The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1880-12-23
MORE ABOUT STATE PRINTER.


and we wish all oar patrons Merry Christnnas
MORE ABOUT STATE PRINTER.
It seems that we have become enlisted in this
subject, and may as well iI':sh saying what we
have 10 say. especially two or three papers
have undertaken TO dispute certain of our asser-
tions. Saturdays Topeka Commonwealth com
ments upon our article of last week, makes sew
eral rash statements, and misquotss or partially
quotes some things we said, 50 TO make us say
what we did not say.
The Commonwealth SAYS that Mr.. Thachcr is
not printer, but that he is as good printer as
George W. Martin; and that two of the proprie-
tors of the Commonwealth are better printers than
Martin Among the many other things brought
against George W. Martin, by the Commonwealth
and others, are the following: That he has held
Office nearly all his life. That he was made and
has been sustained as Kansas State Printer by
opposition votes. That his Junction Union was
90 unreliable in politics, that the County nearly
always went Democratic. That fthe publishers
of the Commonwealth had the the Office, the prof
its would be used to build mp great Republican
organ. We have taken the trouble to compile
from biographies, public documents and records,
and from the newspapers, few facts, which we
shall use in replying to some of these things.
First, We shall say that We have no i'll feeling
toward Father Baker and his Commonwealth.
Personally, he is of kindly disposition, and we
like him; but in looking after his own interests,
he seems to think they overshadow everything
else, and he displays cheek that has no mercy on
the rights of others, or the public good. Signii-
cantly enough, the Commonwealth smiles kindly
on the candidacy of any one except Mr.. Martin,
whom it opposes most yehemently, and, we
might say, unscrupulously. The fact that Mr..
Martin has an expensive and complete Office in
Topeka, where he does his own work, while the
other candidates would have to go to the ex-
pense of a new Office, or farm out the work to
the Commonwealth, taking liberal per centage
of the pay, may not have anything to do with
the COmmoH1edlth's opposition or support, but it
looks suspicious.
George W. Martin was born at Hollidaysburg
Pa, June 30, 1s41, and is therefore not yet 40
years Of age. He served FIVE years apprentice
ship at the printing business, portion Of the
time in Kansas, twenty-three years ago, and 8
year and half of the time in book Office in
Philadelphia, under a strict disciplinarian. He
4
1861, and that paper, while under his CONTROL
and before the day of patent outsides, was one
ofthe handsOmest specimens of typography in the
West. The same taste, but with better facili-
ties for carrying il out, has characterized his
State work. And yet T. Dwight Thacher, who
never learned to set type, and whose paper is
often q marvel of botch-wOrk, is held up as be-
ing as competent printer as Mr. Martin. And
couple of young plugs in the Commonwealth
Office, who learned TO set type on daily, where
the workmen generally sling in the type in any
shape to get it up, are held up as more compe-
tent printers than Martin. Such stuff kills its
own force.
As to Mr.. Martins ofice-holding, he did hold
some positions previous TO being elected State
Printer, but he never neglected his newspaper
for Office, nor suppressed his convictions to gain
the favor of the powers that be. In January,
1866, he was appointed Postmaster at Junction
City, but resigned in nine months, because il
was a bore. In April, Is65, he was appointed
Register of the Land Office at Junction City.
The very week that Andy johnson vetoed the
Freedmeh's Bureau Bill, the Union came ont
anti-Johnson, for which Mr.. Martin was remov-
ed from the Land Office December l, IS65, being
by johnson. He was an assistant Assessor of
Revenue, in 1867 and 1868, in Western Kansas,
during the building of the Kansas Pacific Rail
road. He was reinstated as Register of the Land
Office, in May, 1863, which he held exactly two
years, when he was again removed, because his
paper opposed the course of some of the politi-
clans then in power.
Having been twice removed from Office because
he would not abandon his principles to please the
men in power, it ought to be regarded as pretty
good evidence of his sound Republicanism. Be-
fore his paper was started Davis County was
one of the few Democratic Counties in Kansas
Since the establishment of the Union, Davis
County has always gone Republican OH State
and National tickets. Furthermore, the Union
never bolted regular Republican ticket. Mr.
Martin was President of the Grant Club of Davis
County, in the campaigns Of 1865 and 1872; and
he has always actively engaged in everything
going on in his locality. This is rather late
day to impeach his Republicanism. of all men,
the editor of the Commonwealth should be the
most cautious in accusing another of doubtful
Republicanism.
Mr. Martin was first elected State Printer in
1873, and after a very bitter contest in the Su-
prelne Court, entered upon the duties of the
Office; and he was reelected in 1875, 1S77 and
1879.
But Mr.. Martin has been elected State Printer
by opposition votes, is another charge. Let us
see: In the first election, in 1873, he had a ma
jority of of the Republican votes Prouty.
He got few more opposition votes than Prouty
did, but he was certainly the choice of q major
iiy of the Republicans
In 1875 there were a large number Of Independ-
ent Republicans in the Legislature. Martin re-
ceived a majority of the Republican votes, over
T. Dwight Thacher, although Thacher, being q
member, received the votes of a large number of
Republicans in the House. The previous fall,
Mr.. Thacher had positively assured Martin that
he would not be a candidate; yet he was so Of
Tended at being beaten by Martin, that when
the State Printers fee-bill came up in the House.
he made it speciality to cut down the fees. He
assured the House that he was a printer, and
that of his own positive knowledge he asserted
that the price of composition could he reduced
to certain figure, and the printer still clear S.,
600 year on it. Upon this assurance, the price
was cut down, and Mr.. Martin lost money for a
whole year, until the next Legislature put the
price back to a living figure.
In 1S77, Mr.. Martin received 92 votes, all but
I being Republicans. So that opposition votes
did not elect him that time.
In IS19 Mr.. Martin received a majority of 10
of the Republican votes majority Of the op-
position votes went against him. So that, in lis
four elections, he had a majority by the Repuh-
licans every time, and was therefore the choice
of the Republican party in the Legislature.
But the publisher Of the Commonwealth would
use the profits of the Office TO build up great
Republican organ. We are advocate of fair
prices for newspaper work, and of literally sus-
tanning newspapers; but the Office of State Print
er should not be used to back newspaper. This
means that all advantages wOuld be taken, and
the work done with view to getting it taken
off the hands Of the nrinter leaving thu laryest