Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-10-20
A Candid Book Notice.

From the Interior Department We
acknowledge the receipt of a copy Of
Major Powell's 'Exploration Of the
Colorado River Of the West" made
''under the direction of the secretary
Of the Smithsonian Institute and
printed at tie government printing
office. It is very fine book, splen-
didly printed on elegant paper, and
furnished with more than hundred
beautiful illustrations. 1t is one of
those thorough scientific accounts of a
great enterprise that leave little to be
desired.
But it occurs to lis to aak--at the
risk of seeming ungrateful to those to
whose courtesy we owe this book, but
only OF seeming so--~hy should the
government print and publish this eX-
pensive book for free distribution p
Far be it from us TO say one word to
discourage the true interest Of science.
Sciences pertaining to the geography
and geology Of our own country need
all the encouragement they can get,
and help, also, from all interested
1t is clearly the business Of the GOV
eminent, toe, to direct and pay tCr
such explorations of the less. known
portions OF our country as are needtul
for military and other public reasons.
But IS it the governments business to
publish expensive accounts of such ex.
plorations for gratuitous distribution
to politicians, ward workers, ''iniiuen
tlal" constituents and newspapers ?
Probably this book OF Maj. Powell
has cost the government two hundred
thousand dollars-perhaps far more,
for the government printing Office is
the most eXtravagant one in the coun-
try--is it wise and right that the gov
eminent shall spend this sum of
the peoples money for such Il purpose ?
We decidedly think not. is is mere
waste, The government printing Of
flee within the last few years has
grown into one of the most enormous
establishments in the country. Its
material is paid for at the most liberal
1Nes its printers are paid about
twenty per cent. more than those en-
ployed on newspapers and other pri-
yate enterprises. All its expenses are
on the same easy and lavish scale, be-
cause "Cnclc Sam pays the bills
And all it does for the millions it con-
sumes Is to publish for gratuitous dis
tribution to a few favored parties not
to the people--a vast number of
Of pamphlets and books, the most
valuable Of which are like this hook Of
Major Powell's, and the least valuable
are such as the Patent otlicc reports
and the precious documents of the
Agricultural bureau.
But would we abolish government
printing altogether and do away with
all government books good and bad =?
Would we not have reports OF scienti-
tic explorations, surveys, etc. which
are SO intrinsically valuable-publish
ed at all ? Nay, we are not such
radical retormers as this. We would
not abolish Government printing : we
would only have the gratultous dis
tribution done away with. 1t is there
that the leak and the waste are. Let
the government quit giving its books
away 1t cannot give away to all the
people let it stop all favoritism, and
give awny to none. Let it put cost
price on all it publishes, and sell them
to whoever will buy. If the public
want the book they will gladly pay
cost price for it. If they will not pay
that for it, they not want it, and it is
a mistake to publish. Thus would
the whole matter he settled The
government Office would then be regu-
lated, as all other publishing houses
are, by the great law of demand and
supply. Thus would its undue ex-
pansion and enormous waste be check
ed thus would favoritlsm be abolish
ed and equal justice be done to the
whole people, [Pittsburg Leader.
A PROCESS TO MAKE REPUBLICAN
VorERs.-The Navy Department has