New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-12
REFORM IN PUBLIC PRINTING.

Cl2
nnder $1,000 Up to the year 1919, the Congressional
rtinr was executed by different master printers in the
Etv Of washington selected by the Secretary OF the
anste and the Clerk the House. On the sd OF March,
1s1e Congressional printer chosen by JOINT resoiu
zion and the public printing which for the session pro-
cedng that year had cost but $1,000 cost on an average
Dor session through the next ten years and the
svaten was stamped an abuse in 1925 investigating
rommittee making essentially the same complaints
against the public extravaganza in the matter OF prhE
as are made at this day The late report Of the Pruning
Committee tells the story:
Early in 1879 the great question OF printing patronage
decided by the passage OF oin Of every
"that within 20 days before the adOourh1e' nritsr
10 execute its work for and during tho preceding 01n
ress and the person having b cenenfed the
alliance between the Congressional printing and partisan
presses re SS3G MAS established under contract
with practical printer, who was TO receive eS t 6ich
vas n no retained by him. while the remaining Two
shirds were to given TO the editor VINO was nov f
aured TO furnish dollar OF capital Inc prices oL
We're retained and those fortunate enough 10 DC eeCu
printers the Senate or to the House useu E their
profits might be increased in proportion NO atteip tb
quality and consequent valne of the voamnous prou"c
lions issued as " Pub. Docs" , ~. ,,a
In 1870 Congress again investigated the cost OF puo0
printing, and report was made TO the House Dy us
Commitee Printing, which contained statementi
showing that estimated profit OF the printers
during the previous seven years had Deen ~
estimated annual profit OF S667sO 80 Inc % ILL.,
made nv the Joint Committee that the establishment Of
n public printing Office under proper regulations would
prndTre eleganee dispatch and signal economy in the
execution OF the printing OF the GoveInmeent ,ros
again subject Of animated discussion IN congress anu
IN August joint resolution was passed estaOS s Tre
economy prevent fraud was also Asserted ! nTe
This mode Of having the public PTapS E9penc S
demonstrated the fact that neither OF these ped
upon which the system founded IN THEORY WI 80
We'll in practice and the lesson thus learned should not
be forgotten 49,, ,--..,
ECONOMY however was not secured by this last plan'
the work being of Inferior quality and in 1852 CON
stess adopted new plan. An act was passed providing
for the appointment Of superintendent OF Pablo
Printing who was 10 supervise the work executed by
printers who were TO be elected by tine SeaIe ana I e
dent FOR the execution OF the Congressiona ana EAecu
i've Pn'ns the e Se prnted to receive
when printed, 10 examine the work ana reJect II
with dispatch He to be DISTINGUISHED Supervising
aTbter between the Government ana the pubic PnteTs
he might DO removed from Office or his decisions misht
he reviewed by the Jout Committee of Congress on Pub
lie Printing The public printing thus placed under the
charge of Superintendent, was executed Win more
promptness and FAR better manner than 1t had been
under the contract system but at greater expense
Politicians who had DO practical knowledge OF printing
candidates for the places OF printer 70 tue enae
to tho House. and those who elected armed out the
work to master printers at percentage OF the Ieceps
The majority III either Bonse selected ls cahua,o LOT
printer caucus often after exciting contests ana win
ihe positive understanding that when elected he was 10
pears in testimony taken by Congressional Committee
that the printers uSCu PORTIONS ul ~
partisan newspapers sustained by regular dividends
In 1860 Congress having unsuccessully endeavored TO
reform the public printing by different systems OF EN-
made years before and frequently since repeated and
REPORTS OF the head Of this establishment show its
efficiency and economy, and is not necessary here TO
eulogize either the promptness with which the public
printing is executed excellent mechanical execu'
lion OF the work The prices paid for LABOR for
years greatly ncreased-oen doubled-but the expense
" Congressional printing has not increased IN
HE amount VI printing and binding required for the De-
partmen has been greatly increased and viii proba
Tor twilOut accountability for extravaganza, respon-
sbiy for the legal right TO make orders but careful
Computing the work done at the Government printing
office from March, lS6l until september y! 1902 az tne
amounted 70 over lOoOOOo more than the actual cost
The important points Senator Anthonys speech
On his further regulate public printing aud
to discontinue the publication Of books by the General
Government for popular distribution" we herewith
present Mr. Anthony, in the first place, cOrrects this
prevalent but mistaken impression that the cost Of Con
gressona printing has largely increased and that there
Is greatextravagance in that department Of the public
service Extraordinary items have Of late presented
themselves, In 1893 the publication of impeachm""t
proceedings $4,000, and $4,000 were chsfgeu
Tor the riniis coincidence on the death Of
Mr. Lincoln 10 1859. numerous special reports have in
the aggregate 10000 and the reports Of the
Paris Exposition Commissioners $4,000 more and this
year the Medical and Surgical History of the Rebellion
will prove large extra item Mr.. Anthony then makes
the following statements
The cost printing for che Treasury Department for the
line Post Office Department $685. for the Interior De-
the Navy Department s97l5s for the Agricultural De
partIpent s296s0 for the Judiciary S6,G6S and the
1tre cost Of prnnc for the Executive and the Judicial
Departments sS4694s Of Which about onenlrd Is fot
blank books and binding The binding for the library OF
In former times and under the old system Of public
printing when the work was given out to contractor
portion OF his profits into the treasury Of his party
there constant pressure 10 PRINT large editions OF
ibe public documents aud great Indulgence was shown
coward the character OF the work. have nothing
moro disgraceful 10 the typographical art IN America
The cost OF the printing ordered by both Houses OF
Congress for year ending sept TO- 1865 was $3.50 1873
and for the year ending Sept 20 1862 " was s6o4eO Inc
amount OF printing ordered by the two sessions OF
Inc XXXIIId Congress was S222O7lS ana me amount
ordered by the sessions OF the AAAlVth Congress
The three volumes Of the Japan Expedition cost
taO5s6 and the three volumes Of the Astronomical e&,
nedition 20 Chill cost $697O4 The further publication OF
THIS work stopped by order OF the senate on inc
recommendation OF the Committee on Printing. INC
report of the Mexican boundary surveys cost S2377l
The publication OF the Pacific Railroad surveys cost
about 81 900 All these works were printed years ago
the practice OF these costly publications mas Deen Wisely
abandoned The cost OF printing the Presidents message
educed under the law which fixed the number for both
Houses and tho value Of the publication so lar ah ne
Increased by commencing it before the assembling
OF Congress, that II ready IN the hrst week OF
session II IS TO De regretted that IN some % te
bureaus this law is neglected and at this date or lew
days ago some OF the reports tat we're que Oh 'n f t
CONGRESSIONAL Printer The aDrdgment OF the message
suitably edited has also essened the cost ana
the value Of the publication me EDITION OF thS tep8r
Of the Commissioner OF Patents has been reduced ny Tue
senate ron M VI Syents have been printed in small
numbers. take pleasure IN callbg te attention vi hf
Senate to these facts because they aHor1 Jne
REPUTATION OF the statements so widely ctculaeu u
charging upon Congress great III uo IN