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

III 10 giving out inc COnSIebbiDUbf
printing by contract. the whole burden Of which
will fall upon the honest and industrious prac-
teal printer. IL any should contract TO do the
work at the estimates OF the Messrs Gideon, the
first move would be the reduction Of the Journey
mems wages, TO enable them to comply with their
contracts These gentlemen have often ex pressed
the idea that the wages Of the journeymen were
too high. II such is the case under the present
Congress prices, how much more so would
they be under the contract SYSTEM This question
Is easily answered. Living is higher here than at
any other place In our country and under these
considerations the prices Of 1919 were fixed by
Congress, 30 that the journeymen might be enabled
TO live and educate their children. Before the adop
ton Of that resolution, the committee TO whom the
subject was intrusted, summoned before them
deputation Of the master printers and the Journey
men, and upon their respective statements the prices
were fixed This has not been the case with re-
spect TO yourself You eatechised the Messrs. Gid
con and Mr.. Towers, your political friends, upon
the subject. You did not condescend to ask the
opinion Of those who were TO be the most affected
by the operauon-the journeymen. Oh no! they
were small matters Of consideration, IL you could
succeed in sileneing democratic press the seat
Of government, which would expose your CONSOLE
dating principles, and thereby keep the government
in the track which our revolutionary fathers in
tended IL should pursue. f,- .. .
In the estimates of Inc Messrs. Gideon, hey CON-
pute the actual expense Of printing the Patent Office
document at go 900, while the paper alone, at 81
per ream, would amount to Sls, 900; and they have
not included In their estimate the expense Of folding
and stitching-no uncomfortable item; and they
have not stated that, In consequence Of the heavy
number, IL absolutely necessary to set the type
for that document three times. This may appear
strange 70 those who are not practical printers but
such Is the fact, because there 10 not printing
adjustment in the United States that has a font Of
type large enough to warrant them in Keeping the
forms standing until the whole Of such large edl-
uon was worked of. A certain number was work
ed of, TO furnish complete copies to meet the
demand Of the Senate and the House, and then the
letter was distributed TO keep up the current work.
This much have felt il my duty state in relation
10 this item Of printing, which seems to be the bone
OF contention, as Il 10 rare job, and from the vast
number printed, valuable one but IL the ordinary
number only had been ordered on this invaluable
public document not one cent Of profit over IS per
cent. would have been realized, from the fact that
the proof sheets were sent to the Patent Office to be
read, and the alterations made from the copy were
done at the expense Of the public printers. To for
ufy your position, and to inducs Congress to adopt
tho contract system, you state;
"The system now recommended has been in ope-
ration since l642 in the executive departments and
all the results expected from applying il the print
ing OF Congress have been there realized Compel.
tors are numerous the work is neatly skilfully, and
punctuslly executed. Contract prices have become
low that political printers generally refuse to take
them, the general average reduction being than
so per cent These fruits have been produced by
the change Of the mode of letting the work, from
secret contract made with the head OF the depart
ment to free competition for il upon the lowest bid
after Newspaper advertisement. The committee do
not doubt, if the printing Of Congress be disposed
OF in the same mode, and the work be let in faithful
execution Of the law, that degree Of despatch cer-
tainty, excellence, and cheapness which has never
been known in its execution, would soon be estab.
lished."
II this statement is founded in truth, Why are the
different departments SO anxious to go back TO the
old plan of doing the work. They know that il is
not done with neatness and despatch, as asserted by
you in your report; but, as we practical printers
would style il, botchtd-miserably botched.
The present contract system, as adopted by law
of Congress, for the different departments is fraud
upon the country-and whyi Because none Of the
contracts are complied with, and never will be, un-
less Congress, by law, should establish bureau
and put practical printer at its head, TO inspect
the work and the paper, and who would hold the
to faithful fuflment Of their obliga-
tons If this were done, the contract system would
explode by quiet surrender OF the contracts by the
contractors, because il would involve them in ruin
some instances, call for handmade paper, and
know that in instance has il been furnished. This
thsn, is fraud upon the government and the other
bidders. No wonder, then, that the Messrs. Gideon
declined giving their opinion the quality Of pa
per used upon the Congress work Ifthey had they
would have been caught in their own trap, for they
have done work for some of the departments, under
the contract system, which called for hand -made
paper, the price of which would have been more
than what they got for their work, paper included,
The contract system is favorite system with those
who wish to deceive the government and the public;
and Why Because they never intend to comply
with it if it is likely they to be the losers. This
is all very natural but at the same time it is dshon
est. There ID also system carried on in some of
the departments, which renders the contracting for
the printing pe.fect humbug. Some Of those WHO
intend bidding for the public work, have their Pc
them what kind of printing and binding is most like
ly to he wanting and for that they bid at fair price,
and for that which is not likely to be wanting they
bid little or nothing. So when the bid is footed up
it appears very low when in reality it is very high
independent Of not complying with the obligations of
The records of the Supreme Court are also given
out by contract, and it may not be amss to recite
occurrence which took place to it, in illusra
ton Of the system. Previous to the issuing of pro-
posals by the clerk of the court one of those who
bidding for 1t, became little alarmed for
fear he might not get it, called the clerk and asked
him state in his advertisement (see advertisement
Of last year) that the work must be done on new
type. This was done to secure the work; and why
because he had Just ordered new font of letter,
and he knew no other printer would order new let
ter for that job alone This r,se succeeded, when,
in fact the type the other bidders had in their offices
were a. good as new, and one Of whom would, in all
probability, have been the lowest bidder but the in
serton Of "new type" in the advertisement secured it
for the favorite. This is fair and honorable compe
titon with vengeance "Competitors ,oere, indeed,
n,ner Gus" but little favoritsm secured the work
| do not pretend to say that this would be the case
with Congress, but do say that it is miserable po
litical humbug, at this late day, in proposing to do
the Congress work by contract, when you and your
party reduced the Congress printing fifteen per cent
and elected Messrs Gales & Seaton printers, who,
at the end Of that very Congress, memoralized that
body and stated that they had lost by the work. and
you had inserted in the general appropriation bill,
The is per cent, which had been deducted, amount
ing to some fory-odd thousand dollars This was
economy with a vengeance; but now, forsooth, you
reduction Of forty per cent from the
present printers, when Messrs Gales & Seaton were
losers, when is per cent. only had been deducted
Your recorded vote upon the journal establishes the
fact, and challenge you to contradict It. you
are now right, you were then wrong and the coun-
try will duly appreciate your love Of economy, when
It is intended for others, and not for your peculiar