Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-12-27
STATS PRINTER.

lowing language concerning the cleo.
ton OF State Printer by 1.-THE coming
Legislature.
"There is likely to be a spirited
contest in the Iowa Legislature, to
convene on the second Monday OF
january, over the State printing. l,
is a FIAT take" being in reality the
most profitable position in the State.
The candidates are numerous, and
'"pipe laying" has been going ON for a
long time. An exchange speak
ing of the matter says:
The prominent candidates are
Frank NJ. Mills. of the Des Moines
Register, Jacob Rich. formerly of the
independence Guardian, J. il. How
ell. of the keokuk Gate City, and
Mr.. Edwards. of the Burlington
Ha'ck-Eye. Other candidates have
entered the list, but without develop
ing any real strength outside of thei,
particular locality. The choice may
fall upon some person unihough;o of a;
present, but the strong probability is
that one of these Eve ~ill be selected
by the General Assembly,"
We believe all the gentlemen above
referred to are consistent, intelligent
Republicans, who deserve we'll Of the
party, but with n exception. they
leak \ qualification which we believe
vital to a successful execution of the
labor which will devolve upon the
State printer-a practical knowledge
of the printers art. The exception is
MIR. Rich. If We are correctly inform
Cd, neither Mr.. Mills, Mr.. Edwards
nor Mr.. Howell is a practical printer.
Not one of the above named sgentle-
men was under fire during the late
war. We believe they have all time
and again advocated the election OF
competent soldiers TO offices of honor
and profit in preference to those Of no
better qualifications who remained at
home during The war. The position
Of State Printer is the most profitable
within the gift Of the party in the
State. Here. then, is a splendid op-
pertunity for these gentlemen 10 put
their preaching into practice by us
ing their influence for the election as
State printer some one of the several
soldiers in The State who are equally
competent with themselves. and who
are practical printers. Bu; they will
doubtless refuse 10 pursue this consist
ent course, and the only State office
Of any considerable value will fail to
prove a blessing TO some soldier who
perhaps sacrificed all his business
prospects To enlist in the service Of
his country. Bat such is politics. The
politicians will win, and it is quite
probable that some one Of the before
mentioned gentlemen will be success
fal. Which. then. is the best qualiti-
ed? Mr.. Rich is the only one Of the
number who is a practical printer,
and aside from this. is certainly in
ferier 10 neither in tact and talent as
a political writer. As editor Of the
Republican paper at the capital, his
influence would be widely felt as a
champion of Republican principles.
The State printing was never done
decenily until Frank Palmer, a practi-
cal printer, was elected State Printer.
Mr. Palmer disposed of the Register
Office to Mills & Co, the State bind
ers. We believe those gentlemen
have all reaped money and credi,
from the Office and it is perfectly
proper that other parties should take
their places, and those parties should
have a practical knowledge of the
business they are expected to con-
troll.