Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-01-23

A reform which Congress would do
we'll to iuaugurate this session is in the
matter of public printing. The extras-
agance and waste in this eiugle item OF
the expenditure is notorious, and the
subject therefore we'll deserves the at
tenton of Congress, whether it be its
province to investigate or not The ex-
ecutive departments are in this, as 10 all
other respects, beyond the control OF
Congress, except 80 far as it's power ex-
tends over the question Of appropriation
No one can look upon the cart loads of
public documents converted into waste
paper, which are everywhere visible at
Washington, without rejecting upon the
! fate and vicissltudes Of literary things,
and the ignoble ends to which the works
Of the greate.ts intelects may come. In
view Of the cost OF paper, printing, binds
ing, folding, wrapping, etc it is mortlfy-
| ing as well as provoking 10 see the I'M
| timely and improbable uses to which
these works are doomed But when one
| considers the mental labor, the midnight
| toll, the Diplomatic ambition, the patriot
ic aims the party and personal sohcitude,
| the anguish of pains taking and brains
aching involved in the accumulation Of
! these plies Of learned lumber, how hu
initiating it is to literary hopes, party
aspirations and the pride Of political
! life. The Mohammedans were accus-
| toned, if they saw any printed paper on
| the round, TO take it up and inv II aside
! carefully, conceiving 1t possible that 1t
might contain part OF the sacred Koran;
and Addison conte-se. that he was SO
much of n Mnssulinan that he could not
iorbcar looking into every printed paper
! that came In his way, under however
de>picahe circum stances II might ~
pear Meetin4 once win ~ page oi Ba4
ter's "~aint, Rect" under Christians
pie ne rerused it and conceived 80 good
an opion OF the authors pIety thar he
WA. induced to purchase the whole book
Addison relates with seriousness as we'll
~ with honor how often he was benefit
ed hy these Accidental -tud,es lie kept,
M his reader. viii remember, two long
baniho3es upon the sheIve. OF bis library,
which excited 50 much curiosity that he
was Obliged To explain a. visitors that
they were lined with deep erud ton and
ah-truce literature
IL may perhaps be well for the inter-
est OF the grocers, BANKERS, trunk max
era, shop, Keepers, and artisans of tari-
oua SORTS, that neither Nussulrnan super
sition nor the inqui-itive temper or Inn
pertinent humor OF Addison IL preva>
Mt AT the capital Of the nation for there
is no spot where such printed matter rs
has been referred to ~ not seen The
universal waste paper is filed with Con-
grps-ional .agacity and political wisdom
and everything which is sold 10y the
retailers Is enwrappsd in ample folds Of
public document, The Thanking priv,
ilege il CHARGED with much Of this over
printing Upon the presumption that
the abolition of that privilege would Of
necessity involve the essential curtall.
ment OF the document printing, 1t has
been affirmed that ~ saving Of i've million
dollar, might thus te made in the annual
expenses Of the Go erhment The two
evils exert reflex influence upon each
other The one is allowed almost with
out limit, because The other affords euch
mciiitie., such license and temptation
for indul senre. II the rankinG prisil,
ego were abolished the printing OF p.un>
der would necessarily cease, or be re-
duced to a reasonable standard now
both are sources OF abuse.