South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-01-12
Thu Abuses in Public Printing.

Thu Abuses in Public Printing.
The cost To the Government Of
printing, binding. AID lithographing
during the last twenty years has al
mounted to about s34,75O.OOO. The
expenditures for these objects during
the past fiscal year exceeded those for
1881, then the largest OH record, by
Sli9.2l9 81. Between 1868 & 1882,
adding the census printing. the cost
OF Tins business has mare than
, doubled.
The present system of public print
ing began in big job. when Con.
gress purchased the establishment of
the contractor for that work. 1t has
continued TO be "a prolific source OF cor
rup;ion from that day to this. Repeat.
ed Investigations have shown that
glaring frauds are practised in every
branch of the service. With full
knowledge OF their existence, neither
the Republicans nor the Democrats
have made any honest attempt to re-
form them.
This dereliction Of duty may be
partially explained by the immense
patronage OF the Public Printer, and
MS opportunities not only to secure
The good will OF the standing commit
tees ot Congress. but also to propltiate
the members OF amy special commit
tee appointed to examine his affairs.
The contracts for paper alone reaci,
h.tl - Il. II
ally There is Il Joint Comm. ttee on
Printing, of which Mr.. Anthony has
been Chairman for many years. This
committee maslss the contracts. but
the Public Printer superintonds their
execution. A slight variation i'm the
welght and quality OF the paper wonld
make large difference in the profits
OF the contractors. tor WHICH they
conld afford to pay literally.
Many OF the documents Delivered
to Congress contain visible evidence,
as regards both color aud quality, ,ha;
different grades Of paper have been
used in the same volume. There il
no check whatever on thesc frequent
frauds, the committees on Printing
will not apply the remedy thai is al
ways III their power
Moe than thirty.two hundred per.
sons were employed in tho pub,ic
printing house during The year end.
ing June 30, 1882. Very many NJ
this number were appointed to obligu
members OF Congress anl other OF.
fceholders. preference being G ven 10
the Congressman charged N,Jh the
appropriations aud the supervision of
the printing. menu hers OF the Cabinet,
heads % bureaus, AMI prominent po
liticluns outside of Office. Last sum.
mer, under the so.calIed reform man-
agement OF Mr.. Rounds. the present
Printer, many of these EMPLOYEES
were dismissed, upon the prelence
that tue appropriations w,re eshuus-
ted. But ut that very time other en-.
pl"yees. active partisans aud person
al tavorites, were not only retained,
but we're gwen extra work ut night
The Government Printing 0llice
was run az part of the party machine
at the late elections without any ut
tempt ut disguise, an more oiicn.
sively than ever before This fact
ought to be remembered when the
new House OF Representatives. gets
10 work.
Thousands of volumes of docu-
ments, many Of them in extensive
binding. are sold ut the junk shops or
book stores in Washington, not in.
frequently for the profit Of the Con
gressmcn VINO received them, OF for
the bench OF their friends. This
practice shows how reci>lcssly cxtrav-
agant must be the orders made for
printing by the Senate and the House
Of Representatives.
The departments are quite "a pro.
dlgal as Congress is in their eXpeuli
lures Tor printing and binding An
express limitation by law has no effect
upon them, and is not respected by
the Printer. who in turn is protected
by high official authority. How far
this abuse is carried may be easily in
ierred from single fact A recent
Secretary of State had one hundred
copies ct the annual report Of his de.
partment bound extensively in full
Turkey morocco for distribution a.
mong his personal friends. The
Treasury paid the bills.
The reform II use of Representa-.
iiyea has in this ,ovcrnment Print.
ing Office q zine ield for the correc.
ton OF fragrant abuses. New Yorl;
Sun.
The superintendent Of tho GR6Hp
estate gives the assessed value Of The