Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-07-16
Correspondence of the Baltimore Patriot.

w AsHINGToN, July =, 1916.
In the report of proceedings of the Senate on
Thursday, on the subject of the Patent Office print
iny the course OF Mr. johnson, OF MARYLAND was
not stated. Mr.. Sewer had moved to amend the
bill under consideration, to repeal that part of
act of 1912, under which the printing of the Pa
tent Office reports, OF SINNERS essays on agrcul-
,ture, old newspaper articles and what not strung
together in the shape of document, had been or
dered
MIR. johnson supported the motion, and read n
letter from the Clerk of the House of Representa-
tives to the Finance Committee Of the Senate on
the subject of this extraordinary and ordinary print
ing, which, he said the country ought to have
knowledge of, as means of ascertainlng how eco
nOmical this Administration is in single branch
of the expenses of the Government
The letter of Mr. French, the Clerk of the
House, is dated May Doth, 1876, and says that the
annual estimate for the contingent expenses of the
House OF Representatives, for the printing of the
present session, was based upon the amount actual
ypaid .Messrs. Blair s. Rires at the corresponding
session Of Me 18th Congress, to wit $33,O0O-
The Clerk says that Messrs. Richie & Heiss' bill
the lst of March amounts TO S55,730 80. That
the act OF the present session. to supply certain
deficiencies, contained appropriation of $40, 900
FOR the payment of printing of the House of Repre-
Sentatiyes, and that lie has paid this over to the
public printers, leaving balance due them on their
bill to the LIST March of Si573O 30.
Mr.. French then informs the Committee that
Messrs. Richie < Heiss have presented him a
statement, of the amount due them for printing the
report OF the Commissioner of Patents-$62,7 97
Ia, making a sum of SIS. 527 IA necessary to bal
ance their account mp to the LIST March, and pay
Tor the printing of the report of the Commissioner
oil Patents. He further says. that much extra
printing has been ordered by the House since the LIST
Gay oil March, and it is his opinion that S65 900 is
low estimate for the payments TO be made for
printing, In addition TO the accounts already rem
dered. The amount voted to pay for the. printing
'of the session was $4,000 90. The amount now
due on the printing, of accounts actually rendered
rs Sfo,'26 l4-baance 81, All sc. Estimated de
1lclency, SbO,52o IT, MIR. French therefore, asks
the committee to add this amount TO that already
contained in the bill making appropriations for the
civil and diplomatic expenses of the government.
Tor the year ending June 80. 1917, on account Of
the contingent expenses of the House of Repre-
sen;atives.
Mr.. johnson said here was the round sum of
Soo1Qo w TO be paid for the printing of the pre-
sem tiouse OF Representatives over and above the
sum ps'o ior the printing of the corresponding ses-
SION Oh inc last CoDgress-and this too after a re-
h'cuon o, per cent had been made upon the
prizes pau Ncssrs Blair s Rives This. he said.
was specimen Of modern democratic economvl
he House he said had ordered 10000 copies of
ms paent once report to be printed at cost of
$62,I97 Ia. The Senate had ordered IN bc r,r;n
ted 25,OO0 copies more, which would cost Some
SOL 300 00-making an aggregate of S11A noo I'm
for printing this single document. the profits on
which, he presumed would amount at least TO s57,
000l " V'' ;
MIR. Johnson's comments upon this species Of
democratic" economy were pointed and forcible-
ne censuTed not the public printers. Mcssrs. Rit-
enc Hess, for charging for their work what the
law aiioWed them. and realizing such profits as
they could, but to those who had the control Of the
matter, and allowed such princely fortunes to be
made in the shape Of profits, and who ordered these
immense numbers Of extra copies Of 50 useless a
work to be printed, he showed no quarter!
POTOMAC