National Republican., 1877-08-23

DtuihnNil, Oh Virginia, anu Is prO1usely Illus
| trated by fine wood engravings. II deserves,
and will, doubtless, have wide circulation.
A QUESTION OF VITAL IMPORTANCE
TO THE DISTRICT.
PLAN or coNcESrRATIEa TIE ENGRAVING
AND PRINTING WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT
HERE-wuICH WOULD GIVE EMPLOYMENT
TO HUNDREDS WHO NEED IT, AND MAKE
BUSINESS LIvELIER FOR OUR MERcHANrs-
AT THE SAME TIME SAVING LARGE
AMOUNT ANNUALLY TO THE GOVERNMENT.
The policy Of concentrating all such work
as the engraving and printing OF both Internal
revenue and posnyc stamps securities. hank bills,
legal tenders, &C.. at the Bureau OF Engraving and
Printing In this city, isa subject which has boon
agltated for several years past But since Hon.
Edward NcPhcnon assumed charge Of the Bureau
he has bcen so persistent In his opinion that the
Government can do oil such work ITSELF as wen
and atles cost than by tho present contract syS-
tenn, that the Secretary Of the Treasury recently
directed that amor the expiration Of the present
contract for the printing Of internal revenue
stamps, tho work shond be done by the Burcau Of
Engraving aud Printing This Is in accordance
with the law recently passsd BY Congress which
requires that the engraving and printing Of the
internal revenue stamps shall 10 done In the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing. provided the
cost does not exceed the price paid under existing
contracts
By thh change, according to the estimate Of NJ.
MCPHERSON, subsequently verified by the report Of
the commission Investigating his burcau.) the Gov
eminent win from $4,000 To SIS 900 per annum.
The transfer Of this work will take place on 0cto.
her l. that being the date Of the expiration of the
| existing contracts
The other classes Of work which are now being
done by tho different bank note companies are the
printing OF the black backs upon the fve-doliar
national currency notes and OF the green hacks OF
| the legaltender notes, Both are done by the CO.
lumbar Bank Nots Company OF this cIty--on the
former. without q CONTRACT on the latter under a
| contract renewed on the 2Dth Of February last,
which BY IT, terms is terminabls on ninety days
notice. A. present this company 10 printing seven
thousand impressions per day Of the nstionai t&nk
currency hacks and fvc thousand impressions per
day of the legal ltrndrr hacks al cost 10 the Gov.
| crnmeni ofsis pcr thousand Impressions. or s7rs
day, or sd7 SOS estimating Cor sla days work
in the year This work according TO the estimate
| of Mr. McTherson could he ~xecrtcd Ivy the bu.
reau At an expense NJ On s7,S per one thousand I'M
presions. or siisF0 q day or 81 OpO year This
amount Il a careful estimste OF what would he the
additional expenses injured nv the bureau " this
work were transferred to II. Besides this the hu.
reau Is Obliged To pay agent at the Office or the
Columbian Bank Note Company to supervise their
operations cost OF s. per day OF 81 ss per an.
| mum which additional amount would be saved by
| this transfer
| Upon This subject Mr. Mcpherson, in writing to
Secretary of the Treasury, says
| Should an advance of twenty-five per cent be
allowed this bureau TO cover proportionate cost OF
organization and supervision and contingencies
the present COST exclusive Of the pay Of the agent
A.. according to the terms OF the contract the
| Department has the right 10 annul the same upon
ninety days noiice. Secretary Sherman has di.
| rrrtrd that the contract with the Columbian Note
fomrany he terminated 10 that the whole subject
oi engraving and printing by private parties may
| be within the power Of the Government before the
meeting OF Congress. But the matter ought not to
| 1op here. The Post ONCE Department has fnr
years been considering the proprrty NJ having It's
postage stamps engraved and printed at the bureau
| Of Engraving and Printing The Continental Bank
| Note Company Of New York has been doing this
work fur some Year, past and under their previous
oontrart. which expired In May last they charged
| the Government at tho rate Of filteen cents per
bousand impressions. ..
| Owing, hnweser to the animated competition
that prrva cI at the last 10 tinr Of the con rart
the company found II necessary 10 con ilerahly
dis0nnt thcir previous rates. 50 that now under
the new contract they arc doing the work Vt ltta
| less than ten cents per thousand impressions The
Pust Oifce D pLrtment l. perfectly satisfied with
the manner n which the work I, being done, nnd
refer to tho re ent taking OF stock at the manmfac.
tory In New YORK as evidence Of the accuracy ard
secir W alteniiiy the work. But aside from the
satisfaction which the c mpany gives in the per
forman c OF this work. the rnsiinaser General is
now in' deriIg ihe snbinct and Is Of the opinion
that Ii would b. decidedly beneficial to tho city
and It's local Interests II lbe work could DO done
beie.
| The dilieulty. however, of making Q change
now In the method OF the work Is that The oOn-
tract Of tho company Ia for four yoars and any
breach OF II Oh tho part Of the Government might
| snhi"ct u tn claim for damages The comIlaDy
aver that Tiny reduced their lasi hid 10 low tlg.
urc IN order 10 ba certain OF obta ming the ron
tract as anonls them opportunities for obtaining
other wnrk. and claim that at the present rates
they arc making no profits whatever. barely max
ing eEpensss ..' .rrr
| Mr. McPherson. however, again comes forward ,
aud says he can 10 the work as cheap tr not
cheaper. than now costs the Government. He
argues that " the company do the work fo- ten
| cents per thouaad. even though they claim IN
make no profits, he thinks the Government can do
| II still cheaper
Tho expenses Of the companies include
large salaries to their officers Insurance, rent Of
buildings. taxes and various other items, includ.
ing that OF maintaining lobby, which do not enter
into Tho expenses OF tho Government In doing the
same work, and consequently ih cost must be less
The Burcan Of Engraying and Printing has never
made formal oner to print the postage stamps,
| although the feasibility OF printing them In that
| bureau has been considered GU several occasions
when Advertisements for proposals have lean
issued If'he company, could 10 relieved Of It's
| contract by compromise. that b by tho allowance
ofa fair sum to cover any losses that may occur
| the Bureau OF Engraving and Printing would find
no didcnlty whatever In making the necessary ar.
ranRements to do the work.
II tins arrangement were perfected and this class
of work all done by the bnresu II would necessitstc
the employment Of large number ofadditonal
persons, which besides relieving tho distress Of
our city occasinned by the scarcity Of work. would
tend greatly toward rovivmgths business interests
OF Washington BY placing upon the market monthly
an immense amount OF currency. II Is understood
that both Secretary Sherman and Postmaster Gene
raj Key contemplate making such recommenda.
tions to Congress At its next session as will again
open up this question.
THERE ARE POLITICAL DEADBEATS IN