Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-05-18
Fruits Of Democratic Economy.

Another instance of the utter disre.
gard for the interests of the public serv-
ice manifested by the last House of
Representatives in their wild slashing at
the expenditures of the Government, in
order to achieve an ephemeral reputation
for economy, is now exhibited by the de-
ticiencY existing in the appropriation
made for the current fiscal year for
printing for the Postoflice Department.
This deficiency threatens to be the most
serious of all those for which the Forty
fourth Congress is justly responsible,
since it may result in seriously crippling
the postal service, and perhaps in sus-
pending that service entirely in some of
its branches. There is annually appro.
priated sum sufficient to supply the
! PostOtfice with the necessary blanks to
conduct the business of the department
for the current fiscal year. The amount
appropriated was $105,000, which is
| $50, 900 less than the amount asked for
| by the Postmaster General. Postmaster.
Gen. Tyner, during the last session of
| Congress, called attention to the fact
that this sum would not be sufficient for
the requirements of the department, but
no attention was given his warning by
the economists" who controlled Con-
gress through the House Committee on
Appropriations. Mr.. Holman's 81 guess
they can make it do" policy prevailed in
this instance, as in many others which
have resulted in serious inconvenience to
the public service. The result is, as was
thorities, that the appropriation for
/ hn, ~ L.
partment will be unable to procure this
class of supplies, so necessary to the cor
rect and faithful administration of the
postal service, until after July 1, when
the appropriation for the coming year
will become available.
During the past month the Postmaster
General has assiduously endeavored to
prevent what threatens to be a catastro-
phe, by carefully revising the orders for
printing, and confiniDg them to the most
economical limits, but fears are enter
tanned that no provision can be made by
which the department can be supplied
with indispensable blank forms for con.
Quoting its business for all of June, and
possibly portion of May. The Public
Printer has notified the Postmaster Gen
preparation standing to his credit for
printing is less than $1,000. The peril
of the position will be appreciated when
it is known that the average monthly
cost of supplying the Postoffice depart
ment with blanks is about $11 600. The
Postmaster-G General hopes, without very
serious inconvenience to be able to get
through the present month, but he is at
a loss to know how he can manage for
the month of June.
The statutes require that all printing,
binding, and blank books for the Execu-
tive and Judicial Departments shall be
done at the Government Printing Office,
and forbid the Public Printer to cause to
be executed for any department any
printing or binding the value of which
exceeds the amount appropriated for
such purpose. There is no general pro-
vision IN the statutes which eXempts the
Postoffice service from the limitations of
Sec 3,670, Revised Statutes, which pro-
vides that "nO department of the Gov
ernment shall expend in any one fiscal
year any sum in excess of the appTopria-
tions made by Congress for that fiscal
year, or involve the Government in any
contract for the future payment OF money
in excess of such appropriations" Sec.
3,732, which authorizes the War and
Navy Departments to purchase clothing
and subsistence in the absence of Tegu-
lar appropriation, makes the section first
quoted more binding by providing that
"no contract or purchase ON behalf of
the United States shall be made unless
the same is authorized by law, or is
under an appropriation adequate to its
fulfllment."
Thus the Postmaster General is pre-
cluded from having any printing done at
the Government Printing Office, no mat
ter how imperative the necessity may be,
and prevented from having it done else
where. AS this printing involves the
furnishing of books and blanks for
money'orders aud registered letters, re.
ports of all kinds required by law TO be