, 1874-03-20

maximum rates. which woro exorbitant. 1t
this point hfr. D. +. Phillips acquired control Of
tho Journal Company, and Dailhaohos connoo"
tEon with the contract terminated. Mr.. Phillips,
having approved Of the means by which tho con"
tract was obtained, cannot now plohd that ho ts
an innocent third party. Merritt retained Ills iu-
torost. An agreomans was entered into by which
the gross amount received from tho stato wns
apportionod aa follows: Is por cent to tho Jour"
nal Company for doing tho work FAX per cont
to tho journal Company, which was oloar gain
over md above tho IS por cent; and 2211 por cont
to Merritt, whodtd nothing but aubEcribo bis half
OF tho money that purchased tho morcenary bid
dors. 30 fur, he Aaa pockoted over $4,000,
which lcavoa him handsome profit on his orig
inal inveatmout Of e5, 250.
Tho contractors mado protoxts for not signing
tho contract prepared by Secretary hummel, bo"
cause 1t provided TINT sixteen pagos should con-
stituto ~ form" Of book and pamphlet press~
work, whereas they intended to charge for eight
pnges to form, and thoy have ainco carried out
their intontion. Soon after the award was made,
the present Commissioners Of State Print
ing came into power, but, like their prcdoces-
sors thoy failed In thor duty to the stnto In not
insisting upon tho signing Of tho contract.
Thore waa nothing to guide them In their doal-
ings with the contractors but the bid and tho
award, and subsequent ovents proved thoy wero
insufficient. Botwoen the bid and tho award
there was difference IS to tho amount to DO
pnld for. press-work in tho fifth class Of
printing. Az originally drawn, the bid
was 25 conta for twenty-five Impressions
for proRs-work in this olase. but tho bid was
altered by Maj. Dailhache to ~ couts for twenty
five Impressions. uo sworo positively TINT tho
| alteration was made before the award but tho
Commissioners swore that tho bid was not altor-
| cd when thoy awarded tho contract. That tho
| contractors understood the rate to to bo ~
centa is shown by the fact that, from November,
1872 to November, 1875 they charged at thst ratio
On their books, mud the expert employed BY Tho
State charged tho Bnmo rate On his books up to
May, 1873. BY direction OF tho Commissioners.
tho expert multiplied his charges by four; and.
vsry naturally, tho contractors, finding tho State
was willing, followed suit. Tho Commissioners
hide behind the Attorney General, who seems to
havo given some sort Of verbal opinion sus-
tanning their riew.
Thase facts ilnye been proved by the evidence
given before the Printing Committee of the
House Of Representatives, which bus boon on.
gaged in investigating tho frauds. It Inns also
:. been shown that tho contractors havo roceivet
very nrge sum for constructive composition,
and TINT where thoy hayo supplied paper the1
have charged the State outrageous pricos. Tht
binding coptract ia reasonable and within the
limits Of the law, but, on work not provided fo'
In tho contract, tho rates allowed tie bindel
have in some cases boeu more than twic
what private individuals would pay. Tho inyes
tisatiou also shows that there is much unnoces
sary printing, including essays and lectures
that are pitchfo1ked into the agricultural re
ports without regard to their merit or their rel
evauoy TO agriculture.
There iB no doubt TINT tho printing contrae
was obtained by corruption aud fraud; that th
Printing Commissioners failed to bind tho con
tractors in writing; TINT thoy allowed the con
tractors to conssrue the law, the bid, and til
award, and BY their negligence. If nothtn
worse, conpivea at oyegoharging, BY which th
State loat large sum. Tho Committee. white
! has conducted tho investigation without four q
favor should perfect ita work by placing tt
responsibility where 1t bolonga, no matter "ho'
: It hurts or what party Ia damaged. They or
this much to themselves and to tho pooplo, and
0 thcy cau devise law tint will In future proVe1
swindlinc in tue public printing, they will conf
/ lasting benefit on tho State.