The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-02-18
The Legislature and 1he
PrlmterS.

nucu AT the mercy OF 0emAgOgues
perhaps, as that of printing-dema
gogues in the profession as well 81
out of it. When large proportion
of men are clothed with officia
power, they seem to at once con
centrate their entire stock OF small
ideas of pubic economy to bilking
newspapers. This has come to be q
crying evil of such proportions that
Legitimate newspaper enterprises
are cramped In their degree of use.
fulaess. New, almost everybody will
admit that the newspaper OF Kansas
havedone more for her advancement
have been the power which has
built her up-to a greater degree
than any other in the Stste. Yet there
is hardly County Board or Legis.
lAIure that does not attempt to Grip
pie the business and lower the stan.
dard of its respectability by down
right efforts to dead-beat the press
out of it's Legitimate prices, or to
rob it outright.
There are and havebeen q few hon.
orable exceptions, but the rule is as
we have stated. Almost every Kan
sas Legislature has tempered with
the prices of printing, aud there is a
constant disposition to cut down the
quantity of work and the fees.
We are compelled to admit, humili.
Ating as 1t may be. thatS this is part
ly encouraged by class of bench
leg FRAT" printers, who roam about
the State, who have no practical
knowledge of the newspaper bust
ness, who are disgrace to 1t, and
who are found willing to do work
at quarter rates. They move from
one community TO another, not be-
ing able to make living, or to sus-
tain respectable reputation above
u few months in one place. They
live by bonuses and black-mail, and
burrow in cheap hash houses and
cut on their bills. Thev are alike q
a disgrace to the printing business
and to humanity. We know of no
class who are as mean and low-lived
as they, except it be the demagogue
politician by whom they mostly get
their living. They are like the pet
tifoggers to the profession OF the
law, and the quacks to the medical
profession.
The present legislature st Topeka
is excelling all its predecessors in
expressions of hatred to the news
papers of Kansas, by making war
upon them on every occasion. Last
year, law was passed requiring the
publication, in one newspaper in
each county, OF certain proposed
amendments to the State constitu-
ton. The Secretary of State was
entrusted with the duty of sending
out the advertisements. In doing
SO he sent a blank contract 10 each
paper, requesting the work to be
done for certain stipulated price
named in the blank. The work was
done and the bills sent in according
to the Secretary's Instructions. A
few days ago, some smart Alec" in
the House made the discovery that
this work might have been done
under the State Printers act. which
allows, for such labor, one-hali
rates, and accordingly q majority OF
that body go back on the Secretary's
contract, ana openly and brazenly
trample the law under which the
work was ordered, under foot. This
in the face of the Attorney Generals
written opinion to the contrary.
That some of the men engaged in
this disgraceful business should so
act, we are not surprised. If the
State had her just dues we have not
a doubt but that they would be
wearing . suit of striped clothes at
the State institution in Leaven-
worth county. There are other men
who voted for this robbery and vi
Olation of contract, whose action
surprises Ne. They have heretofore
sustained fair regulations for decen-
cy and honesty. We are compelled
to withdraw q long established re-
spect for them. just think of the
legislature of the State OF Kansas
voting to swindle q hundred work
men of the commonwealth ont OF
wages earned on q fair and honest
contract under the plea of saving
the mupificent sum of three thOus.
and dollars! Isn't that economy
Do the voters of Kansas ask such
economy? They ought to consigu
every demagogue who voted fol
that proposition to political obliv.
ion. We have not heard that it was
urged that there was anything
wrong with the bills rendered by
the printers, but simply that there
was chance to play q trick
and cheat them. They expect
the people to justify the steal on the
ground or public economy. They
seek to make the people a party to
the outrage!
We hope every printer interested
will have the backbone to stand
out and make the State pay every
cent it owes for that work. Let no
one of them accept the half pay of.
fered, aud which the legislature ex-
pect their very poverty will compel
them to accept. We had rather do
nate our small share of the claim to
remunerate the State for the cost OF
these demsgogues who have bled