Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-08-30
The Public Printing.

This subject has always been one creating dis
pute and contention, SO we are not going into any
wrangle about it. Our purpose TO call attention
to the extraordinary quantity ordered, well as
the amount appropriated for printing at the last
session of the legislature. The Constitution
which provides that ..all printing authorized or
required by the legislature, for their for
the state shall be let by contract to the lowest
bidder" has long since been abrogafed. No at
iention is paid 10 it and although the farce of a
letting is gone through, the lowest bidder, if not
of particular stripe, has chance of con-
tract.
On reference to the General Laws of last session,
we find the following appropriations emitting the
smaller items:
To Atwood & Brown, total, Sl6.4Ol 95
To Beriah Brown, 1873 90
To Others 997 90
Total last session, Sl9,274 95
The work ordered last session, TO be paid for
next winter, is as follows:
Laws Journals, Blanks, &c. $4,000
German printing, 1900
Documentary History of State, $4,000
To be paid next winter, S3l 900
Added to foregoing 1929
Making total of S5O,275
This, be il remembered, does not include news
papers, or minor items, amounting to several
thousand dollars more
An act was passed last session, in effect creating
German branch of printing, not let by contract,
but given out by the state officers, at prices fixed
by law, some two three times higher than Eng
ish printing, the design being to render the German
press subservient to the administration. We have
objection to reasonable amount of foreign
printing but it should be cassed other work,
and let the Constitution requires The design
TO use ii as corruption fund, from the manly in
dependence of the German editors, we think will
be thwarted
The Documentary History, above referred to, is
fraud on partner, and worse fraud on the
public The contract of Mr. Shoes was assign
ed to Mr.. Atwood of the Journal, who united
with MIR. Brown of the Argus The work was
done and profits divided between them; but
more honest arrangement did not suit, so bill
was stolen through authorizing the Governor and
Secretary to get this job printed, and they gave
it to Brown at cost to the the people of $4,000!
Col. Atwood OF course, has nothing to do but 10
look fierce. Now if this History is worth any
thing-if it is of any but TO lumber book ca
ses-every one knows that by taking it east it
would have been published for nothing. Indeed
if what it should be, publishing houses would
have paid premium for the manuscript. But
that would rot answer the programme. Col. At
wood was TO be cheated and the treasury deple-
ted and SO $4,000 was subscribed for job
which cannot cost over $4,000. Is it any Won
der that an editor thus feed should justify the
School Land speculation, any scheme of rob
berry on the part of his owners? And what ought
TO be thought of Governor who signed such
bill, and aided such scheme to pluck the public
treasury?
Bad as this transaction is, it is no worse than
score of others We have disposition to dis
parage our craft, but when the public printing is
made to foot up over fifty thousand dollars year,
and the constitution, laws and contracts openly
violated to achieve it, think it is pretty steep
and that public attention ought to be called to it,
With 100000 of taxes to shoulder, and state
credit down TO IS cents, our farmers have about
much they stagger under and would do
well to send up representatives capable of econo
my and reform Wisconsin Patriot (denl)