Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1851-01-29

The state Printing--NIr. CANDLES
Report.

The minority OF the committee, appointed under
q resolution Of the House of December nth, to
examine into the prices paid for Public Printing
and ascertain what reduction might he made in The
same. and also il necessary, 10 enquire into the
expedicncy OF a5oshing the office OF State Printer;
now beg leave to-
Report, That. the minority "f your committee
has strictly conined itself 10 the SUBJECT matter of
The resolution, viz: To enquire into the present
|prices paid for Public Printing, and whaffc.
duc:ion might bc made in the same. And ALSO, into
the expectancy OF abolshing the Office Of state Prin
ter.
The minority of your committee have cpsesvorcd
10 obtain all the information within its reach, and
applicable tn present coalition, with regard to
the prices now paid for Public Printing in other
states, similarly situated. That has entered into
comparison between the operation Of the latter.
and our present law. And have also had the Con-
tract S. stem under consideration.
In comparing prices, the minority OF your com.
mittec have deemed Il right and proper IL take
criterion, those states sin'ilarly situated own,
both as 10 prices paid for workmen; and also, with
reference to The ordinary facfties for performing
the work. $500.
Your committee beg leave, as an inteI,isi,e basis
OF parison First, to allude to the piiccs under
our present law; under that law, we lind that the
laws Of the last session OF our General Assembly.
cost, for printing and paper, in volume ri 23s pa
gcs, - cents per copy-that the volume Of school
laws, instructions, sc. published iy the supernten
dent of ptc instruction, cost tho state 2U3 cents
per copy for printing. Your committee have ais,
procured an approximate estimate If the cost oil
printing the statutes now an course ri is.on, &C
ccrdtng TO the prices now fixed hy law Tot the
They have made this estimate upon the
that the same vii. make volume Of 700 pages, an.
upon edition Of 5000 copies. Upon this basis an,
calculating that 500 ,ages vii, he small pics Typ
and 100 in brewer, they na that the printing ans
paper <whout the binding,) will cost tie State IS,
COS 81 or III cents per cory. -
In our neigtbouring state, t,fisso.ril the price,
or book printing about one fourth less than on
owps while In the case Of soe other items, they
5Sess. Il win Is recciie Sowever, that, whiss
the GMounf Of Public PRINTING IL that state. Is Ss
greater, the msterinls for doing the same ere Il
higher price here, and require fuite as large a.
amount oftype &c; 10 be kept On hand. s,r cirt
OF capital which has 10 he kept hand, and lies al
most entirely 40 idle capital during the two yess,
between sessions. (sce Statute " Mississip,,i--
page $40, Sec. 10
In Missssfppi the prices Of public printing sre tx
ed at so much per page, varying In degree, for Tho
different kind Of work, and nothing being ssid abou
paper or presswork. These prices are, ON an aver
age, about ane fourth higher than our own, - ma,
be seen by comprising the operation Of the two law
in drtsi.--(See Digest Miss. Code.)
The prices for hook work in Arkansas are $3.50
per page for the first 500 RACES and % cents Pei
page for every additional 500 pages. Under thil
law the yrinting Of 5000 copies Of the new code
would come 10 4it,7s7.5o or about twice the price
lpatd under our law.-(See Ak. Digest, psge $50.
In the state OF virgnia the ONCE az state Printer
10 as old a. the goveramen Itself having been Is
tahlshed in the year I7T1. The State Printer !,
there elected by the Legislative Assembly and re
ceives stated saary.-tsee Code Of virginis, ase
- and 1921
q Thus the prices Of public printing % various
a. the systems under which they are computed.--
Leaving the western, and going to the eastern and
more populous oter states, the prices are general
less in proportion 10 the greater smount OF print
ing done.
As to prices paid under the contract system, the,
are, Of course. quite st variance In the sewers
where this system has been tried, end to suc
Ia degree that the public printing Of some Of thos
states has been let ont to contractors VIM have,
many instances entered into engagements 70 do In
work st a. low rates % ore AsH the prices usual
paid TO WORKINGS in their own ohices. But ii
these, a. we'll - other eases Of low prices unde
the contract systens, the contractors have ususi
asked, and generaIly ebtasnsd feissf froa succeed
ing legislative assenblies, and often (ss in cases
corruption and favoriteism,) 10 % exsest fss Be