The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-01-29
The Public Printing.

paid tor pubic pruning III OouIu CarolIla, 'ho
people can understand the means employed to
squander the high taxes levied from year to
year.
In Georgia, the amount actually paid for
public printing last year was $6O,0OO, and this
was regarded as beyond all reason and proprie-
ty. The estimated expenditure for the present
year, as reported in the Governors recent an
nual message, is only $4,000.
In North Carolina, the cost of the public
printing last year was $4,000. Both Georgia
and North Carolina are under the control OF
Democratic Legislatures. Their joint expen-
ditures for printing are not one-tenth the
amount in South Carolina, while in resources,
population and wealth, either Of them will far
exceed our misgoverned State.
Tn New jersey, the amount paid for public
printing last year was ss3,792.81, which in.
cludes all printing accounts except sums paid
for advertising in the newspapers. The popu-
lation of New Jersey is one-third greater than
South Carolina, and its aggregate wealth Is
treble the aggregate in this State.
Another notable example is found in the
recent contract awarded for the Legislative
printing of the great and populous State of
New York, which costs only $4,000. YET in
South Carolina, under the manipulation of the
Credit Mobilier Republican Printing Company,
the printing exceeds half million of dollars
for the past year! 1t might be supposed that
our rulers would rather discourage the art OF
printing, since they love darkness rather than
light, but we find them active and unceaslng
supporters of the art, whereby it is convenient
to plunder the State Treasury for the benefit OF
Senators, Representatives and State officials.
The art employed in this instance mainly con-
sists in keeping secret the names of those con-
nected with this gigantic robbery, and the
amounts each one has heretofore received as
his share of the booty!
Apropos to this subject, and exhibiting more
clearly the extravagant waste of public money,
we have an elaborate report to the House OF
Representatives presented on Friday last,
which fully confirms the assertions frequently
made that addition, division and silence"
controlled the appropriations for printing.
Under a resolution introduced some weeks ago,
charging the Republican Printing Company
with unjust and illegal discrimination against
colored printers, a committee was appointed to
investigate the facts. This special committee
submitted an extensive report, from which we
make the following extracts, regretting that
our space will not admit the entire document.
The statement appended to the report gives
the actual cost of the permanent and current
printing of the General Assembly for one year,
which shows the entire cost to have been 49,,
1880. The recommendation of the committee
to rescind the present contract, and award the
printing to the lowest responsible bidder, is
the surest and safest remedy for the evil. We
hope to see prompt action upon the part of the
House of Representatives, and if the present
iobbery is continued, let the issue be made so
distinct that the people will know who is re-
sponsible for the continuance of this mighty
steal. Here are the extracts from the report,
which ought to be read by every voter and
taxpayer in the State:
In this connection, it is pertinent to review
the amounts which have been appropriated
from the public treasury, within the last twelve
months, to the Republican Printing Company,
and the manner in which the contract for the
public printing is made. During the last reg
ular session, the following sums were approprl-
ated, viz: Under joint resolution of December,
| 81, 1872, to pay the claims of the Republican
| Printing Company, S25O,OOO; under Act OF
January 20, 1873, for current printing, s50, 900;
under an Act to make appropriations and raise
supplies for the fiscal year commencing No
epf, yember l. 1872, approved February 26, 1873,
for permanent printing, $4,000. At the
special session Just closed, there was appropria-
ted. under Act of November 19, 1873, for print
| ing immigration report, SIS, 1000; for printing
decisions of the Supreme Court, $4,000; for
printing tax duplicates, &c., S25,0O0 so that
the aggregate Of appropriations to the Repub-
lican Printing Company during the last twelve
months mont amount to s474OOO. The Legislature
has also appropriated during the same PERIOD
| s1OG 900 for publishing the laws. The total
| revenues of the State from all sources during
| the fiscal wear ending October 81, 1873, were,
according to the State Treasurer's report,
$3,79,72S.37.
In the statement of the Treasurer of un-
drawn appropriations, or deficiencies at the
close of the fiscal year ending October 81,
1878, we find: Free schools, S2l6, 1929 /;
salaries, s116,O6492; State Normal School,
S24,9SO; State Orphan House, sl8,526;3S ;
Lunatic Asylum, S22, ,9l5:71; current printing
Ss, 900; permanent printing, S92,5S9.63. The
| last two items only have been provided for:
The Act of November 10, 1873, authorizes and
requires the State Treasurer to issue certificates
of Indebtedness, receivable for taxes, to the
Republican Printing Company, for S1O0, $685.
with interest, and for the additional AL cunt Of
s125 900, appropriated by the Act of Novem-
ber l9, 1873. The contract for the printing of
the General Assembly is given to the Republi-
can Printing Company, under authority Of the
Act of January %, 1871, as follows: "And
they (the Clerks respectively of the Senate and
House of Representatives, are further author
lied TO nroyide bY contract for the permanent