The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-11

IL i; e &; :; (; !: +: e: !:
Total, i,Ss 10, lsS ., is7s % 5,iis "a sos 81
Leave the printer fair prices" with a vengeance
Thus by Mr.. G.s own figures, it appears that he
would allow the printer to gain loss" Of 81 10 on
No. l; Of 50 81 on No. 3; and Of 50 or on No. 6 )
but on the ,ohOlt taken together he would very gene
rousy extend his kindness as to allow "fair'
profit Of $3.50 al. The munikoent sum Of $500 IL
upon three months work Of large and expensive
establshment!!! Who, after this, can doubt the
peculiar fitness of this worthy gentleman testify
to the extravagant rates Of congressional printing
This Of $40 dollars is just about equivalent To
actual losses this present week. in consequence OF
three-fourths OF our cOmpositors raing for copy,
The report OF the committee recommends the
DOSAGE Of joint resolution providing tha, III.
printer or printers Of both houses be allowed for
printing Of every kind tbs reasonable ssgrrg,t-
cos, Of the paper, ink, composition, and press
work. and 40 per cent. on their aggregate amount"
If this is meant to include all the expenses in.
cident to the work, the printer would be ennsii.
cradle gamer by the change propose, as we have
no doubt whatever that 80, per cent. is the maxi
mum OF nett profit now made under the existing
.w. Nor, all things considered, can this be though
too high. IL should be recolected that the average
sessions of Congress do not exceed six months in
a year, and that the materials employed in execu.
ting the printing lie entirely dormant the remain
,ag six months and are unavailable for other pur-
noscs. The statements of Mr.. Rives and Mr.
Grouard, which we publish below, throw the best
possible light the whole subject, and tn them we
particularly invite the attention of our readers.
We see it stated in the report III IT the "cost OF
printing on the hand press is nearly three times
greater than on the power press" This admits OF
much qualification. 1t may be very true that, in
gwen period, three times much work can be done
the latter on the former but non sequitur tina,
the cost is proportonably less. Let explain. Sup
posing that the power press should be constantly
employed, the inference would hold good But this
is by no means the case. 1t frequently happens
that power press has an hours work to perform
and is then idle for two or three hours. In this
case, it is evident, pecunary advantage accrues
from its the hand press as the latter would
execute the work in equal time. Moreover one
man and one boy are sufficient to run ha nd press
while it requires one man and four boys to "drive''
| power (Napier) press. The expenses of fuel for
engine, pay of engineer and assistant, &C. the liza
bity Of the machinery TO get out Of order, and
which sometimes detains whole day at time
all these things tend greatly lessen the profits Of
the power press. But it should be remembered
that the profits Of the power press are yet farther
and very seriously diminished by the much more ra-
pd wear and destruction fthe type, which its use
variably occasions. Every practical printer knows
that fount of type will last only about half as long
when used on the power press as when the hard
press is used. In point Of fact, its chief value con
sists in its greater despatch, which enables the
printer to execute work that is wanted Immediately
in about ene-ihird the time it could otherw be fur
nishsd.
With the alternative plan proposed by III. COM
mi,:ee-viz: that Of the contract syssemr-xe
have desire interfere, further than to say that
the fruits expected from ii-"despstch, certainty
excellence, and eheap1ess''-EiIl never be realized
"Cheapness, - indeed it may effect TO a certain de-
gree, and for limited PERIOD but inevitably at the
expense Of despatch, certainty, and excellence ="
To anticipate dssp1teh by separating the documents
reports, bills, &c, and sending them to deren, Of
fees, seems TO our view some what visiooary-e. e.
If 50 hands divided into Eve distinct locations all
independent, Of each other,-hoE can they execute
document (say Of 20 or 50 pages) which is sen;
down one evening, and wanted for action the next
day Could not concentration OF the force do it in
ore-sfth Of the time As to "strtsiz'y' we have
only to remark, that all printing ordered under the
present System viii be executed with the utmost
o,rtauty; but, If We are rightly informed, the ~Ork
executed for the departments under the contract
system Is sadly deficient IN that properly. As to
"exseIlenos, (" ''eAseHn . ,uu goat"
With a view Of showing that tn. beauties Of the
contract system are not appreciated 50 highly BY
all a. by the honorable chairman and bis disintsr.
ssted witness. Mr. Gideon, ruhjOin the following
not. from the acting Commissioner Of The Gsner.l
Ls1d ohsosi ard, ~s may add, thar ore have god
reason 10 believe that similar notion j, Constrained
Of II BY most, II not al, Of the departments, Of the
government
GESEEAL Laxp orrIc,-
July ii, 1886
GrxrLrxrx: Yours Of the ssh inst. h.s - -
oeived You ask Of ne Al expression OF o-Sni,, -.
n the eFec, OF The oontrle, sysen a. far :. H..
OF = - concerned"
Nv eoapsri0n With this ole. - Of a, r.o.,, .
d.t. thst not a5ls % rspiy % yosr no,. g.,
sov srp~riencs Or observation u r1T owo
have however, taken rains 10 e-ii~-. 49,,