The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-01-28
rho Alleshandan.
The FASTING and Folding.

terrlnE 10 IHe dClIoH Vi lHe I1cSlSIdtulo,
and especially of the House, in regard to
the expense attending the pasting and
folding. for distribution, of the various
documents published by the State. We
desire to do no one injustice in anything
we say on the subject, while at the same
time we are confident that we do only
what we should do in demanding strict
honesty and economy in the affairs OF the
State We were sorry to see the Pitts
burg Gazette come to the defense of the
reckless use of the public money; yet,
after weighing all it has said, and all that
Hon. Geo Wilson, member from Allie
ghany, has said, in defense of the action
of the House. we can see no reason to
change our mind or modify our structures.
We believe the following to be fair
statement Of all the facts in the case
Last year, the pasting and folding of
the House alone cost $37 900. The Pitts
burg Gazette says no data exist to deter
mine what it costa statement probably
true as regards the exact amount. But
Hon. Geo Wilson, member from Ale
ehany. and chairman of the Committee on
Retrenchment and Reform, puts it at the
amount stated.
During the last session, this same Geo.
Wilson introduced bill, which passed
both House and Senate, reducing the
number of pastors and folders to ten, at
salary of $500 each, and two superinten-
dents at $500 each, making the total cost
$1,000. This act was to go into effect at
the commencement of the present session.
The passage of this (his OWN act, Mr..
Wilson now styles perfectly ridiculous"
At the beginning of the present session,
Messrs. Rauch & Cochran, of Lancaster,
proposed to do the pasting and f'lding of
the House for $4,000, or of House and
Senate for $1,000. This proposal the
caucus rejected, on the ground, we be-
lievc, that the law already provided for
doing the work But it appointed com
mittees on the propriety of repeating the
law about to 90 into effect, and to appoint
twenty-seven additional officers of the
houses, of whom Mr.. Wilson says ten only
were to be additional pastors and folders.
The Senate committee reported against
this measure, the House committee IN It's
f,vor. The House then undertook to ap-
yOi... A.o., vniuu.s VH It's own Ioopo"SiIl
ity, without the concurrence of the Senate
or the sanction of the Governor.
Great stress is laid on the fact that only
ten additional pastors and folders for each
house, or twenty in all, are provided for,
with salaries reduced to 5000. But what
difference is it to taxpayers whether the
other seventeen are called pastors and
folders, or by some other namez Last
session, this same perfectly ridiculous
Mr.. Wilson was the father of a measure,
to take effect with the beginning of the
present session: designating the number of
officers of the House at thirty-eight. On
the very day the present session begins,
he discovers necessity of an additional
twenty-seven. Now, We submit that the
act of last session was either an election
eering dodge to deceive the people, or 1t
was passed in good faith. If 1t was a
dodge, Mr.. Wilson, its author, is unwor-
thy of credence in what he may now state
in his own favor. If it was passed in good
faith, it ought to stand, for it is not posi-
BILE that either Mr. Wilson or any other
member could honestly believe on the last
dav of the session of CTS that thirty eight
officers were sufficient for the requirements
of the House, and on the first day of the
present session also honestly believe that
sixty-Gve officers were necessary. That is
too ridiculous even for the perfectly ri
diculous" Mr.. Wilson.
The Pittshurg Gazette asks why certain
papers conceal the fact that under the law
passed last session the total cost Of pasting
and folding for House and Senate was
S11 500? For our part, we do not con-
ceal that or any other fact. BIT that td'0
dill nat go into effect last session, and nO'0
qchen 1t is about to go into effect, the House
seeks to repeal at. Again, the Gazette asks
if kecn-eyed critics can discern nothing
more (worse) at Harrisburg chan the past
ing and folding and the giving copy of
Purdon's Digest to each ucmbcr? Doubt
less there are many things worse. Ii the
Gazette knows anything worse, why not
direct its shafts against the wrong? If
not, why complain of mutual Ignorance +!