The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-01-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
where the Money Comes trom.Vnc
ssmrcrU oC Cngrny ing aud Printing -
Fight lauudred Female Employees -
T0,ss0r moral Disabilities.

congress HIS tuIhcU us 'ttt'ntiVi w thV
discussion OF war questions and the cri-
elites practiccd in military prisons. We
will hear, Mas, too much of these before
the close OF this Centennial year. And !
am sure you willexcuse your correspond
ent for having LETT the reporters gal
lery, above the heated arena, to spend an
hour in the place whence the money
comcs-the burea OF engraving and print
ing. This bureau has eight hundred fc-
male employees. There are two things,
says Jean Paul, that awonian cannot do
she can neither train dog nor COM
mand an army. lie might have added
nor steal a large SUM of money. Per
haps this last mentioned good disability
is what recommends her here. Ono of
them passed me with twenty-five millions
of dollars In her little hand. What If ka-
tie King should find employment here
and dematerialize with that amount ia
her hand
The initial step in the organization OF
the bureau OF engraving and printing
was taken in lSG2 uuder the administra-
ton Of Secretary Chase. II was an at
tempt which proved eminently success
fal, to apply machinery to the trimming
and separating of the treasury notes, that
work having been previously executed
by manual labor. FF
At this period the public issues were
printed by the bank note companies, in
New York city, and forwarded thence TO
Washington for signature. BY the proper
officers, the register and treasurer OF the
United States. a change Of system,
however, soon cnsued, for il was physi-
cal impossibility for the officers TO per-
form so large an amount Of clerical work
in addition to the more important duties
involved upon them, and by authority OF
they were authorized to employ
other persons to discharge the mere min
isterial duty Of aiiixing their official sig
nature. But the impracticability Of this
system soon became apparent, not only
was The cost Of issuing public securities
very much Increased thereby, bat, In the
Of signatures, there was
found an element Of IN security seriously
the public credit. Mr.. Chase
gave to the subject q prolonged and de-
liLerste attention. IT having been sug-
s-.rs- y. ~
work might be adopted, he was fayorabiy
by the idea. aud was the first
one who inaugurated the policy OF print
ing. together with the signatures
OF the proper officers, the
seal Of the treasury upon
all forms OF the public issue. This
policy "as also approved by an act Of
congress, February 25th. 1852. and ac-
cording 10 its provisions, steps were taken
to procure the necessary machinery and
quarters therefore, assigned within the
Treasurer's building. There soon fol-
lowed. as the needs Of the public service
became manifest, inventions which ena-
bled the trimming aud separating OF the
notes to be performed by machinery III
stead Of by hand, and with very great
saving OF expence. Urged by consldera-
tons thus suggested, and stimulated by
the success Of the work then prosecuted
In the department, 1t was determined that
an effort should be made to do, under Of
fetal oversight, the entire mechanical
work upon public securities. BY an act
Of congress, June II, ls62, this was also
granted, and prior 10 the passage Of this
act none OF the public securities OF the
United States had been engraved
or printed otherwise than by
private contract. The secretary
of the treasury was prompt to act in ac-
cordancc with the authority thus con-
fcrred, and at once secured first class EN-
gravers and all necessary machinery to
accomplish all printing required by the
government, Independent OF outside cor
porations. Thus it will be- seen that
while at the outset the bureau OF engrav-
ing and printing was an administrative
necessity, its subsequent development
into its present proportions has resulted
logically from the pressure ofpublic ok.
igencies aud demands, especially those
by which security and economy have
been demanded as chief considerations,
In the Issuance OF public securities.
Respecting the relative merits OF a
system relying upon engraved safe,
guards, it seems to be settled that di,
tinctlve paper, similar to the one now In