Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-05-17
T'1LEGRAPHIC.
CONGRESSIONAL.
First Session-44th Congress.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Nav II.
Mr.. Vance, Of Ohio, chairman of
the Committee on Printing. made n
partial report on the subject of The
Government printing Office. Tho 70.
port states that the Congress;anal
printer has charged for the WORK ~
the Executive Department in excoss
ranging from 30 to l25 ner cent no
yond the regular rates; that he has
peen paying more than ordinary
retail prices for many of the articles
purchased for offices; that he has in
Variably purchased supplies from
miaale-men, allowing them a heavy
profit; that the prices paid for labor
are greatly in excess of those of other
establishments, while a days work il
elght hours against ten hours in mi
vate establishments, and that as Mt
present managed the printing and
binding for Congress and the depart
menus cost more money than it would
W uohe tor by responsible private
tattles' Inc waste of gold leaf for
the last seven years, which has been
appropriated by the Superintendent
OF the Binding department, Ia esti-
mated at $l4,OO0, The report declares
that q system of unparalleled ,eytrav.
aganoe pcrvadcs every department. &c
IA, .ne government printing office. In
regara TO the printing of the Con-
gresslonal Record the committee il Of
the opinion that 1t would be to the in
ierest OF economy to remove its pub.
iicatton from the Government print.
ing Office. The report describes thc
Dook-kceping to have been Of SO loose
charactey as to he unreliable. and
says that the Congressional printer
demonstrated fully to the minds OF
the committee his utter disoualifica.
ton for the discharge of his duties
that his subordinates are very l;ttlf
netter IN that respect than their chief
Inc internal management of the Office
rs represented as worse, if possible
than the bookkeeping, and as O.
ncihg OF such a character as woulG
rum the most substantial private es
Establishments, The mismanaoinn com
lprised the lending of machinery and
material to private parties the EN-
pinymeht on men on account of pnliti
Cal influence, who were totally unti
10 earn their wages the payment O
employees while absent at elections
selling OF records and documents O,
cfedit IN violation of the law exc
cution of work for private parties
forcing of balances and falsiticatio,
of accounts.
IN conclusion, the committee ex
press the opinion that the work at til,
Government printing Office costs owe,
half million per year more than j
would cost if done by responsible
private parties under proper con
tract system, aud that it is wise I,
take immediate steps for the discon
tinuence of the office.
The committee also recommend
that the proposition of Franklin
klves for the printing and binding q
the debates of Congress be accepted
and contract entered into, to TAX
effect at the beginning of the next SEES
SION, and that the printing and bind
ing OF the departments shall be unde
the control of the heads of those De
partments, and shall be executed un
der contract.
The report closes with resolution
. 1nstructing the Speaker to certify tn,
testimony to the District authorities
to the end that the Congressiona
printer may be indicted and prose
euted, and instructing the Ludiciar,
Committee to inquire whether he
an officer who may be impeached
and also instrncting the Committe
on appropriations to report in tn
Snndry Civil Appropriations bill sec
tons for the abolition Of the Govern
.ment printing Office and providin,
for the printing and binding for al
departments of the Government. Tn
report was ordered printed aud re
committed.
: The Speakers leave of absence wa
extended for ten days,