal is in proper form and
in conformity with the advertisement
under which submitted, from which
it will be understood that the officials
in the department have practically no
discretion when it comes to accepting
a bid.
CALL FOR BIDS
While it has occasionally been sug
gested that this system should be
changed, in view of the greatly varying
conditions under which the service is
performed On the thousands of star
routes and the numerous factors which
60 to make up the actual expense of
operating any particular route, such
as distance, frequency of trips, con-
dition of road, and the amount of mail
to be carried, it would be all but inn
possible to devise a plan whereby an
equitable rate of pay could be fixed
for each individual route, and it seems
quite clear that nothing could be more
fair than to issue an advertisement
for each individual route, as is now
provided for by law, and that those
who are in position to know and /
understand local conditions, and who
should therefore be able to determine
what the expense of operation of any
particular route is, submit a bid at
what may be considered q fair rate.
1t is true, unfortunately, that there
are some cases where bidders, for one
reason or another, use poor Judgment |
IN hiking the rate in submitting a bid,
with the result that they find them
selves unable 10 fulfill the contract |
properly. In such cases, the only re-
course of the department is, of course,
10 call on the sureties, which each |
bidder and contractor is required to
furnish, under the law, to see that the |
contract is fulfilled.
NOT TOO. Low
l can assure you, however, that
mere is absolutely no disposition on
the part of the department to induce
any person to submit a bid at a rate
lower than he believes he can proper
" perform the service for, and while, |