Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1865-07-08
san RD,Y wRNN,. HLI,I@



wky Is !; ihat a o-rt4in el1s> Of demands
a-airs, the G0yeTEnea; are - long out
standing: We alladr particularly 70 the
nav for legislative printing. While the
other Government, employees. from Gov
crnor 10 Receiver of Public Moneys, re-
ceiye their salaries with commendablc
punctual;,y. the Public Printer alone has
to wal. from two to four years for his pay.
Each petty clerk. and each employee
down 10 the Messenger in the Secretary's
office, receives his pay when it is due, and
the funds for the payment of members OF
the Assembly, is seldom more than few
weeks or months delayed. This is not
only inexplicable, but it is unjust. The
Office of Printer is no sinecure, but posi-
ton of responsibility and toll. 1t is not
like that of members of either branch of
the Legislature, mere task Of log.rolling,
-holing and wirc-pul!ing, requiring
but few hours each day in its accom-
plishment, but it constant wordsworth
day and night, and sometimes Sundays
too-during the whole session. While
his bill is laid upon the shelf, and appar-
emily forgotten, the men who do" merely
the "fancy" work, walk up and pocket
their greenbacks and the thanks of--polit-
ical friends.
The Government reserves to itselfth the
right to adjust" all accounts for printing,
but the Secretary may pay moiety OF the
same, if he sees proper to do so. The ad-
justment is completed and balance sheet
returned within three or four months after
the completion of the work, but the money
does not accompany it. This part Of the
duty is assiduously overlooked and ignored.
Let us see with what justice to the Public
Printer. The printing of the laws Of
1s62-63 amounted to about $1,000, one
half of which amount has not yet been
paid. The price allowed by Government
for the service, 81 so per 1000 ems, in
currency, was actually less at one period
in 1868 than was paid to the compositor.
In that year the price paid for paper used
in the public work, was from sig TO SIS
Der rcam, in coin, for which tho Depart
ment magnanimonsly allows but IS to SIG
in currency. And this will apply to al
most every article used at that time. The
job did not pay, even had the comprnsa-
ton been forthcoming when it was due.
The usual interest upon the sum yet re-
naming unpaid two per cent. per month";
would amount to upwards of $4,000
This being true. what greater curse Oman
cially) could be saddled upon poor man
than the public printing? A wrong is a
wrong, and its inaiction by Government
makes it no less SO. There is gross mis-
management somewhere in the Treasury
Department, which calls loudly for re-
dress. Our duty as an Administration
journalist impelled us to allude this matter
a year or more ago. Instead ofreceiving
the cooperation Of those in authority
whose business it was to aid in correcting
the evil, our editorials were clipped out
and sent to the Secretary of the Treasury
with the lusubrious complaint that not
only he was the recipient Of our abuse, :"
but likewise the Secretary Of Washington
Territory. all because he had appointed a
Public Printer and repudiated the STAND
ARD, OF course We do not believe that
this communication was held with Mr.
Chas.: he was far too intelligent, honest
and upright. no, to have seen through the
la~yer-!ike plea IL; some Of his - intimate
friends and OCsial disaProral was
melted on; wi:h an unsparing hand We
would not Intimate that thi. n -Af secsun.
f,r the dslsy IN recsiring Cur pay. fr the
instances q ssasllas a=<i>ri un.A<- The pr
erur.x A2rsnls.rzrica Il Mr. Bs-hzzzn.
v--e tao run~rvzs fce ~ - sr1~T- sara
q. szsrs-nr-. bxf ve b-kev. = - esn-ee
tA-vrSk the ncxsert II saras ese-h vss has
apparently Ef< srss~ sps~ Tia -SErE=-
isrzs~rr Ez-~zz- n ts< Tr-sszry lAcP~r1-
nszE We e4-a~sly nzk ths' s<4r F-~>-ns
e@es~.; se--rszry Il lie Tr-.~x-y. NJ
N-Csnock- ~ So = Z fA.s .1rk .. -
rss1, vrsu< and Iz5z-y y g: enc. st4:sG-