The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-12-14

PUBLIC PRIkTIke-o0atiausd
To our preceding numbers we have gwen an account
OF our connection with the public prnting-Ponted out
lha, We have exseaed i as we'll as Il has
ever been executed and that have made every exer
ton TO iulh promptly The stpulaiops oil the contracts, al
shown that as early as The lth Of February we were
willing 10 make an unconditional surrender OF the con-
tracts-a proposition which was repeated on the 18th OF
June in the following terms, used in memorial address
ed 10 The two houses OF Congress
Finally, would perfectly willing
Immense which ON hand with amy
terms which may willing receive or
he disposal your orase boSe so thai such
be gyenio H. without reference the contract as the public
the communication 10 Congress OF August the I'd, which
was the basis OF Mr. McWillie's proposition. which is
mentioned in number B. We come now TO the special mat
tiers which have been alleged against US by Mr. Riyes
and others.
Our opponents have very little regard 10 consistency in
pIeierring their charges They first asge, and they
terms ruinousy low, in order TO induce the belief
that the contracts not taken in good faith, with the
intention OF executing them The injustice OF this de.
duciion was fully exposed by the repeated offers to give
up the contracts and by the evidence which we presented
to the COMMITTEES, setting forth the causes OF delay and
establishing energetic efforts to expedite the public
work Our enemies then turned round, changed the
direction of their attack, and in order TO induce Congress
TO refuse relief endeavored 70 make it appear that the
contracts were good, profitable contracts. We have
mentioned this change OF position before but we have not
as yet exposed the manner in which the movement
executed we Will proceed 2 DO 50 now Ssy NJ, w.a,
worh's COMMITTEES had been concluded an anonymous
appendix" added 10 its record without knosol
filed with estimates, and nearly ali OF them containing
matter calculated 10 sustain the movement have
onedlo create the belief that the public printers
relief and thai any Of the proposed plans OF relief gave
exorbitant profits We do not know who made those
calculations, under what circumstances they
made but do know that they are erroneous, and that
they relate to the cost Of documents that furnish index
of the difference between the actual cost and the contract
price OF the public printing which we have executed
Had we been informed OF the intention to subjon this
paper, should have been in good faith-had we
been permitted TO bring forward evidence touching the
matters and things contained in this anonymous ap
pendx" the case would have worn very different as
pect But was made up in secret with the aid i seems
Of" experienced printer Of this city," after the inves
bad oss coRf rs and ne esod q M
course of proceeding but we would wish to know the
name Of the " experienced printer who aided il grepar
ing matter for the "appendix." Was il Mr.. Rivess
foreman who calculated for the committee the cost of
the first part OF the Presidents message and accompany
ing documents under the rates of 1897 According TO
his armetc 9e 400 tables, at 20 so for every GOO. cost
$s. 965 90 Such mode of calculating may be consid.
cred, when the occasion requires IT, as in strict con-
formiy 10 principles at the Globe office but according to
the ideas generally prevalent when we studied THE
THREE, 9s 400 tables, at IS SO for every 600,
would cost exactly $902--no more and no less. Per-
haps 1.-The experienced PRIMER may DE MT hives NM
self. Who knowsi
But matters not who made these calculations, except
to show the quo amino of our prosecutors They
roneous in themselves. They relate to work which
not be fairly taken standard from which TO gain a
Just knowledge of the burdens OF the contracts The
evidence furnished by Mr. Rves and Others is abundant
to show that the loss is proportonally greater short
numbers than on long numbers Yet the committee, or
rather that portion of the committee which engaged
making up the appendix selected the very longest doc
ument which ordered by the last sessionhe agr-
cultural and mechanical parts OF the Patent Office Report
as The basis OF their calculations To illustrate this mat
ter III but copy OF book is ordered-say OF 500
pages--that single volume must pay not only for the
work and paper used, but Tor the labor necessary
setting up 900 pages of type II two copies ordered
then each pay for the work and paper and for
the labor necessary up $50 pages Thus IL will be
that, while The item Of composition is very great
when small number OF copies are ordered its relative
importance decreases, and the relative importance OF
work. paper &c. increases, with the increase oil the
copies ordered is manifest, therefore, that the
mittee has done the greatest possible injustice in
basng its estimates the documents Of which the great
est number of copies were ordered But independent OF
this objection, the calculations sci forth in the "appen-
dix" 10 the evidence For nstance the
rs part the Patent Office Report contains GAG pages OF
which 1850 copies ordered The committee esti-
mate
" The cost per contract at -Sl3,0A %
The actual cost at i1,3i3 81