New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-26
GOVERNMENT PRINTING.


the number of Patent Reports, the House last
week took one important step toward reform.
We trust il will not be the last. Mr. Laiin's
speech reveals some facts striking enough, we
should judge, to compel the attention OF the
House, and enforce the necessity OF yigllant
economy i'll the future. Certainly the country
can have little idea Of the extent to which tho
Government has gone into the printing business,
or of the amount of money it expends. In the
single item covered by Mr.. Lahin's resolution,
previous extravaganza has been enormous. The
Patent, Office reports for 1863 and 1864 are still
imprinted but orders are on file for 40. 600 extra
copies, which would cost 81 SCI each. The
Commissioners made most pertinacious effort
to have his allowance confined, but the Printing
Committee reduced the number for 1865 to
II, 600 for the Commissioner and 5000 for the
House, which was finally changed so that
the House took the larger number. by
the same resolution the number for the
two previous years was reduced in like
proportion, and the amount thus saved is
no less than 1923, 700 on this one book. III the
Senate, O,OOO volumes of the Report have been
ordered for 90 and "a, and an effort will doubt
less DO made TO secure the same number for last
year. But VIC trust Senator Anthony, who is
Chairman OF the Senate Printing Committee,
will follow the excellent example Mr.. Latin
and tie House have set him. and cut down the
allowance at least one.haf. That would be a
further saving of i3,G5O-in all $l72,35O on
one Of the many, many books which book-loying
Uncle Sam stretches his pocket to print.
This business Of Government printing has
grown to gigantic proportions. Mr.. Lailin has
taken pains to inform himself, and is undoubt-
edly correct, when he states to the House that
the amount Of paper used by the Government
during last year is one-thrteenth of all the
paper made in tho United States according TO
the census of 1850. The amount paid Was a
little over SI.700,00O and the total census
value was $23, ia, G20. This Government is,
in fact, the greatest publishing-house in the
world and its publications last year cost one
twelfth as much as all the issues in the country
in 1850, including newspapers and periodicals.
The Government bill was 81. 700, 000-all the
rest $3l ,063 SOS, and at this moment, in spite
Of the immense facilities enjoyed in Washington,
the printers arc SO far behindhand that, II ali
orders were suspended, books already ordered
cannot be had for year.
Yet there is no hope that orders will be sus.
al - 10 al,
We hope is that they may be Gu, down in each
case to tho lowest point. Tho Agricultural
Report is said to be q pet extravaganza with the
House. They printed last year not less than
COO copies for each member. Yet not a copy of
the Report for 1885 can be received by any
member till after this Congress has expired.
Notwithstanding which. We hear that the
Printing Committee is urged to report in favor
of ordering 100000 copies for the present
year, at cost Of not less than Si50,OCQ
We protest against it in advance. Mem.
bers have notion that it is good
document, and their constituents
expect it, They will find vote against this
outrageous extravaganza tell much more in
their favor. Their constituents have9learned by
this time that they get great deal of rubbish
in the shape of official documents which are OF
small use to them, but for which they do them
selves have to pay. 1t all comes ont of their
pockets in the end, and makes the taxes so
much the heavier. We venture to say the peo-
pie will be more than content TO reduce this
outlay, and in future will scrutinize the yeas
and nays to see who is for economy and who is
for squandering.
T, Ia, toan ,u,;oa raror,aJ IN ana Of nur o;,,