Show 1 tjui the Wab wa ahli lugton aton union the war 11 ar ani and the lie anns contractors the new york herald after commenting mentia upon the cail government of utah and the incident to the exercise exercise of the authority of the united states expresses ep the opinion that much of the strite which has heretofore fereti fore prevailed between the ilia mormons cormons and the government has arisen arisen from the in intrigues of army contractors this is is a rough g way of overs laughing the events of our history for a few years past arid and i a coarse method we ne should say of doing injustice both to the administration I 1 a r nd 1 d to the very en ergeti and upi api i ight ht gentlemen ti e men who have hav e been arid and are engaged in in transporting military stores store asfor for tho the army it may not be arni amiss ss under the circumstances to refer to some leading facts in in this connection it is understood that the war department has sent to congress a communication covering cohering a proposition proposition from russell majors waddell waddel I 1 army contractors to surrender and abrogate rate their agreement to transport military stores for the government it is due to the parties connected with this matter that the circumstances attending tend ing the case should le lc f fully ally stated the contractors under various various forms have been engaged in n the army service for more than eleven years they are gentlemen of high character and have commanded tomm the confidence of successive administrations including that of mr Filli nuie when the government de ter mined to adopt measures to enforce the he laws lawa in in U ah anticipating a large lare increase of transportation 0 over v er th the e plains advertised tor for proposals in in the usual way and took special pains to invite in ite i various anous parties to put in in bids to do the work required after every e ery exertion of the department none wore cre found willing to undertake the immense immense service requiring as it it did an outlay of more than t two 0 millions of dollars under these circumstances the department closed an agreement are agreement ement with ich russell majors and waddell the old contractors at rates such as v were ere deemed fair arid and j just list to all parties these gentlemen gen by universal consent conent executed the duties ass assigned iVied them with all energy promptness despatch and fairness they have ha e commanded the confidence of the masters department and of all persons connected with the service their outlays have been immense arid and t their heir profits it is is believed not larger than what justice and fair dealing would awarded them under a previous contract in in the first expedition to utah run nin ning fro from m deac into war they had suffered ere 1 the total destruction by the hostile action of the mormons cormons of three trains entailing a loss upon them of about three hundred thousand dollars for which they have received no reimbursement very much of the efficiency of the army at one time its safety even deperi depended ded upon the energy and fidelity of f the parties engaged in moving unmoving its military stores and it is is greatly to the credit of the latter that they have been able to command the approval of the entire service they were prompt in the performance of every duty assigned them to meet every order of the army to incur vast expenses with avith no possibility in many manX instances of corresponding remuneration now these gentlemen propose to Con congress greEs through the secretary of war to annul the cl contract to release the government from their heir obligations under their contract to transport military stores nor hasCon has congress yet indemnified indemnifier them in any way for the loss of their property by fl the ie hostile action of the mormons cormons Mor mons other trains too in consequence of the exist ence of hostilities were ordered into the main main columns of troops moving moung to utah and thus deprived of all subsistence for their animals leading to their almost total destruction these considerations may explain the anxiety of the contract tors to withdraw from the service service of the government they have haie been compel compelled I 1 in in point of fact to bear largely the burdens of the mormon war and although they have the cordial approval and endorsement of those under who e supervision ision they performed their part of the contract and are charged with no failure at any point in in the discharge disc dib haige charge of their duties still in in the absence of in indemnification for their losses incurred m in the serice service on account of and produced by the enemy of the united states for the time lime being they may well appeal to contress Con aress to be relieved from further service the profits of a briness which are made to depend upon adjustment by congress are not as reliable and useful as many others we could name our object is to present to the country as tely as possible a brief re review view of a branch of public service about which hibb a portion of the press have hae indulged indle ed in comments evidently conceived in in utter ignorance of all the material facts involved it is as much duo due to 10 the people that they should not be deceived into entertaining unjust opinions concerning the past as that they should avoid a old being misled in the future wo doub in indeed deeT if in the whole history of the go government ern ment an important work ork has been preformed with more of energy integrity economy and nd perfect good faith on all sides in in its orgin and in in its execution thin than that aich which was initiated and excited by the war department in in the transportation of military stores to the army of utah the labor was excessive the duties to beler be performed formed delicate and responsible an and the work orl was as done with all prompt ness despatch and fairness which w will ill find its vi way ay into history as one of those transactions which as the london times says have distinguished our public service service for directness and disregard of all the paralyses md and stumbling of antiquated forms it is is well then that the subject should be brought before congress and that its events should invite public scrutiny for by that means those vi who ho have done their duty like upright cpr business men will ull be rewarded regarded not only by approval but by b the condemnation of professional grum grum alers and speculators the er of the contractors and its endorsement by the war department is a challenge on their part flung in in the faces of all cavil lers ler |