New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-09
ALBANY Y.
The Public Printing
Correspondence Of The ~ Y. Tribune
ALBANY SATURDAY, Feb Z, lo52.

ALBANY, Saturday, Feb. !, 1852.
Mn FDIToR 1 notice in your paper of
Friday, Washington correspondent writes you
in relation to the Public Printing at that place
and mentions to you that Gov. DoTY has intro
duced proposition into the House for Congress
to do its own Printing. would also call your
attention to the fact that Senator PIERCE, OF our
State Legislature, has introduced into the Senate
similar proposition for the execution of the State
Printing.
Whatever may have induced Gov. DorY to make
the move he has in this matter, have no reliable
means of knowing ether by conclusive evidence
ofexrayagance, or belief OF the inadequacy OF the
system, (Which is the same as that existing in this
State, believe, giving the work out by contract)-
but think can conceive the reasons which gov.
evned Senator PIERCE in his action. will give you
some statistics, from which l think you can also
form an idea why Senator PIERCE has thought new
law, with entire new features should De enacted.
In lS43, the Controller called the attention OF the
Legislature to the increase in the expense of public
printing and recommended retrenchment. He
said that the expense had increased from $7,S2i in
1923 to $35l73 "a in ls4l But it would appear that
the Legislatures succeeding gave no heed to his
suggestion, for we find by subsequent Controllers
Reports, the following increase in five years
Tor State Printing in $780, -S3S,29O II
For State Printing in ISL. 35,l13 %
lncreas IN 1916 S,llo 10
Attention being again called TO this increase, which
vas now assuming an alarming aspect, the Legisla-
ture forced to give the matter its consideration
and enacted the present law, providing for giving
tie work out the highest bidder. Let us see, not
how much this law reduced this expense, but how
far IN checked its increase:
state Printing in 1850 (unde the new law $92 525 So
State Printing in lsi6 (under the old law 5000 ~
lRcfe3se IN 1884, --------.----S5 2So az
Showing an increase under the new law, in -four
wears Of 1872 &c over the increase of the previous
fire years under the old law.
1t will be seen that this increase has not only
been STEADY but heavy, and when il is taken ilto
col sideration that the Appropriation bill passed at
she last session of the Legislature provided ONE
HUNDRED AND FoRTY-THOUsAND DOLLARS to meet
the expense of printing for the year 1851 in addition
TO which is to be added OVER THIRTY.NINE THoUs-
AND DOLLARS as the expense Of printing the four
volumes OF Documentary History mysteriously
ordered b. resolution OF The House. Taxing these
facts into view, there can scarcely be any wonder
at the movement Ut Senator PIERCE and IN view
Of The TACT, also, that the State has tried Two
systems, and found The last one worse than the
frat perhaps if they ".Iy again they may succeed
IN leepng this branch of pubic expenditure within
easonable boun5s The State will certainly be nd
Of the MefCenary Efforts OF certain interested ones,
whose only object Ia bidding for the work is TO OBJ
tam place hear the Treasury, whence they wlll
,oon find means to bore hole into Il with consld
erably large auger. X.
10 We thank our correspondent for the facts
embodied in the above letter but how the State
is to be saved from the burthens of excessive
and wastefu Printing by Mr.. Pierce's bill, doth
lot yet appear What we would prefer would
lie a contract by the State with the JOurneymen
Printers Of Albany AID Troy as corporation to
DO the State Printing at fair and Just prices
paying each worker thereon the regular and
usual wages, and preserving any profits which
might arise from the execution of the work for
permanent investment IN behalf and under the
control of the whole body sof Journeymen
throughout the State Then provide that the
Yeas and Nays shall be taken and recorded on
every proposition TO print without exception, and
a constitutional majority vote of both Houses be
required to order any ertra Printing or extra
Numbers, and this formidable leak in the Treas
MY might 1--WE think be stopped. Ed.