The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-12-27

elected for the three years from the ensuing
the Senate bill on the table,
and took no further action on it.
By these means the old law was allowed
to still exist, to the serious detriment of the
public interests.
While the subject was under considera-
ton in the Legislature, during the special /
and regular sessions, responsible firm of |
practical printers in Indianapolis, having |
well-furnished printing Office, made for
NAL proposition to that body, offering to do
the printing and binding at half the rates
paid under the old law, and to give good
security for the faithful performance of the
work A saving of not less than $1,000
a year was thus within the power of the
Legislature but that body was composed
of heterogeneous and diseordant materials,
and amidst all the managing and confusion
of the winter, unfortunately the people in
terests were not saved from further sacrifice
in the matter under consideration.
The above bid, made by practical printers,
offering good security to the State for the
proper performance of the work, showed
that large sum was lost by the State every
year uselessly. The persons making the
bid had made a close calculation OF the
profits of the work to be done; they under
stood what they were aoont, having done
the printing before under sub-contract;
and even at their bid, fifty per cent. under
the prices paid the State printer, they were
sure, with the same good management which
other mechanics give their work under close
contracts for private parties, of reasonable
profit What, then, must be the profits un-
der the old law, We leave our readers to
Judge. We illustrate these profits by
saying that the persons putting in the above
bid had, previously, done portions of the
printing for firm who did the printing I'M
der the State Printer for a certain per cent
age The State Printer got big slice out Of
the work for party services, and did not
/ spend an hours time a week or invest a
dollar in capital in doing the work. In
fact he was filling n Government ofice at
the time and did nothing in relation to the
printing but draw his percentage of the
proceeds from the State Treasury. The
party who took the work to do from him
sub-let part of it at still lower prices than
they took it for, thus making q handsome
profit without expendipg any labor on the
work so let out while the third party, who
did the work, made profit which satisfied
them.
Thus have the people of Indiana suffered
for many years in this single item of print
ing and binding, and thus is explained one
of the many leak-holes in their State Treas
ury, which cause their taxes to be so high.
This Journal, as Republican paper, has
been preaching all summer and fall that lis
party would reform the glariug abuses so
prevalent in connection with the State gov
eminent, if put in power The people have
taken the party at it's word and placed it in
position where it has full power to reform
abuses The wrongs under the law of l843
alluded to are amongst the worst practiced
on the pockets of the taxpayers. We have
right, on the part of the people of this
portion of the State, to expect that the Leg
isIature this winter will make n radical re
form in this matter of Printing and Bind
ing and we are much mistaken in the
conductors of a majority of the Republican
papers of the State if they do not join with
US, after all the professions of economy
made by the party before the people, in ad-
vocating reform in this matter that we all
know needs reforming.
We are emphatically in favor of the Con-
tract System-of the plan of letting the
Printing and Binding out to the lowest re-
sponsible bidder, like all other mechanical
work the State has done. The State is
building new Penitentiary-does she elect
State Stonemason, a State Bricklayer, a
State Blacksmith, a State Carpenter No;
: she let's the work ont to the lowest re-
: sponsibIe bidder, the same as private indi-
5 viduals do, and she gets the best of work
done at the lowest prices. Competition
brings about these results. So it should be IN
regard to those mechanical occupations, tht
, Printing and Binding for the State.
lie VI OnlO, ANhIitI am
h other States, after full trial under th'
: system of electing Printer, years ago set
] tied down on the contract system and fine
: it to work admirably and cheaply. Con
b gress has adopted a similar plan of having
!, her printing done, after wasting untol'
t thousands by the old method 1t is higl
} time for the State of Indiana to consul
: her true interests like other States and tn
= General Government are doing.
e We call on the Republican papers of tie
: State to express themselves on this subject
l and to say whether they are still in favor Q
: economy, as we all were through th'
campaign.
/, Lest some may think We are interested
in desiring the work let out by contract, W