Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-08-12
Public Printing,

Public Printing.
We have looked with some interest and
ITO little disgust at the course OF the House
OF Representatives in Congress, and many
editors and public speakers on this sub
Ject. 1t has been party hoby, and much
demagogism has been displayed in the use
thereof with politicians in their patriotic i
appeals TO the people. And the wings /
have been railing out most furiously against
the enormous fees paid 10 the present prin- I.
tiers TO Congress. With what consistency,
reader, you may Judge.
The history of the public printing is a
lite curious and instructing. The prices
were fixed by joint resolution of both
houses of Congress, of 1919, and much
lower thar had been paid previous to that
time. They so continued up to lS1O.-
The price fixed by the resolution of 1919,
was paid alike to Wing and Democrat,
Conservative and Nulliiier,-whoeye was
elected public printer.
1t will be remembered, that during the
sessions of 1889 and 1910, every subject
of expenditure was seized upon and made
a matter Of comment for the coming con
test in the election of President. Ogle-
ism then prevailed TO very considerable
extent, and the charge of extravaganza
was applied to every nenn of expenditure
The subject of printing was referred 10
committee--a majority Of which recon-
mended reduction Of Is per cent. and
the minority 20 per cent The report Of
the majority was adopted. and at the next
session Blair & Rives performed the prin
ting at Is per cent. below the charges of
! 1919. And this, be it remembered, was
/ the lowest rate at which the printing had
been done. But, even at this, the wings
were not satisfied, and made reports to
show that greater reduction should be
made, and Gales and Seaton, editors Of
the IateIHgencer, tbs wing journal, made
their estimates, and stated that they could
do the printing at 20 per cent. less than
the rates of 1910, and per cent. less
! than Blair and Rives had received.
The wings made strong promises of re-
trenchment and came into power, and al
the extra session of 1910, both houses
passed a resolution reducing the pay for
printing 20 per cent. lower than in 1919,
and under this contract, Gales & Sea-
ton were elected printers to the House,
and Thomas Allen tor the Senate. They
executed the printing for two years at that
price which Gales 81 Seaton had said was
sufficient. Yet, on the Sd March, at the
expiration of the session, the wing Con-
gress, by wing vote, restc ed TO them
the rates of 1919, for the pr. ing which
they had done for the two sessions under
contract at 20 per cent. less than the
rates OF 1919. Thus the House gave TO
Gales 81 Seaton the sum of $780, 1874, and
the Senate to Allen the sum of $1,000
IN addition to the price at which they had
contracted to do the work, and in addition
o what Gales s. Seaton had said would be
sufficient compensation. Pretty good, this,
eh ! for the universally promlse-keeplng
wing party.
Perhaps they had a presentiment, that,
the people had judged, and would con-
denim, them, as they did.
At the next election a majority of the
members elected to the House were demo-
Gratis. The wings were in a small ma
iority in the Senate. Well, the House
again reduced the printing Is per cent.
below the rates Of 1919, al Blair g. Rives
were elected, and did the pr ling at that
price,an the Senate elected Gales & Sea-
ton modest fellowsl printers to the Sem
ate, and gave them the rates of lSI9-l5
per cent. more than Blair g. RIvas were
receiving. Thus, for the same amount of
work, Blair & Rives received SIS, and
Gales & Seaton 500.
Thus The Democrats reduced the prin-