Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-04-23
The Public Printing.

Both houses of Congress have been occupied
from day to day on that most complex and in
tenninable topic, the Public Printing. The con-
tractor having failed and the accumulation ofun-
finished work retarding the public business, there
is necessity to replace the defaulting printer
by subtitute. The debates which have taken
place have turned, not on the intrinsic merits of
the question, how can the printing be most expe-
ditiousy, economically and efectually executed,
but on the claims of the party press in Washing
ton. The latest proposition before the two hou-
ses was to divide the printing between the pro-
prietors respectively Of the Washinton Union
and Washington Republic-that is, to divide
the work between one of the Democratic and
one ofthe Wing papers in Washington.
ri. This subject should be withdrawn from the
arena of Congressional debate. 1t occupies at
almost every session the time that ought to be
devoted to the public business. 1t becomes ben-
ded with party predictions and enmities. The
support of party newspapers, and not the exigen-
cies of the particular service to be performed, is
made the test of speeches, votes and political i'll
fuence. The public printing becomes an ele-
ment Of our Presidential election, as the hope of
support from the leading organs of party at the
Capitol supplies the lnducement for giving
the printing to this or that paper, while if the
contract to do the work is not performed, it fur
nishes the motive for releasing the defaulting
party from the consequences of failure. The
public will recoect what large consumption
of time took place in the debates which followed
the non-performance Of Mr.. Ritchie's contract.
Now the only proper remedy, we think, for this
evil is the entire divorce Of the printing from the
political press. 1t is this union which is the
source Of the prolonged debates by which the
subject is complicated. The contract system, du-
ly enforced, will be found perhaps the best The
establishment ola Bureau of Printing, under the
supervision of Government officers, would not be
found the most economical practicable Ifthe
printing is brought within the operation of the
principle of competition, with certain guards
against default or non-performance of contract,
excluding from bidding the conductors of poti-
cal journals We cannot perceive why responsible
contractors could not be obtained for this we'll
as other public work. The mechanical means
and appliances, it is contended, could not be
found unless in connection with the daily papers
at Washington. We do not believe this If Con-
gress will give fair remunerating rates for the
printing it would become the interest of parties
who may desire the contract to bring workmen
to Washington for its ready and faithful execu-
ton. But as necessary part Of such system
the rigid enforcement Of penalties for non-perfor
nance is a necessary requisite
The whole evil now is the connexion of the
political, press with the public printing If there
is default appeals to the sympathy of political
partizans become irresistible The penalties are
notenforced, and never will be while there are
political associations to control the Judgment of
members of Congress. 1t were better to establish
Government Bureau Of Printing than to con-
tinue connexion that gives play to political
sympathies, if it is not the parent of intrigue