St. Paul daily globe., 1888-01-31
THE HOUSE.
Another Tilt Over the Manage
ment of the Government Print
ing Office.

Another Tilt Over the Manage
ing Office.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-The speaker
pro TEN. laid before the house a letter
from the public printer in response to
resolution calling on him for informa-
tion as TO dischal ges made by him. The
public printer makes a statement in re-
gard to these discharges, justifying and
explaining them; defends the admins
tration of his Office, and emphatically
denies the charge that the congressional
work of the Office is largely in arrears.
he calls attention to the fact that dur
ing the fOrty-fiye days of the Fiftieth
congress the printing ordered by con-
gress had increased 46 per cent over
that ordered during a similar period of
the Forty-ninth congress; but states
that the work has been promptly han
died with working force of 800 less
employees than were on the rolls of the
Office at the beginning of the Forty
ninth congress.
Mr.. Richardson, of Tennessee. re-
garded the letter as a conclusive and
satisfactory reply to every criticism
made against the printing Office. The
public printer would, he said, court
every inquiry into the workings of his
office, and it would develop the fact
that with a smaller force he had per-
formed more work than had been done
by any of his predecessors. He Rich-
ardSOn) denied the assertion that the
public printer was not furnishing re-
ports and bills as rapidly as they had
ever before been furnished. He praised
the reforms which, he said, Mr.. Bene-
dict had inaugurated, and as an instance
OF these reforms, stated that that gen.
tleman bought printers ink at "a cents
Il pound, whereas his predecessor had
paid 60 cents pound.
Mr.. Cutcheon, of Michigan. said that
he was the author of the resolution to
which the letter read was an answer.
He had been impelled to draw up the
resolution by the story of a soldier who
had been discharged, with sixty other
employees, from the printing office in the
middle of winter, without cause; at
time, too. when the printing ordered by
congress was greatly in arrears.
Several Democrats inquired the name
OF the soldier to whom Mr.. CutcheOn re-
ferred, but that gentleman declined to
reveal If at present.
Mr.. CutcheOn said that the public
printers letter gave information about
everything except what congress
wanted information upon. He Clutch
eOn) did not care how much more paper
he had used or anything about the price
of ink, but just now he would like to
know why the public printer selected
the middle of January to turn these
wOrkingmen and women into the street.
in order that he might put a climax to
the proceedings of the house in refus-
ing to investigate the claims of a work
lngman who was conteSting a seat i'll
the house.
Mr.. Henderson, of Iowa, declared his
utter disbelief in the statement of the
public printer that there were more
Union soldiers employed at the printing
Office to-day than had ever been en-
ployed at any previous period. He de-
noqnced the statement as false: A lady
had come to him at his hotel laughter
on the Democratic sidel-gentlemen
might sneer if they desired because the
widow of dead cOmrade visited him.
A lady called upon him-gentlemen on
the other side might not be able tomake
that Statement-and told him she was
the widow of a dead soldier, with two
children. One, young lady, accom-
panied her mother-did gentlemen wish
to Sneer again? The son, a young man,
had been an employe of the printing
Olllce, Dut ldu oeS!l uIoppeu from the
rolls and his place filled from that great
fountain Of Democratic officials-Balti-
more laughter by one of the nimble
fingers of the Democratic leadef of
Maryland.
Mr.. Compton. of Maryland. inquired
the name of the discharged enlploye.
Mr.. Henderson declined to give it,
but declared that names would be given
if an investigation of the printing office
was ordered.
Mr.. Davidson, of Florida--We will
make contribution before they shall
Starve.
Mr.. Henderson, am not surprised
that sneerS should follow my declara-
tion that they are starving. 1t may be
trliling matter for the gentleman, but
they are facts which are sinking into
the hearts of the people.
Mr.. Davidson-It is matter OF i'm
portance to me when the gentleman
states that woman is starving, and |
reply that before she starves q cCntrj-
button will be made.
Mr.. Henderson, have ho doubt the
gentleman would chip in TO save her
from starvation, but your party stands
like citadel where no Republican can