, 1874-03-24
THE PRINTING FRAUDS AT SPRINGFIELD


pay back tho money!
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THE PRINTING FRAUDS AT SPRINGFIELD.
The frauds practicod upon tho State Treasury
at Springfield have nttraoted much attention. hut
it looks as II the Legislature was not oqunl to
the task Of furnishing: them. Tho Committee
on Printing havo talson mass Of toHtmony, mud
On Friday Judge Bradwoll made report of tho
facts with certain resolutions. The majority Of
tho Committee, while concodlng tho truth Of tho
report, proposed different action. Finally, tho
majority accepted Bradwell'B report, but substi-
tutod their own resolutions, and .Bradwell las
been compelled 10 submit his resolutions az a
minority report.
The facts briefly stated are, that on tho 26th
Of August, 1872, ". II. Bailhache. representing
the Springfield Journal Ropublican,>, and E. L.
Merritt, tho Springfield Register (Domocratic),
filed bill for tho public printing at tue max
imum rates allowod by law; that Baihache as
signed bis interest in the bid to the Journa,
Company; that there we're ten other bidders for
tho public printing that. before tho time for
awarding the contract, Merritt and tho journal
Company fraudulently and corrnpt!y bought
of the other bdderB." The Committee report
tho names of the persons 80 bought of and tho
amount paid to eaeh. ThiB conspiracy was to
prevent competition. On tho It'll Of September,
thero being no other bid, the contract was
awarded to Merritt md the journal Company.
The then Secretary Of State prepared written
ctu far 3l,n 7rt,t r3rip int
might ba signed by the contractors. In this
contract It was rocitcd that aixtaen pages Of
book or pamphlet work should constitute o
form. THIS contract the parties refused to aign,
aud up to this time there has never boon writ
ten contract sigued for tho public printlng.
The law fixes tue maximum price to bo paid
for preaa-work at Is copts per 100 Impressions;
but the award was Is cents for Is impressions,-
being four times the price authorized by Law.
For year on the books Of the Journal office
the pross-work WIS charged at the legal rate,
md thon the entries were all changed aud tho
aggregate quadruplad.
Tho Committee say TINT by law 10 pages is
fixed as legal "form; )" that tho State furnished
paper Of 3 size to print 16 pages, and that tho
Public Printer actually printed tue book and
pamphlet work in forms Of 18 pages, and then
cut them In half and charged for full press
work on pageB, thus doubling the componsa-
tion. They report that ss,7o5 was charged for
constructive composition. In another job,
39,750 waB charged, when tho law allowed but
s1,275 They also report TINT tho award Of tho
nok a uoj b,,4 4t,a
required by law. The Committee also report
that, without any agreomont aa to price, tho
printers hayo boon furnishing tho 8sate with
paper; that the profits on tho paper are divided
between the two Offices; that for ono CLASS Of
paper which costs $3.50 tho journal collects
e19.oo, and that, adding up the papor charged on
ono page Of tho Journals books, 1t was found
that s57.10 was charged for what cost but $33.13.
Under these circumstances, Judge DradwolI
aud the minority Of the Committee recommend:
l. That tile award Of public printing to ".
Il. Bsilhacho and E. L. Merritt, Of Sept. 7, 1872,
be declared null and void. 2. That there be an
immediate relottlng OF the puolic printing aa
provided by law. 8. Tint the accounts OF tho
Public Printers be rastated in conformity with
tho prices fixed by law. The minority OF tho
Committee, while oonceding all the corruption,
overcharging, eto, stated by the minority, sug-
gest that 1.-THE possible embarrassment to tho
State that may arise under the present Inv, II
the contraots should be declared void detors us
from recommending that tho General Assembly
should take Buch action"
This il most extraordinary exhibition. 1t iB
admitted that tho contractors bought of all
other bidders; that thoy they then bid tho mag
irnum ratos allowed by law; that for portion
OF tho work they charged four timos the amount
allowed by law; aud tint for anothor portion
allowed to furnish the State with pnper without
| any contract price, when tho Inv requires tho
State to furnish paper to the priulor that, not
withdrawing all this admitted fraud aud oorrup-
tiou and oyorclarging, tho majority think the
Legislature had bottor not interfere!
This ia clear case Of Il fusion OF Democrats
anl Republicans to rob the State. Neither
| of tho newspapers iuterostad could alone
1ave engineered thia job. They therefore
united, the Register to manage the Democratic
members and the Journa! the Republican mem-
bors, to prevent any disturbance Of tho scheme.
The majority Of the Committee, consisting Of
Democrats and Republicans, now give their ganc-
tion to tue robbery BY recommending that the
Legislature take no action. Judge Dradwell
and ths minority Of ths oamtal.tss, 6udlne tl.s