The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-08-12

journal.
The Senator (Mr. Bacon) who preceded
me alluded to the fact that effort was mad,
at the last Legislature to give to one pape
all of the judicial advertising of the parish
oil Orleans 1t is true such bill was in
troduced, passed the Senate and underwent
It's trst and second readings in the House
but was finally lost by the adjournment o
the Assembly.
But that bill commended itself to lawyers
Judges and everybody. except the paper;
which did not expect to get the business
1t provided that the judicial advertising
should be done for fliy cents square
This bill allows one dollar. That bill pro
vided that the printer should pay tax tc
the State OF ten per cent. upon his gross
receipts. BY this bill the State Printer
pays no tax and is not even required to
give bond for the faithful performance Of
the work.
Now, sir, if this bill now under consider
alton possessed any advantages or favor.
able features which could recommend il
for popular consideration; we might be de.
prived of our arguments. But while con-
centrating every species ofprinting through.
out the State upon one class of papers, we
lind at the same time that the prices have
in almost every item, been increased, and
that, too. in more ways than one. TO the
eye Of a practical printer, it is evident that
the charges allowed by this bill are 20 Der
cent. above those of the act of ga. even
where they are nominally the same-this
difference being made in the size of the type
specified to be used
Now, as regards the city printing, sec. 43
reads:
Sec. l3. Be 1t further, enacted, That it
shall be the duty of the State Printer to
perform all printing of every description
for which the city of New Orleans may be
chargeable at the rates fixed by section 10
of this act and he shall be paid therefor in
the manner prescribed in the preceding sec
ton for the payment for municipal adyer-
tisements.
In 1865 published daily paper in New
Orleans (The Southern Starr and at that
time wasthe city printer. Byan ordinance
of the city | was allowed tuenty cents a
square, and under that law / did the prin-
ting for seven months and made money.
From and after the LIST, of July, 1866, the
price was increased to foity cents per square
which is now paid. This bill allows the
printer one dollar per square, and in addi-
ton authorizes the City Council to ap
point another paper to do the printing at
the same rates. So that instead of the
city printing costing some thirty-five thou
sand dollars per annum, under this model
OF a bill, it will cost one hunered and fifty
thousand for each paper engaged.
And now, Mr.. President, the friends and
supporters Of this bill have stated to me
that there was not much money in this
bill 1t may be, sir, that under the arrange,
ment which exists in order to put this bill
through, there is to any one person mo
money in it," For will say. Mr.. Presi-
dent, that heard an inadvertent remark
from Republican Senator, and member
of the printing committee, which satisfies
me as to the method which has been used
to help get this bill through.
But, sir, to show how much money
know there is in it, / will make this prop
ositions; and, Mr.. President, wish to give
notice here to you, as one of the parties
who are to make this contract, sin the IN
teyests Of The State" to use the exact Ian
guage of the bill, and l think that means to
get the work of the State done as cheaply
as possible. that will enter into bonds of
one hundred thousand dollars to do this
printing at one-half the prices fixed in the
bill, and will pay into the State Treasury
fifty thousand dollars in gold per annum.-
l have no more to say.