The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-03-04

The State Printing Frauds
rurIyOuIRY by TIE JUDICIARY
"roWNITTEE OF TIE HOUSE.


rho Majority Report Feeble White
ln na.S..ACtcr two Weeks InVestlga'
S"n and the Examination or 2
NUmber of Practical Printers and
Experts, the Majority can EAP ,ta
M OpiniOn..A General lnVeS'lgu-
lion Recommended.
rrp uorsE RESOLUTION INsrRucrIN0 THE
'''' JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
IN the House Of Delegates, February
-, 1872, Mr. Barr chairman oil INC JUDI
rbry Committee, reported tho following
resolution concerning the Investigation oil
charges agains,tAc Pablo Printer which
was adopted , ,..,
NADIA 0I official misconduct on the part
u, TIcnry s Walker, the Public Printer,
" rb"ryin, against the State and draw.
~, thcre(rOm sums Of money in excess OF
he lawful rates allowed for public print.
SsWngnEAs, Said charges have been re-
,orrcd 10 the Committee on the judiciary,
without instructions and without power
IN investigate the same; therefore, belt
aRTOlpal, That the Committee on the
Judiciary be and they are hereby directed
To investigate and report to the House
whether or not there be probable grounds
for such charges, and il so, what action
should be taken by the Legislature; and
said committee shall have full power TO
send for persons and papers, and shall re-
port their proceedings to the House as
soon rs practicable, for its further action"
MAJORITY REPORT
Ion. H. 4. Summers, Speaker House Of
hllgatcs:
The Committee on the Judiciary Of the
lIouscoi Delegates, TO whom was referred
the resolutions in relation to, and the
charges and specifications against II. s.
Walker, Public Printer, beg leave to sub.
nit the following
REPORT.
Amer having given the said charges and
specifications the fullest examination, and
having made a thorough investigation,
extending through period Of nearly two
weeks examining Il number OF practical
printers and experts in the business of
printing, for the purpose OF NsCertaining
the facts in the business, yourCommittee
find
lst. That said specifications and charges
have not, nor has either of them, been
sustained
"a. That it has been the custom OF the
Public Printer of this State to charge the
bill work, (which is the only class ofwork
referred to in the charges and specified.
lionsD at job rates, and not rs book or
pamphlet work. And that the rate Of
charge rs job work for the State has been
regulated by the charges for job work
done in the same office for individuals
aud corporations. Accepting this prccc.
dent and custom of State Printers rs the
rule by which we should be governed,
considering the vaguencss and uncertainty
Of the law on the subject and the con.
llict Of testimony IN this case, ii is dillcnlt
Tor Eppr committee to say what would
have been proper charge for the print.
ing named in the specifications to the
charges, or TO say definitely whether or
not the present Public Printer has
charged more than he should have
charged Tor said work. Your committee
cannot say whether Mr.. Walkers charges
for the work named in the specifications
to the charges exceed the price paid to his
predecessor Tor like work, but that said
charges Of said Walker for State printing
do not exceed his charges to individuals
and corporations for similar work done at
the same office, which, while they exceed
the charges OF his predecessor, are in nc.
cOrdanCe with his This predecessors rule
Of charging. Your committee believe,
from the testimony, that such pElnting
cannot he done at as Iowa rate in Charles.
ion as in Wheeling.
Ird Your committee believe that
the law relating to the public printer is
defective, and recommend that it be
amended. #t'E.
4th In consideration Of the premises,
And for the purpose Of having n complete
investigation Of all the charges for public
printing done for this State, your COM
miuee recommend the adoption OF the
following resolution:
"ReWl~d, That the Governor and two
members OF this House, to he appointed
by the Speaker, Nre hereby directed and
empowered TO investigate the vouchers
and accounts Of the Public Printers of
this State, and the Governor is required to
take such steps rs tho facts may require
and the law authorize and they shall re.
port 10 the next Legislature, whether any
OverChNrges for public printing have been
made, and if 50 by whom, in what par.
tiCulars and in what amounts"
And for the purpose Of carrying this
resolution into effect the persons herein
named shall have power 10 send for per
sons and papers, and to proceed with said
Investigation during the vacation, and 10
sit at such times and places as they may
in their judgment deem best. The pcr.
sons whom the Speaker may appoint I'm.
der thi" resolution shall receive Inc same
mileage and per diem as members of this
House, to be paid out of Misrepresentation
for Legislative expenses upon the Ccrtili.
cate of the Governor. All the expenses
incident to the investigation herein pro.
viled for, including pay and mileage Of
witnesses, shall be paid in the SAINT man.
ner.
all Of which is respectfully submitted.
Signed r. G. BARR,
A. i. FLEMING,
A. N. CAMPBELL,
JNO NJ LElauTNRn