The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-19
positions under the house are already here,

positions under the house are already here,
but to them the situation is particularly
unsettled and agonizing, because
their prospects of success are more
or less contingent upon the re-
suit of the speakership fight Their ef-
forts must be made now or before the
speakership contest is ended. OF else they
will have no chance when the time comes
to elect to hunt up their friends and see
that they are kept in the right way.
A list or index OF all the publications of
the government, prepared under the di-
rection of the veteran compiler, Ben Per-
ley Poore, is nearly completed This list
will be of great value to officers of the
government and all who have to do with
governmental affairs. II will make a
volume nearly as large as Webster's Die,
tionary. Some thirty persons have been
employed in preparing it, and the cost of
printing will be no small item But
speaking of this list reminds one of the
fact that thousands of dollars are annu-
ally thrown away on official publica-
tions" which are supposed to be issued
for the guidance of the public, but which
in reality serve no good purpose whatever
The distribution of these documents cause
the departments issning them much aa-
noyance aud loads down the mails at
considerable cost for transportation.
Each congressman or senator is entitled
to certain number of copies of every
publication, which he is supposed to
send to his constituents. Sometimes he
sends them and sometimes he hands his
list of names to the department, while
quite often the books are carried to his
rooms and thence find their way to the
junk dealers at so much per pound, which
is frequently the best use that can be
made of them, because frequently the
parties to whom they are sent never look
inside of them. Some of the government
publications are valuable works and bring
a good price at second hand bookstores,
and congressman who do not know their
value often give them away to department
clerks or others, who straightway sell
them and pocket the proceeds. Members
of congress who nave failed to be reflect
ed have been known to overdraw theil
allowance of books and stationary anC
make few extra dollars by the sale
| thereof. The moral of ali this is that tht
government spends too much money fol
issuing publications that are not put tt
any good use. Just now tons OF great
volumes of the census report are being
carted from the government printing
office to the interior department, not one
half of which viii ever serve any goot
purpose whatever. Yet the cost of get
ting them up is enormous.
Speaking of the Government Printing
Office, few people over the country know
what an immense establishment it is
Over 900 names are carried upon th'
pay rolls of this great workshop, and it
composing rooms, press rooms ant
bindery look like the compartments of
big beehive. Sometimes in cases of emer
] gency great, big document of thous
and pages is started in from the manu-
script at night and turned out all boun
and complete the next day at noon whe
| Congress assemblies. A large number 0
ladies are employed in the folding rooI
and bindery Of this establishment, and
great 0utcry went up two or three year
ago when MI Defrecs' friend, Uriah Hea
Painter was allowed to bring in lot G
his machines to perform the work of th
folders and counters. Congressman an
others are always endeavoring to hav
some lady friend appointed in this depar
ment. When Mr.. Rounds was first ap
| pointed Government Printer, being ne
man, and rather goodnatured withal,
was piled vigorously with these applica
tions. For some months Rounds kne'
no rest from this kind of worry. Or
day prominent correspondent went
him and asked for some information
Rounds at first declined to give it. The
when the correspondent said he was GO
ing to the committee on printing to secui
the desired permission Rounds hesitateG
J Then he said: wait until tomorrow an
perhaps can accommodate you withou
that trouble" Late the next nigl
Rounds was seated in an arm chair upo
the cool Ebbitt house corner of Forteent
) and Fifteenth streets, gasping for.
, breath of the breeze up from the Potoma
The correspondent, who was going hom
saw Mr.. Rounds and going up to him
: said: How about that little matter
t which | spoke to you yesterday M
9 Rounds started feebly at the question:
as he said: ''In try and get your lac
friend appointed as soon as can 'Br
have no lady friend I don't want al
appointment" Mr.. Rounds at this juml
ed from his chair, seized the correspon
ent by the hand and walked him out in
the full light of the gas lamp of Il
corner as he said ~ want to take goo
= look at the man who lives in Washingte
a and who hasn't young lady friend who
p lie wants appointed in the Governme
Printing Office" PHoNo.