Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-05-13
FOrty.Fourth Congress First Session.
House..

Washington, May H.
Mr.. Vance of Ohio, chairman of the Committee
on Printing, made a partial report on the subject
of the government printing. The report states
that the congressional printer has charged for
| work of the executive departments an excess
ranging from 30 to l23 per cent beyond the regu-
lar rates; that he has been paying more than the
ordinary retail market p.lccs for many articles
| purchased for the Office; that he has invariably
| purchased supplies from mddemen, allowing
them a heavy profit that the prices paid for labor
are greatly in excess of those of other establish
ments, while the days work is eight hours against
ten hours in private establishments, aud that at
present managed, the printing and binding for
Congress and the departments cost more money
than it can be done for by responsible private par
ties. The waste gold leaf for the past seven
years, watch has been appropriated by the super.
intendent of the binding department, IS estimated
at Sl4 100000.
The report declares that system of unparal
leled extravaganza pervades every department of
the government printing office. In regard to tue
printing of the Congressional Record, the COM
mittee is of the opinion that it would be in the in
| terest of economy to remove its publication from
the government printing Office and give contract
| to Mr.. Franklin Rivers. The report describes the
hook keeping TO have been OF so loose character
to be entirely unreliable, and saws that the con-
gressional printer demonstrated fully to the mind
ofthe committee his utter disqualification for the
proper discharge of his duties, and that his subOr-
dnates very little better in that respect than
their chief The internal management of the Of
| fee is represented as worse if possible than the
| book keel ping, and as being of such character as
would ruin the most substantial private establish
ment in the country The management comprised
the lending of machinery and material to private
parties; the employment of men on account of
political influence, who were totally unfit to earn
their wages; the payment Of employees while at
elections the selling of records and documents on
| credit in violation of law; the execution of work
for private parties; the forcing of balances, and
| the Justification of accounts.
| In conclusion the committee expresses the opin-
| ion that the work at the government printing
Office costs $500, 900 year more than it would
cost if done BY responsible private parties under
proper contract system and that it is wise to
take immediate steps for the discontinuancc Of the
| office
The committee also recommended that the
proposition of Franklin Rivers, of the the ID day
of May, 1876, for the printing and binding of the
debates of Congress, be accepted, and a contract
entered into to lake effect at the beginning of the
next session. and that the printing and binding for
the departments shall be under the control of the
heads of those departments, and shall be executed
under contracts
The report closes with resolutions instructine
the speaker to certify to the testimony to the dis
trict authorities to the end that the congressiona
printer may be indicted and prosecuted, instructng
the Judiciary committee to inquire whether he i:
an officer who may be impeached, and instructing
| the committee on appropriations to report IN the
| sundry civil appropriation bills reasons for the
abolition of the government printing office, and
providing for the printing and binding for all de-
partments of the government.
The report was ordered to be printed and re-
committed.
The speakers leave of absence was extended
| for ten days.
Adjourned.