Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-30

! ~, nsntrsetors Generally Honest
~ 49,. a, the EvcnjnH Pablo Ledger:

E.Uv sx,., y q, the Even.ns Pablo LEDGER:
80. .y01r editorial under this cap.
twill a Man Gut His Own
to Save His Life?" 10 Q timely
~ snlsndidIy written survey, Of certain
zs,.sap.i conditions as you see them.
r,s..s.,rcJ therein, however, are GER
N y ssfsrences to the award OF State
~ ,rnnicipal contracts which, TO my
4 Ia. convey an untrue anu unp'csn.
Esression, to the lay reaaer, wnoss
SSswledss Of public contracts ana .ns
- who execute them must neeoS come
IN he columns Of the press:
\ ( Your references to contractors-an.ss y
~, usa the term IN the sense tnat !,
ESudes, all contractors Tor pubic
si-casts reflection, not only upon
~ very able and honorable men whe
.sssrd and administer pubic contracts
n also upon the firms VINO perform
'Fhs ~ writer speaks from the stand !.
| .1int Of 4 contractor for numerous state
"a municipal operations and as the
scs.essor ~ Of facts regarding lines Of
,sSiic work other than his own,
pT Thsre, may be waste and corruption
.,ifhin the machinery of government
SSia can neither afrm nor deny;
1fsrs may be political chicanery and
4ctering among politicians; there may
- ether numerous wrongs, wasteful
- III advised practices. / do not know,
prt / do know that public contracts
J ~ - awarded on q fair and equitable
ss,s By public contracts l am re.
s.s,;ne 10 those OF which have sonk
scowletlre---public buildings, highways
.rhl;c works of an engineering nature
M % maintenance Of public property.
~. consider, All firms regularly engaged
l, the work required are permitted te
IA n There Is no variation in the basil
AZ estimates, public documents being
vstsdly clear and free from ambiguity
IA the contract is always awarded to
ths @ lowest responsible bidder. What
ss~ @ be fairer? Generally speaking there
sm no vast profits in public contracts
sonpetition is too keen. the inspection
4 too rigid and stern. There can be
- - conpromise as to the highest quality
,srystion from the specifications Il
seldom, II ever, permitted. ..
From the angle of the contractor let
M saw lust word anent inspection.
r. IA either absolutely fair or. In the
Trnacular, too confounded hard. It IL
sSsoiutely never detrimental to the in
tsrest of the city or the State. Do you
know of a public building .collapsing
n a bridge falling, of a road failing to
rive that service which can be reason .
shly expected? I'm not referring to old
neglected structures for which the con
tractor has 10 responsibility.
Your veilcd insinuations relative tc
eontrartors imply that the performance
Of public work is a compact with dis.
honesty and creates the unjust impres.
sion that public contractor Is crooked
soy it is unjust, unfair and above all
without foundation in fact.
There are too many upright. worthy
and intelligent men engaged in work
for the Commonwealth and the city tG
lend these vague references our local
papers are constantly making any
standing with the we'll informed. but
the layman's opinion Is nodded BY just
such indefinite statements.
Why not produce names, facts and
figures connected with these wasteful
treasury -looting jobs of which you
write? Expose them, direct the white
light of publicity upon those dishonest
individuals rather than condemn all In
order to be sure the dishonest ones are
Included. Don't by innuendo and i'm
plicatlon tar oil contractors with the
same stick and make man or firm dis.
honest simply because he is q con.
tractor. Expose the illicit. Condemn it.
Prove it. To do SO will give honest
who are 90 0-10 per cent OF
all public contractors, credit for Their
honesty and not cast US all into the
heterogeneous mass of crookedness tc
which your articles. unthinkingly per.
haps, condemn us all.
A. HARRISON KOSOVE.
Philadelphia, March "a, 1922.