The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-18

Mr.. Riyes's, because he has recently passed
through the ordeal
Mr.. McLANE. | am not talking about the
printing done by Wendell 4 Van Benthuysen.
Tho gentleman from South Carolina will not
surely say, in the face Of this House, that the
printing done by them will at all compare with
tho printing done by Thomas Richie. Sir, the
gentleman should not give us what Mr.. kives
or anybody else may testify AS TO Dir. Van Ben
thuysen's profits. Let him give US testimony as
to what will be Mr. Riches profits.
The gentlemen from Mississippi and Ken
lucky hessrs. McWn.LIg aud MoREHEADl
think that fifty per cent of the rates Of 1919
would be fair price. Suppose, then, that the
gentleman comes between forty-tive and sixty,
and offers US fifty, or iiftytwo, or fifty-ive that
will be a fair, honorable, equitable adjustment
Of this question, aud he shall have my vote
with pleasure. | am prepared to go with the
intelligent gentlemen from Mississippi and Ken
lucky in voting for fifty per cent. off the rates
of 1919. Mr.. Rives thinks that forty-five per
cent. OF would make good and fair contract,
and the gentleman from South Carolina thinks
that sixty per cent off would make a safe and
not losing contract. Let us, then, take forty
five or fifty per cent off the rates Of 1919.
will vote with the gentleman for either
seek no profits for MIR. Richie The gentle
man from South Carolina participated in the
violation OF the contract He authorized the
Committee on Printing to tile the account
and set aside the contract, and challenge him
now to come forward and make a Just settle
ment and allow a fair price for the work. He
should OF come forward hero arbitrarily and
say that sixty per cent off the rates of 1919
will make a fair contract and to hold us to six
ty. Let us give n little and take little.
Mr. ORR. hope the gentleman will not
charge me with thrusting my opinions upon the
House arbitrarily. expressed my opinion in
voluntarily at his request, and in reply to an in
terrogatory he propoundcd to me-
Mr.. MciANE. hope when the honorable
gentleman comes to vote upon this subject, that
he will not stand rigidly upon bis own view that
sixty per cent. off the rates of 1919 is fair cst-
mate. hope we shall cast aside honest and in
telligcnt differences of opinion amongst us.
hope that when he finds that other practical
printers and editors are in favor of forty-fve per
cent reduction, as fair contract price, that the
gentleman from South Carolina, who thinks
sixty per cent, and the gentleman from Ken
lucky, who thinks that fifty per cent are fair
reductions, that they will come between, and
then We shall meet the question on terms Of
equity. And thls, and thus only, do believe
that we shall meet this question on terms of
equity. The gentleman from South Carolina,
unless he adopts this course cannot escape from
the imputation that he has driven the printer from
his contract, and leaves him to RELY upon saving
himself from bankruptcy by the sum Of money
that he gave him at his own arbitrary discretion
when he violated the contract.
These are the facts of the case, and they de-
serve, and trust will receive, the consideration
of the House.
have already remarked upon the inconsst-
ency in the arguments made by my friend from
South Carolina, that this was an attempt on the
part OF Mr.. Richie to break down the contract
system. 1t was idle to say that the contract was
taken at ruinous prices to break down the con-
tract system, and then come here with decara-
ton that the contract was profitable Now that
lmputation was cast upon Mr. Ritchie and ap-
peal to the honorable gentleman that if the con
tract was profitable in the opinion of the parties
making that charge, it would be absurd Of them
to suppose that he was taking it to break down
the contract system. And il we would believe
that statement emanating from member of
the committee, how can we tolerate statement
emanating from the same committee, that seeks
TO make us believe that the contract is now a
profitable one! Now, the gentleman from South
Carolina stated that we we're destitute of pract-
very unfortunate, for we must rely upon our
two committees. Bat to return to the point
was discussing, would it not, | ask again, be
absurd to suppose that this was an attempt to
break up the contract system, if it were pro
htable contract If we do not think it profit
able contract, if we think that it really is an
attempt TO break up the contract system, we
cannot respect the judgment of these same par
ties when theyallege that it is profitable Such
would not be an intelligent mode Of forming an
opinion
When the honorable gentleman tells me that
the contract is fair and paying one, | do not
believe 1t !; and do not believe il, because nv
own Judgment and his testimony satisfy me that
ne has not come to a wise judgment. And, sir,
cannot say more upon the views presented in
favor OF the postponement of the question, mas
much as the honorable gentleman who made the
motion assumes that there is difference of
opinion between the committees. Now, sir, there
is concurrence Of opinion, so far as the com
mittees have expressed any opinion at all. The
Committee on Printing express the opinion that
fifty per cent. off the prices of 1919 and we HAYS
it from an Intelligent member of the special
committee that sixty per cent. off these rates, is
a fair price. Now, | want the gentleman from
South Carolina to tell the House how much tn /,
present contract prices are off the prices of 1919.
MEMBER. | think they are seventy or
eighty per cent. off these prices.
Mr.. McLANE. The honorable gentleman has
said that sixty per cent. off the prices of 1919
would Just about pay the printer. Now, | want
him to state to the House how much he believes
the present prices to be off the rates of 1879
sixty or seventy per cent!
Mr.. ORR. | am hardly prepared to answer
the question which the gentleman has PROFOUND
ed to me. 1t is ve'y much a matter of specu-
lation with me, for have made no calculations
with reference to that point. My impression is,
that the present rate is about sixty FIVE per cent
off the prices of 1910
Mr. McLANE. Very we'll Then tn, gen
tleman thinks that the loss of the public printer
will rest between sixty and sixty five per cent
off the price of 1919. Therefore a loss is ad-
mitted by both committees. The gentleman
from Mississippi Mr. McWuLrEl thinks that
fifty per cent. off the rates of 1919 would cover
the loss. Mr.. Orr thinks sixty per cent.
can tell them that the present contract prices
are about eighty per cent. off the prices Of 1919,
as construed by the Committee on PRINTING.