New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-06-20
WASHINGTON.
A STORY OF AN OLD REGIME.


WASHINGTON. June 19-The committee of Treas
ury officials appointed by Secretary Sherman to i'll
vestigate the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
have completed their report shows that the
many newspaper accounts of reckless extravaganza
and careessness in the management of that bureau
before it went into McPherson's hands were not
exaggerated. The principle upon which the insti
tuition conducted to have been to get all
the money from Congress possible and to spend it in
paying wages to favoTites of congressman.
When the committee began its examinations there
were 95S persons upon the pay-rolls. By May the
number had been reduced to 40, and 90 more were
subsequently, discharged. II seems that about 60
per cent of the whole force was unnecessary. The
committee say that in divisions for number
of years together the force employed twice
great as was required, and i'll others it was three
times great. So many employees
crowded in the recommendation Of Congress-
men that in one of the rooms sort of platform
was built underneath the iron roof about seven feet
above the floor, in order to accommodate the surplus
force The persons slowed away upon this shelf had
little to 90 that many of them whiled away the
time in sleep. In division the committee found
sixteen women messengers employed in carrying
sheets along a narrow passage. On their recon-
mendation these were all discharged, and
with truck was able 20 do the work of all of them.
The evil of ovcrcrowding the bureau with needless
employees was carried to such an extent that the
enormous appropriation for the last fiscal year,
aggregating two million dollars, spent in
little more than moths.
The committee say the apparent causes which
have led 10 these unfortunate results are two in
number, each Of which is The complement Of the
otheT-avsh appropriations, and appointments
through political influence. Tao whola system
seems TO have revovcd H. yciols circle ApprO-
-
mentS for Congressman without regard to the fitness
of the appointces the necessity of the wor; aad
when secured they have been expended in such
manner rs to retain The goodwill of those already
friendly or 10 secure that Of others. II there
was almost accountability for the immense
Sums spent. The appropriation male in
"A lwnp, and the Superintendent, discussed
it rs he saw fit. Serious Irregularities
were discovered In almost 'cyery direction.
quaYtity Of paper costing over 1900, eco was
found on hand, of which 100000 sheets were OF
siz unavailable for any paiposc aud vii b. Total
loss to the Government \ large quantity If check
paper Of kind no longer used for checks aud good
for nothing else Is also ol hand. Bani-note paper
enough to last two years and supply Of United
States note paper sufficient for SIX years dis
covered. At one time order WAS rlade for the
purchase Of 5000 pound Pc: moath Of Z compost
ton of dry coO.s Used in making INK for printing
the seal on notes, although the monthly consumption
was Only 1900 pounds. There Is thrce years Sup
ply 0f this article on hand, which cost II l3
a pound. \ letter quality can be made by me
bureau fIr Cpl. cents pound. Tine interest of the
Government in these and other purchases were, the
columittee say. recklessy disregardcd. The conca-
sion tina; there collision with the manufacturers
is almost inevitable.
Amcrg the miscellaneous recommendations of the
l,-i- .i.f ono "a
printing ON all leyal-tcndeG notes. national bank
notes. ard United States bonds De executed by capa
BE. experienced, and responsible bank note conra
mics. and that # il should bc though. advisable to
have a greater number OF printac5 done outside of
the bureau no co:lPaay he permitted 10 execute
more than one OF tacn. Tdcg do not think that tins
rule need apply to the printing OF revenue stamps.
Tile committee speak at some length OF
fiber paper The do not think that the
difficulty of initiating it is insup rlb!e.
late dangerous counterfeit of 500 bank hote was
printed on a clever imitation of tie fiber paper Inc
views Of the committee 10 tins paper are as io
lows: Ii is Il check upon the printing establishment
if NAV add 70 the difficulty Of counerictng. bu; il
docs not make the difficulty i"supcrable; ii Is much
inferior il quality to tirs-cas4 bank note paper; 20
be of value the fiber should b. exposed upon the
notes, not covered by printing.
The committee think the force IN TIE Engraving l}u-
reau is too Large. OF the engrayneof portraits they
say: "The artist employed on this work. winch -
done at his hcue in Brooklyn ~ " is said 10 be the
finest head eucrayer in the country but the price,
$3.50 paid Tor each head, is believed TO he excessive
In view of the fact that there are lo7 such portraits
now Oh hand. 80 of which have never been used, we
recommend that their production be suspended Tor
| time M leostp they recommend permanent dis
continuance of the engraving "a portraits OF CdD-
met officers.
The detective system is pronounced useless and
bad and worthy of abolition.
The committee write their report upon the asslimp-
ton that the bureau is to be continued, and devote
= great deal of space to pointing ont Improvements
that can be made in its administration Ihey say
in conclusion that to their minds ats past history,
the looseness and extravaganza which have marked
ismanaenent and the scandals to which lthaS given
rise furnish The strongest possible argument against
the engagement of the Government IN branches OF
industry winch arc ordinarily left 70 private enter
pri,es The adoption of a better system or appoint
ments the exclusion of political influence ana the
exercise of closer supervision over the management
of the bureau might 90 far to redeem It's reputa-
| ton but the fact would remain that the business
| of bank-notc engraving and printing is esseH-
TALLY private industry of a peculiar ana
technical nature to which the ordinary methods OF
public administration are not applicable We DO
not hesitate IN declare that il would be wise meas
ure TO relegate into private hands the entire DuS-
ness of printing the public securities, ana TO cohilAe
the functions of the Bureau of Engraving ana print
ing to imprnting thereon the seal OF the department.
simply as the final authorization OF their genuine
esq The report is signed by L. o. Graves, Edward
Walcott, and L. X. Chapman.
II Y