The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-28

THE CONGRESSIONAL PRINTING.-We perceive
that the Washington Constitution is greatly ex-
ercised by some of the remarks that we have
recently made in connection with the public
printing. In order that there may be no mis-
conception as to our motives in Offering these
comments, we think it necessary to say that
we have no particular hostility towards General
Bowman or any of the other Individuals who
participate in the comfortable pickings derived
from this source. To US it is Of no conse-
quence who are the recipients Of them, or to
what purposes they are appropriated, so long
as the practice exists. That portion of them
should go to the support of particular organ,
under any particular administration, concerns
us but little, if their destination must be al
ways an improper one. It is with the system
that we war, and not with individuals. If,
however, the odium which attaches to the for
mer should occasionally wound the susceptible
lities Of the political spectators that profit by
it, they should have the good sense to feel that
they have only themselves to blame for it.
The report of Mr.. Haskin, which we publish.
ed yesterday, does not give all the facts con-
nected with the history Of these printing abuses.
For the last forty years the public printing has
been made the means of emasculating the Wash
iDgton press. Up to 1928 the National hteli-
gencer enjoyed whatever pap was derived from
it, and, being Of the old fogy order of journals,
it kept it by its subserviency to both houses
Of Congress II was not until Jackson came
into CNno proci1anf nj h, a.
mocratic party on a military basis, that the
practice Of giving the public printing to politi-
cal organs sprung up It's effect Of course has
been to nip in the germ whatever independence
or usefulness the Washington newspapers
might have possessed. No journal could resist
the blighting influence Of government patron
age, which, in destroying the confidence of the
public in its honesty, rendered it wholly de.
pendent on this precarious means of support.
1t has been customary with the opposition to
cast On the democracy the blame of all the cor.
ruption exercised by means Of the public print
ing: but the opposition itself, under the
different political denominations it has as
sumed since the time Of Jackson, has
ever shown itself as ready to turn
il to account. In the present Congress
the desperate fght made by the republicans for
the House printing shows the importance
which they attach to this convenient lubricator
of party machinery; that, as far as the morali-
ty Of the thiDgis concerned, there is but little
ground for self felicita.ion on either side.
Although the amount Of public money that is
prohigately squandered under The present print
ing system is matter of the most serious consid.
Grafton we feel that it is secondary in its evils
to the perDicious influence which II exercises
on the press. In no free country should such
6emoralizipg inducements be allowed to inter
fere with the responsibilities that journalists
owe to the public. On the commercial in
terests of newspapers themselves, its results
are, as we have shown, disastrous. Thus, whilst
year after year the plumber from the public
printing has been gradually swelling until it
has reached a million Of dollars annually
sum which the yearly receipts of the HERALD
are row almost equal to, and will very soon
exceed-the papers that have been subsidized
by i. have been sinking and dying out like
plants wi!hezed By an unnatural excess sshsa..