Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-03-13
THE JOINT CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
ON PRINGING = -

~e'S~1 Va INC Joiht OObSrcSSiOn6l OOmmtttee
on Printing.
We note by our exchanges that the i'm mort.
ant reforms and other valuable services &C.
com plished by the Comm ittee, have already
attracted the attention OF the country We
sre satisfied that the Iabors Of this most eff /.
Gent committee will not only result In saving
millions OF dollars for the Governmsnt but
will alec ensure the performance of the Gov
ernnent work in a much more satisfactory
manner than ever before:
The enormous duties and great respousi
bilites OF the Joint Committee on Printing
makes II one of the most important appoIn ted
oy Congress The publication o. the various
reports and public documents of the Govern.
nent, together with the purchasing Of the ma.
terlai used 10 purchase them, come under its
Immediate supervision. When II is sta, ed that
TINS amounts 10 millions of dollars Annually
and that all resolu tions and orders for mint
ing ouered In or issued by Congress are re.
Ierred 70 this committee. some idea NAV be
amount OF labor performed. Each house of
congress mas Committee on Printing The
senate conn ittee takes charge of all the print
ing 2ertaInng exclusively to that body, while
the House committee performs similar service
Ior the House OF Representatives. In all mat.
tiers Affecting both houses. however, they act
1ointIy. The Joint Committee on Printing OF
tne Inuty- Ninth Congress was composed as
follows;
On the part ef the Senate-Messrs Henry h.
Anthony, of khoue Island, chairman: Edmund
of Delaware
On the part ofhe House-Messrs, Addison III.
Lanln, OF New York, chairman; Reader W
Clarke, OF Ohio, and Geo. r. Latham, OF West
Virginia
These gentlemen have all been either directly
or incorrectly connected with the printny busi-
ness senator Anthony, the chairman Of the
committee upon the part of the Senate. is and
has been for years the editor and proprietor OF
tne providence K IL Journal His large ex-
Perience In the printing business, and his con
unsous service as Chairman OF this committee
In the Senate, emInently qualify him for the
disehai &c OF It's peculiar duties. He is a most
diilgent and careful worker. Senator Ross is
practical printer, having served, we believe
regular apprenticeship, and worked for
many years as composition, besides having
oeen the editor OF a fourishing daily ne wspa-
per In Kansas. There are few If any details
aoouf the printing business with which be Is
not familiar. Senator Riddle, although not a
placticdl printer, has been connected with the
EDITORIAL profession. Representative Latin
tne chairman OF the committee upon the mart OF
the House. Is Manufacturer Of paper, and is
thoroughly posted in all that pertains 10 This
Important branch of the committees business
when IL Is stated that the Government mr.
cnases OF this material amount to about one
million dollars annually, the importance OF
havlbg such man as MIR. Latin on this COM
mlttee VIII be apparent Mr.. Lafiin's asso-
e Gau lion Reader W. Clarke. of Ohio. snd
nave also been connected with the great
Art, the former as a practical printer, and
me !after as an editor. From the acquire
ments OF these gentlemen, and their an
tecedents, IL will be seen that this Joint
Committee on Printing was not only thoroughly
posted In all It's duties, but eminently ualified
TO discharge them with great efficiency We
make no invidious comparison when we say
mat In point Of economy in expenditure and
OF accomplishing reforms in the Government
prntlng, II has surpassed all the committees
Wnicn nave gone before it, Lei Us give an
illustration. Heretofore the pure hasing OF papsr
pas oeen done by contract under superinten-
oehce OF the pubic printer, and no bids were
accepted for less than twenty thousand reams
TINS prevented small manufacturers from
o'uo,ns i1r the contract, and virtually created
monopoly in favor Of the large dealers, who
OF course had the advantage of fixing upon a
price 10 suit themselves. During the last ses-
SION OF the Thirty-ninth Congress Mr.. Latin
introduced resolution in the House placing
tnls matter under the control of the Joint Com
miiiee on Printing. where 10 properly belongs
me com mittee inaugura,ed anew regime. under
whlcn the contract for the purchase of paper
as thrown open 20 competition. Instead OF A
man being compelled 10 bid for twenty thou
sand reams, bids are received and considered
ior one housand and upward. IL does nor
require person 10 be a paper manufacturer
or a paper merchant 10 at on &c the adyan-
tage Of this reform 10 the Government and the
justice Oft 70 the paper manufacturers through
out tDe country. In addition 10 this the weight
of the paper used for Government printing mas
oeen reduced. and without initiating the reader
INTO the mysteries of the trade, il will be suf.
ncient for him TO know that this will be a
saving 10 the Government of thousands of
dollars annually without making any percept-
documents. But this is nor the only economi-
cal reform made by the committee Nothing
Is more common, especially in the House OF
Representatives, where there are a numo Der OF
gentlemen who do not take into consideration
either the value Of the document TO be printed
or the cost Of printing II, than the Offering OF
resolutions for the printing OF all sorts of doc
unents and reports by the thousand. All such
resolutions are referred 10 the Committee on
Printing, and IL 10 in considering and acting
upsn these that the committee has the power
10 be economical or exrravagant. There are
more resolutions OF this character offered in
and passed by the House than the Senate, and
IN THIS 10 after, as well as in that relating 10
paper, Mr. Lain has shown himself pecu.
Iarly fitted tor his position. Let US illustrate
again: A member Offers q resolution for the
printing OF floo hundred and 6fty thousand copies
OF some report. The matter Is re ferred 10 the
COMMITTEES on Printing, and Mr.. Lain re
ports IN favor Of printing only tUeaty thousand.
In this way IL Is estimated that not less than
half million Of dollars have been save 70 the
government during the Thirty ninth Congress.
one OF the important reforms brought before
Oongress Dy me Joint Committee on Printing
was Dill, which passed both Houses, to abolish
the ONCE of public printer, and 70 n We Congress
.ne power 70 elect It's own printer. Itwas in
roduced In the House BY Mr.. Latin. This
puts the Superintendent of Public Printing en-.
urely under the eentrol OF Congress and re.
Ieyes nlm from All connection with other de.
partments Of the Government The committes
inaugurated q system Of editing public docu.
n1ents W hich up 10 the last Congress was en-.
tirely unknown, and which will be q saving to
the people. Heretofore the message OF the
President OF the United States and the accom-.
pam ing docum ents made from six 70 seven
good sized volumes. Under the new sys.
TEN, however, the extraaeous And uninter.
esting matter 10 discarded, and that which
is really Of public importance ard value
~ condepsed into one volume, carefully in.
dexed for popular distribution. The Congress.
sionai Directory, which was published as q
matter Of private speculation, wretchedly
printed. fall Of glarng bluneers and miserably
complied, always Published late In the session.
- now issued under the supervision Of the
Joint COMMITTEES Of Printing. Those who have
had occasion 70 examine and use u will testify
10 It's vaiue a. . work Of reference and to the
general excellence OF the manner in which 10
Is arranged and printed We understand that
he ommittee contemplate still further I'm.
proving IL so as to Increase its value to mem
bers OF Congress and the public generally"
TIE ConsIssIosER OF EDrcArroS.-The
New York Tribune says: "Henry Barnard of
Connecticut has been nominated by the Pres
ident for Comm issioner Of Education. This Ia
an excellent choice. Mr.. Barnard has been
long and honerably conspicuous as an apostle