New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-01

tract awarded 10 the lowest responsible bidder--
'be quality to confcvm to samples furnished sad
preserved for comparison. else the article sup
piled to be rejected and satisfactory substitute
bought at the contractors expense.
3. Neither Superintendent is to be interested in
Any contract for supplying materials, nor in the
Ownership or management Of any newspaper what
ever. A violation Of this interdict shall subject
one to the lose of his Office, to fine OF 900 to
$40 900, and to imprisonment in the District Peni.
Tertiary for term Of one TO five years.
4. There is to be erected, by the 4th Of March
peH. freproof public edifce so cApsciOgs that
the Public Printing, Engraving, and Bidding. may
all b. promptly executed under its root, beside
which il is TO afford store-room for az the Paper
needed for this work. Sad building is TO b
planned by the Public Architect aud butt in the
most substantial manner.
3. Existing contracts are to be fulfilled; aud the
officers contemplated by this act are not to be sp-
pointed i'll next Winter When the building Is
completed, they are to tske their several places in
it, commence receiving their salaries and go ahead
generally.
Such are the outlines Of Mr.. Bayard's bill to
provide for the Public Printing. Engraving and
Binding. presume he expects to save moaey By
il 10 the Treasury and to divorce the Government
from the Political Press Believing that neither
of these objects would be attained By the passage
Of his bill, propose, as practical printer, topOnt
out few obvious objections 10 it.
l. The building required for this work, admitting
that the ground costs nothing would not be erected
here for less than One Million Dollars Mr.. Bsyard
stipulstes that it is to DO " of durable materials
{" to be fre-proof, on plan combining every nece@
ssry facility and convenience for an engraving
office, printing Office, bindery and paper
"wareroom, on scale sufficiently extensive for
the work of the Govern ment-" / consider
81, OOO, 900 low estimate for the cost In ths
costly city. Of an edifce which should meet these
requirements; and do not believe it could be
completed and fit for occupancy BY the 9TH u
March next. However, the lst of October follow.
ing would answer, for that matter as it is only
necessary TO get ready in season for doing the work
of the XXXYth Congress.
III. Fit men would not be procured for foremea
Of such an establishment at any such price a.
81, 600 per annum. The regular pay of journey
man printer is here $l4 per week; foreman
in many private establishments in our great cities
receives S25 to $50 per week. This would be far
more extensive than any of these but one, and tho
foremen would require and receive at least a.
much as is paid in the largest private establish
ments.
I'LL The demand for Public Printing is exceed.
ingy capricous aud arbitrary-ths month 1t prob
ably employs one thousand persons, while in soma
months not one hundred are needed upon it. Priv
yate enterprise cOntriyes to pay them while they
work, and let them 90 when work falls of; but
this would not long be the case in the National
concern. Either they would be paid when they
had no work or work would be contrived and
pieced out to keep them employed in the recess Of
| Congress And this would become standing
cuse for ordering needless printing
". The National concern would soon become
house Of refuge and hospital for decayed aud bat
tered pari,ans, especially of the Editorial sort.
This Congressman would bring along his brokea
down gladiator, who had rendered good service to
the party but failed of pecuniary success through
an unfortunate addiction to the bottle and insist
that he should be made sub-foreman proof-read-
er, or something else snug and comfortable, in tho
National Printery and Bindery; that Governor
would send along another, with pressing request
that he be taken care Of; and the Superintendent
who would inevitably owe his place to his politics.
would be required to find or make berths for them
If the Printing did not thus come to cost moro
than it now does or ever did, and to profer
wider bait and recompense for partisan service
then experience is at fault and l am griovously
mistaken.
| Il might extend this list of objections; but it
does not seem necessary, for cannot believe Coz
gress will pass any such bill as Mr.. Bayard's. 1t
would subserye no good purpose, while it would
incite many more abuses than it precluded. II
Congress really wants to retrench in the matter Of
| Public Printing, &C.. it has but to-. Order lees
to be dOne and 2. Give out its Printing, Engrav-
ing and Binding, as it now does its Paper Making.
by contract, on specifications carefully drawn,
fairly awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.