National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-02-02
The Other Side of the Printing Office
Controversy.
Employee Reply to the Public Printer-De-
frees Quoted Against Derrees-History
of the Meeting what Led to and
What Followed It--An Appeal
TO Congress -- MIR. Cal
MS Case, Sc.
The Government Printing. o nico Imbrogilo.

and Representatives, as well as the general
public, may not bo mislod by tho publications
recently made IN connection with this subject
In the lottor published by Mr. Defreus on
Saturday last ho takes occasion to relor 10 the
prices paid workmen in the Goverement Print.
ing Office. That is n question which has moth
Ing TO do with the present controversy, but 1t
is one we are ready to meet at any time, and
we will only refer to II here by quoting what
Mr.. Defroes himself has said in relation to it
on previous occasions.
In letter to a committee of the bookbinders
oftho Government office, dated March II, 1879,
he said
The situation of the workers IN this establish.
ment differs from those employed elsewhere. Dur.
ing the sessions of Congress great force Is put on
so ms TO get out the work with the utmost possible
promptness. Aftcr the adjournment many are FUR
oughcd until their services arc again required
These do not make enough whom at work to sup
port their families when not employed.
Whatwas applicable to the case last March
has been presented to us in amoie aggravated
form since that time, for during the months
of April and May last one.half of the cntiro
force of the Office was rurloughed, and in June
the business of tho office was almost entirely
suspended.
Again, the Pablo Printer says in letter
addressed to Hon. L, b. Finley, dated Feb
ruary 10, 1879:
Tho Government has at great expense, built up
q publishing house Of greater capacity than any
other in the world where the work Is executed in
style oG TGnsTTbpassSd Ss az and w,h Ompimefs Tn
cost of the material consumed and the pay of the
persons employed, who receive only fair living
wages.
As the same prices are paid now MS then
and as the cost of nearly all the principal
articles OF consumption has advanced since the
date of the above from ten to twenty per cent,
the natural presumption would be that Mr.
Deirecs would not seize upon an occasion like
| the present to convey an implied threat of a
reduction Of wages because the employees in
| the establishment over which he prcsides de-
sire to know why custom that has prevailed
for the past twenty years has boon departed
| from.
| There are other letters Of tho same purport
that could be quoted, but the above we think
sufficient. and wa leave him to explain tho
reasons, If any, for his change of opinion, and
why no thinks now of the exceedingly lib
eral wages" paid employees in the Government
Office
In his letter of Saturday last the Public
Printer says:
| We're the Executive Department holidays
observed and paid for by this ohicc the sum taken
| from the Treasury and paid oft without considera-
| ton would exceed $4,000 pes anumn, as the daily
payroll will average between 5000 and $4,000 per
Now, because Will not thus squander the pub.
| lie money an indignation meeting inStigatCd by
these men. was held In the office on last Wednesday
| during my absence at the Capitol on business.
Whether or not they will again have an oppor-
| tWnity of creating dissatisfaction among the
employees Is q matter for further determination.
| Now, as there arc but four legal holidays in
| the year which have been uniformly observed
| by the Executive Departments and by the
| Government Printing Office for many years,
and as the pGy-rols average about $1,000 per
day, according to Mr.. DefrccS statement, we
are somewhat at loss to comprehend how II
| lpt L.
demonstrate that his statement is correct and
that it will amount to the sum PANIED, then,
during the ten years of his administration as
| Public Printer, according to his own showing,
he has "squandercd" half million dollars of
the peoples money, for tho conclusion Is
naturally forced upon our minds that ii the
public money" would he squaudered by ap-
plying it to the purpose indicated now, is the
only proper word to apply TO that which has
been already so appropriated.
| In reply to the imputaton contained in his
| letter. that the employees took advantage of
his absence ut the Capitol to hold an indigna.
tion mcoting, we have only to say that Mr..
Defroes' presence or absence was perfectly
| immaterial, rs the mootiug was held outside
of business hours, and no one gave tho matter
the least consideration.
The committee desire. in justice TO them
selves and all others in the Government office,
| to present the following statement Of what
really took place in connection with this affair {:
| On Tuesday afternoon, January %, Mr.. John
| #. Callaghan, at tho request of II large number
| Of his fellow workmen, in connection with
Others posted the following notice on the
various wuter.cOOlcrs in the building:
NoTICE-A meeting Of tha employees Of the DIFF
| fcrent departments of the Government Printing
Onicc will be called at l40 o'clock Wednesday
afternoon, in the document room (west endl To
take into consideration the reported refusal Of the
Public Printer TO p4y the employees Of this oince
for the first day Of January, 1904 legal holiday.
Every employe Is expected to be present.
1t will be seen that this notice WAS posted
nearly twenty.four hours before the time Of
holding tho meeting, About II o'clock Wed.
nesday morning Mr.. Calhghau received the
following discharge rrom tho Public Printer
OFFICE PUBLIC PRINTER, Jan. 2s.
Mr. JnNN CALLAGntN: understand that yOu
are not satisfied because You do not get money that
you do not earn. and that you are making yourself
busy to stir up dissatisfaction among the employees
| aud you will regard yourself relieved from this
date Yours, &c, JuIlN ID. DEGREES.
Mr. Callaghan Immediately loft the building,
but the fact of his discharge becoming known
had the effect of making the meeting assume
| larger proportions than would otherwise
have been the case. Tho men assembled at the
hour named in the call, elected chairman
and secretary sud adopted the following pre-.
| amble and resolutions;
| WHEREAS The Public Printer has notified tho
flremen OF the different departments Of this office
that in making up their puy rolls for the month of
| January they must deduct therefron tho pay OF
| each empl0ye for the first day of January (New
Years Day., 1880, therefore, be
Rcsolrcd, That committee Of three nom each
| department be appointed 10 walt upon tho Public
| Printer and eudeayOr TO induce him TO reconsider
| his action IN the matter and direct that the en-
| plOyes bo paid for said day.
RssOlted further, That In the event Of a refusal It
shall be the duty of said committee to appoint Il
subcommittee TO wait upon the printing commit
| tees of Congress and request them 10 Introduce n
Joint resolution directing the Public Printer TO pay
all employees of the Government Printing OniCO (Rs
has been the custom for the past twenty yGars) for
the fiSt day of January, 1880 out Of the money APP
prOpriaed for tho public printing and binding for
! Tho fiscal year ending June 30, 1880,
After remarks by one or two OF those present
the committee was appointed, and the meet.
| ing adjourned. The chairman of the com.
nitteo Immediately waited upon Mr. Derrees
aud asked him il ho would 500 the comm ttee
on the business under consideration. Mr.. d.
replied
have mOdo up nay mind about the mat,or aud
| decline TO see the committee.
Upon being informed of this answer the
committee adjourned till evening. Upon re,
assembling 1t was suggested to tho committee
that from the unusual action Of the Public
J Printer in refusing " soc tue authorized rap.