Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-01-08
Mr.. Willard on the Free Distribution of
Public Documents.

We print in another place letter from
Speaker BLAINE relative to the publication
of public documents, which is now attract
ing some attention from the press. We
notice also that Mr. WILLARD, of this
State, in Il running debate in the House
the 18th ult., on Il proposition to print
some 500, 900 extra copies of Agriculture
Reports, enunciates nearly the same views
as those embraced in this letter from Mr..
BLAINE. The debate is given in the Con-
gressional report rs follows:
Mr.. DOMAIN | am directed BY the
Committee on Printing to report the fol-
lowing resolution:
Resolved by the IIou of Representatives, (the
That there be printed of the annual report of the
Commissioner of Agriculture for the years 1872
and 1873 $4,000 copies of each; $50 600 each of
which shall be for the OF the House 80 600 of
each shall be for the of the Senate. and p 900
Of each shall be tor distribution by the Commits
sIOner OF Agriculture.
Mr. DOMAIN | move the previous
question.
Mr.. GARFIELD. | desire to ask the
chairman of the Committee on Printing
what will be the cost of these copies?
Mr. DOMAIN. The entire work is in
print, the Senate at its last session having
ordered 1900 copies for their own use.
1t will cost something like sixty cents Il
copy.
Mr.. WILLARD of Vermont. Mr.. Speak
En- understand the gentleman from Iowa
to say that this work is already stereo-
typed, so suppose there is no hurry in
regard to ordering the printing of addi-
tional copies for distribution. No provision
has vet been made by law for the distribu
ton of public documents, and it seems to
me unWise for us to order this printing
until Congress has provided by law in
respect to their distribution. | suppose
some project will be presented to the
House soon, or during the present ses-
sion, concerning the distribution of public
documents; and why not wait until some
such measure has passed into legislation?
1t is we'll known that documents that have
been heretofore printed have been printed
at great cost to the Government, and that
many of them are entirely useless; those
to whom they are sent never read them;
they simply 90 into the waste-paper
basket.
/ Now hold, so far rs l am concerned,
and l think my constituents will agree
viii lllt, lilttt 1lO pAiIIIS NlOSlllilCHlo III
/ to be printed by Congress. unless it may
be a small number required for the public
! libraries of the country, until those who
want them are willing to pay for such
, documents the actual cost to the Govern
ment of printing and transmitting them
through the mails. WHY cannot such Il
project as this meet with favor in this
House, That these documents if printed
hon ba ,,,.in+ol nd
stating what documents are printed and
their cost be sent by the Department to
every post office in tbs United States, to be
posted in a conspicuous place, where every
person can see what documents have been
printed by the Government and at what
price they can be obtained; and then let
those who want them order them and pay
for them, and not compel the whole body
of the people to pay for documents that
only 90 to one-tcnth or one-hundredth or
one-thousandth part of the people? Let us
not keep up the system of printing docu-
ments at the expense of the people, giving
to the few, while the great majority get
none although paying the greater portion
of their cost.
| represent what is substantially an
agricultural district. Probably ten thous
and of the voters in the district are farmers.
[ have had for distribution annually bes
tween seven and eight hundred copies of
these agricultural reports, and can thus
send one to every fourteenth or fifteenth
farmer in the district. Now, why should
the fourteen farmers be taxed both for the
printing and the postage of documents
sem to the fifteenth man? Can any gen
tleman give me a good reason for it?
Why should all the people of the country
be taxed for the printing and distribution
of the census reports? The members OF
this House received forty or fifty sets OF
those large volumes of the census report
to distribute among their constituents
Those who had thatnumber of public libra
rieS in their districts doubtless sent them
to such libraries, and thus distributed them
wisely; but those who sent them to indI-
vduals whom they selected to show that
special favor to ten, twenty, thirty, OF
forty individuals in their districts-sent
them a valuable public document, a valu-
able present, at the expense of all their
constituents. Now, there is no Justice, nc
equity no good sense in such a distribution
of these publications and, instead of it,
am in favor of providing that the docu-
ments printed at the public expense shall
be sent only to those of the people who
want them and who are willing to pay fol
them.
Mr.. WILLARD seems to have the idea
that the free distribution of these docu
ments to the favored few is an invasion Of
the fundamental doctrine of the Republican
party, viz:-equal rights for all-specia
, favors to none. The printing called for by
he resolution he opposed will cost $500,
O00-and, rs Mr.. Blaine says, few persons
would take the volume from the post
Office if they were obliged to pay postage
on it. Yet the House, by nearly unani
nous vote, ordered the printing that is
passed the resolution on their part. 1t il
not likely, however, to have so easy Il time
previous question does not stop debate
there. In the House it will be seen Mr.
Donnan gagged debate by a demandJ 70
the previous question at the start, and thu
few moments allowed any one to speak OF
the duestson must have been obtained b.
, sufferance or display of true Teutoni
t pluck If the Senate concurs in the res
= .olution, Congressman will next clamor fo
: the restoration of the Thanking privilege il
its entirety.
The debate on the civil rights bill open
rather lively. Stephens was given al
: hour, on condition that Elliot, a negr,
1 member, should have an hour to reply
e Harris of Virginia, gave an exhibition 0
5 plantation manners. lie asked what MAJ
could look him in the face and say tn,
: negro was the equal of the white. Ran
r sier, a South Carolina member and a mu
latto, answered. Il can Harris said
:. Sit down, sir; | am talking to white