The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-27

from ME Tribune.
In adopting Mr.. Laiin's resolution to limit
the number OF Patent Reports, the House last
week took one important step towards reform.
We trust it Will not be the last. Mr.. Laflin's
speech reveals some faces striking enough,
we should Judge, to compel the att sntion Of the
House, and enforce the necessity of a yigilant
economy in the future. Certainly the country
can have ltrie idea Of the extent to which the
Government has gone INTO the printing business,
or Of the amount of money it eXpends In the
single item covered by Mr.. Lalin's resolution,
previous extravaganza has been enormous. The
Patent Office reports Tor 1868 and 1864 are still
imprinted, but orders are on file for 40 600 extra
copies, which would cost S2'S65 each. The
Commissioner made a most pertinacious effort
to have his allowance continued but the Print
ing Committee reduced the number for 1865 to
10000 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 or the two previous years
was reduced in like proportion, and the amount
thus saved is no less than Sl2s7 700 on this one
book. In the Senate, 20 900 volumes OF the report
have been ordeced for 1868 and 1864, and an effort
will doubtless be made to secure the same num-
Der Tor last year. But we trust Senator Anthony,
who is Chairman of the Senate Printing Com
mlttee, will follow the excellent example Mr..
Latin and the House has set him, and cut down
the allowance at least oDe.half. That would be
a further saving OF S43 365O-in all Sl72,35O on
one of the many, many books which book-lov-
ing Uncle Sam stretches his pocket to print.
This business OF Government printing has
grown to gigantic proportions. Mr. Latin has
taken pains to inform himself, and is undoubt-
edly correct when he stales to the House that
the amount of paper used by the Government
during last year is one.thrteenth of all the
paper made in the United States according to
the census of 1860. The amount paid was
lttle over 81, ,7000 0O0 and the total census value
was $23 l54 020 This Government is, IN fact
the greatest publishing-house in the world, and
It's publications last wear cost one-tweltth as
much as all the issues in the country in 1860,
including newspapers and periodicals. The
Government bill was 81, 700,0 ,000-all the rest
$3l ,063, ,69S, and at this moment, in spite OF the
immense facilities enjoyed in Washington, the
printers are so lar behindhand that, If all orders
were suspended, books already ordered cannot
be had Tor year.
Yet there is no hope that orders will be sus
pended; they could not be, altogether. What
we hope Is that they may be cut down in each
case TO the lowest point. The Agricultural Re-
port is said to be a pet extravaganza with the
House. They printed last year not less than 500
copies for each member. Yet not a copy of the
report for 1865 can be received by any member
till after this Congress has expired. Notwith-
standing which, we hear that the Printing Com
mittee is urged to report i'll favor of ordering
100000 copies 10" the present year, at a cost OF
not less than $3.50, 600. We protest against it in
advance. Members have an idea that it is good
electoneerlng document, and their constituents
expect it. They will find q vote against this out
raoeous extravaganza tell much more in their
favor. Their constituents have learned 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 themselves
have to pay. 1t all comes out Of their pockets
in the end, and makes the taxes so much the
heavier We venture TO say the people will b6
more than content to reduce this outlay, and il
future will scrutiniZe the yeas and nays to SET
who is Tor economy and who is Tor squandering