Butte record., 1854-02-25
szte Printing.

Colby, 10 create the Office Of State Printer,
and le6ne the duties and compensation here
u. and to provide for the time and manner Of
election Of the same" The bill, although it
IS considered a step towards reforming many
u the extravagant expenditures heretofore
attending this branch Of State legislation,
DOES not effect as thorough and radical re-
form as is believed might be accomplished.
The bill provides that State Printer shall
"be elected at the present session Of the legis-
lature, and shall hold his Office until his sue
eessor is elected and qualified By subsequent
legislature leaving the question open
70 occupy the time Of each succeeding legisla-
ture, and to be used as lever in making
room for the passage CT obnoxious measures.
asst Is believed it has been used during the
present session. We would therefore suggest
t;lat instead Of being made elective by each
legislature, the State Printer be elected by
the people, in the manner prescribed for the
election Of other State officers. and that he
hold bis Office for the term Of two years. We
believe such disposition of this vexeI ques-
ton would meet the hearty approval of the
people, aud reflect honor upon the legislature
ciEecting it.
The following LIST Of prices is established By
tie bill:
For zach l,ooo ems Of composition in English, $500
For composition. per ihoHsand ems, in other Ian
sEAre than English, additional 30
Laie and figure work per thousand ems 400
Press work, per token OF 2lo sheeis- Saoo
D. II p-4Ist ~ a.
Folding and stitching per PAGE. quarter of one
oei No charge to be allowed for paper in any
For binding in leather two dollars per volume when
ordered by the legislature
II We have been correctly Informed, the
san Francisco prices for iourneymen work
are SIS, o for each thousand ems of composition.
This would leave the State Printer clear
profit Of 100 per cent, 81 80, upon each one
thousand euas. A Ajourneyman viii, with ease
compose from FIVE 10 eight thousand ems per
day, leaving the State Printer, under the pro-
visions Of this bill, profit varying from s. so
&c $l2, 90 PER day. upon each journeyman en-
Iloyed II be employs twelve journeymen,
he realizes profit from their labor amounting
to a sum varying from $50 to Sl44 per day.
Tae same ratio Of profit exists in price estab-
lisheG for press work. Journeyman's wages,
Per token, s. so. A jouraeyman with ordina-
ry haud-press, will easily execute ten token
per day, thus leaving to the State Printer a
profit Of SIS per day upon the labor of each
pressmen. The employment Of power presses
would Of course render the profits still greater
These profits exceed the pay Of other state Of
Seers ss ten to one. and out-Californias Cali
fornia. We respectfully submit to the legis-
lature, and to the people Of California, whether
such profits are necessary 70 secure the execu-
tion Of the State Printing. We contend that
they are not
We are opposed to interfering with the es-
iablished prices OF journeyman's wages, and
trust we shall always be found opposing any
measure tending to such an object Under
existing prices however, we assert without
fear Of successful contradiction, that the State
Printing can be executed for the following
prices, AMI s,ill leave princely profit to the
State Printer:
For composition, per 1000 ems, English, So
for composition in other langugues, extra.
SOC, rule and figure work, per thousand ems,
81; press work, per token, -. These prices
are ample to cover all contingent expenses,
pay interest upon the amount Of capital in
vested, and still leave an immense profit for
tie pocket Of the state printer.
4 bill establishing the prices to this stan
dard, and making the Office of State Printer
elective by the people. and of two years du-
ration, would meet with the hearty approval
Of tie people, althoughit might meet with
the indignant condemnation Of politicians, and
Of an interested press. The amount of the
decrease in prices, would not be the only saw
ing effected 70 the State, for the tire Of each
legislature, necessarily occupied, under the
provisions Of the bill before Us, in selecting a
State Printer, would be avoided. And it
would also deprive politicians of one import
ant item, of which to compose their annual
legislative 'omnibas,' by which they endeayor
TO force the passage Of favorite schemes, and
clog the wheels Of legislation.
That the Office Of State Printer will lie ulti-
Tnately made elective by the people. is not
doubted, and we should be glad TO see the
present legislature have the credit of making
Il SO. If the legislature should reduce the
prices still lower than those enumerated