Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1870-01-28
rue LEGISLATIVE RECORD.


the proceedings of the Legislature was ap-
pointed some days ago. 1t consisted Of
White and Olmsted from the Senate and
Niles, Beans and Smith from the House.
This committee has reported that under the
XIV Section Of the constitution and from the
spirit of our institutions, if is the duty OF
the Legislature 10 publish a journal OF Its
proceedings. that the people of the Com
monwealth may be constantly informed OF
the transactions of the laW-making depart
ment of their governments The only prac
teal question 10 be determined then was
the form Of publication to be adopted. IL
was the desire Of your committee TO secure
the most comprehensive, expeditions and
economical publication practicable While
your resolution instructed and authorized
vosr committee to contract with the lowest
responsible bidder Tor the publication OF
daiiv journal of the proceedings, and to re-
port such contract for the approval or dis
approval of the Legislature, they were at
the same time authorized to report any
method or plan, with the probable cost OF
the same. To give all information possible,
your committee called before them all per-
sons in the city Of Harrisburg engaged IN
public printing, and the publication of daily
newspapers There appeared Benjamin
Siugeriy, State Printer, B. I. Myers y Co.,
editors of Morning Patriot, and George
Bergner, editor Of the Ddilg Telegraph
After careful consideration of various sug-
cesti0ns made, your committee concluded
there we're but two practical methods sug-
pested for publishing the daily Legislative
proceedings. One was by a daily journal
prepared under a careful contract; the 9th
er was the publication IN the two daily news
papers published in Harrisburg, designa
ted number of copies 10 be furnished for
the use of each house, at a stipulated price
per copy, a certain number of columns to be
exclusively devoted to Legislative proceed
ings To secure a practical result, your
committee invited proposals from the Morn
ing RItri0t aud DAILY Telegraph to furnish
six thousand copies Of their paper daily
three thousand each, with SIX columns OF
Legislative proceedings, each issue TO con
tain the proceedings Of the preceding day.
They also invited proposals from all en-
gagged in the printing business in Harrisburg
for the publication Of daily journal under
a contract similar 10 that by which the
Record Of the session Of 1858 was published.
To the invitations the following several
proposals were received
From Benjamin Singerly a proposition
amounting 10 about 81, ,240; from b. r.
Myers Il Co, one to furnish three thou
sand copies Of the H0rumg Patriot with an
average Of six columns OF Legislative pro-
ceedjngs for $1,000. or TO publish a record
similar to the old Record at Slj.75 per
page for the usual number Of copies; from
George Bergner. one to furnish 5000 copies
of the 7eegraph on the same terms as the
Morning Patriot, or to publish a Legisla-
tive Record similar to the one of 1865 at
$3.50 per page for the usual number Of
copies.
While your committee conceive much
plausible argument can be made IN favor OF
the publication of the proceedings in the
daily newspapers, yet It IS submitted It Is
not the most satisfactory and faithful man
ner Of publishing and preserving record Of
Legislative proceedings and it viii be OBJ
served from the proposals received it is not
the most economical manner.
The bid of Mr. Bergner being 81. .25 per
page lower than that of B. f Myers 4 Co.,
and being the lowest bid made, was accept
ed and "a contract entered into with him,
which is herewith reported and submitted
for the action of the Legislature. 1t is es-
timated under this contract, as carefully
prepared as your committee could devise to
secure a faithful, intelligent and economical
record of legislative proceedings. a volume
of less than six hundred pages will be pub
lished. Should six hundred pages be neces-
sary for the purpose, it viii be observed at
the price Of $l450 per page the entire ex-
pense Of publishing Legislative proceedings
would amount TO 500, which is much less
than the annual expense for that purpose
for many years past. Your committee are
Of opinion the contract submitted presents
the most practical and economical method
for giving proper and authentic publicity to
the pro ,edings Of the Legislature.
This report was submitted to the House
and Senate and by both referred back to the
special committee on the Dist. This is the
exact position of the Record Question at the
present writing. The Legislature is averse
TO any heavy expenditure for this purpose;
the section of the Constitution requiring
publication in some form will have to be
complied with, but the Legislature viii, we
have no doubt, do it at the least possible
cost in accordance with the wishes of the
people
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