The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-04-23
The Congregational Printing Report Of the
House Committee.
We uuhliahed vestardav an abstract cf the

The COngrcssa0nA Printing Report Of ene
Houss Commlttee.
We published yesterday an abstrac. Of the
report presented by Mr.. Taylor to the House OF
Representatives from the select committee on
the Public Printing. To day we give it in full.
per suaded that the importance of its statements
ton Of our readers In our opinion no more
interesting document has been laid before Con-
gress for considerable period.
The Tribune hopes and confidently an
oounces that the recommendations of the
committee will lie hooted out Of Con-
gress. Should this prediction prove cor
rect, then we say that the venality of our legls-
lators is pushed to a point of unparalleled
recklessness and Generalization. II they ignore
the facts contained in this report it will be al
much as acknowledging that Congress is the
organ of individuals and not Of the nation.
1t is notifying to reflect that whilst q
comparatively email appropriation is re-
fused by Congress to the support of nation
al enterprise like the Collins line, hun
dreds of Thousands should be squandered
in the enrichment of a clique of needy adven-
turers through the medium of an expenditure
from which the country scarcely derives shiu.
Ing of benefit. Judging from this as from the
Mtattude of other jobs annually sanctioned by
Congress, it would seem as if the province Of
national legislation was rather to screen and
ratify the plumber of the public treasury than
to protect it against the frauds constantly per-
oxnI Ia &c IL al
necessities
If our readers will give themselves the trou
BILE to examine the facts disclosed in this report
they will find that by the aid of the lobby eror-
nous sums have been squandered on the public
printing, which by commonly judicious sys-
spared. Not only has the work been done
dearly, but it has been done badly, and whilst
hundreds Of individuals might have benefited by
its proper distribution some half dozen adven-
turers and lobby men have succeeded in making
enormous profits out of the crimping of the public
both houses we find, for instance, the same
parties holding a monopoly of the work-one
session as principals and another as contractors
or sub-contractors. Besides the large profits
realized by the party actually executing the
House printing, it will be seen that the gross
amount paid as per centage or bonus for the
privilege of doing the work, to the government
officials, amounts in round figures to very nearly
$25O,0O0 q year. The amount of profits
realized on the House binding for the Thirty
fourth Congress may be judged of from the
fact that, although the work was contracted to
former prices, the person who secured that con-
tract relet it to another party for the conside-
ration Of twenty per cent on the gross amount
of binding done, and that this mb-contractor
again sub-let his contract to another or third
party for the consideration Of one-half of the
profits on the work executed, after the deduc-
ton of the per centage to the original con-
tractor. The twenty per cent reserved to the
latter the committee states has already amount
ed to $4,000, whilst the third party, who
actually did the work, was, it appears, so we'll
satisfied with his share of the profits, that his
conscience prompted him TO execute 1t in bet
ter style than it had previously been done by
his predecessors.
These facts sufficiently point out the character
of the facts contained in this report. They are
of gravity which cannot be trifed away by
light disclaimers or the bold assertions Of news
paper editors and correspondents, who are
known to be largely interested in the main
tenance of the present system. This system is
shown to be the result of a regularly planned
organization for the plumber of the public trea-
sury; and unless Congress promptly puts an end
to it it will render itself accessory to fraudu-
lent expenditure Of the government revenues.
The remedy recommended by the committee,
and long since suggested by us-the establish
ment of Printing Bureaus the only one
which will effectually meet the abuses that have
sprung up under the present mode OF distri-
butng the public printing. II is to be hoped
that Congress, for the sake OF It's own reputa-
ton will, before it adjourns, carry out the exc
cution Of this important measure.
KANsAs-THE COMMITTEES OF CONFERENCE
BEfoGGED-Kansas poor Kansas, is still kept
fiutteriDg and Haunting at Washington, like q
shirt in high wind. The Committee Of Con-
ference, which yesterday morning everybody
supposed bad wound up the case, in the shape
II LII IL. .f1 IL i.