Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-18
PAINTING sECURlTIEs.
Report Of ne CouusDssee ON ExuewAi.
lures In the Treasury Department.

Report Of Ne CounmSssee on ExpenAi.
lures In the Treasury Department.
The House committee on expenditures in the
treasury Department, TO whom was referred the
Dill 70 provide for printing Government %.
curfries In the highest style Of art have re-
ported that in an ultimate analysis Of the
connecting views submitted to the commit
zee oy those claiming to be interested
ID. or anected BY, the proposed BILL they were
calieo upon 70 decide between the surest attain
able protection OF the people and the Government
aganst the ingenuity Of the counterfeiter and the
engraving and Printing.
The committee say that they endeavored to in
lively as their other duties would permit; that in
me carrier stages OF their Investigation the COM
fe ~ we're waited on oy the legislative commit
tally interested In the decision which the COM
20 be as and
loss II the obligations Of the Government were 90
pOory printed az to facilitate II not invite, coun
vlndicating their claims that the intelh-
gence, training, and skin Of their breth-
support Of the latter they
ted TO the committee petition to Congress signed
by the general executive board Of the knights Of
LABOR, extracts OF which accompany the report
Inc committee in their report say that "graDt-
ing tnat MI Graves figures are absolutely correct,
aAu tuAI Inc use OF inc Steam-preS6eS eueCtS An
actual saving OF 1s per cent In the expenses OF his
bureau, there remains the increased expense Of
maintaining the Secret Service division OF
red long as the obligations and securities Of the
government can be readily and successfully tmf-
saon an expenditure which can De reduced 80
securities or obligations in 50 perfect manner as
| TO make 1t impossible to counterfeit them. And
notes and securities shall be reached there win be
the further saving OF the expense attending the
prosecution OF captured counterfeiters.
DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
But the committee cannot agree that the mere
question OF economy in printing the obligations
and securities Of the Government merits consider
alton in this connection. In their opinion there is
but one point in issue in considering this BILL and
Id the as d sszen Of the ns
notes, and being satisfied that this security can
roller press exclusively, they are unanimously OF
the opinion that the steam-presses should be dis
carded- The committee fnd also that While the
small value Of the internai-revenue stamps and
the difnculty OF disposing OF any counter1eits OF
That character OF Government obligations for
less price than is charged for the genuine issue,
forgers and counterfeiters, 1t is yet fact that
the inferior work OF the steam-p presses renders
II impossible that the design and intent OF the
engraver whose skill has produced the admirable
specimens OF his art which are TO be found In the
plates from which the revenue stamps are printed,
can be fully developed when said plates are worked
on anything but hand press, and therefore they
are OF the opinion that the internal-revenue
stamps also should be printed on the hand-roller
presses exclusively.
As TO THE SECOND SECTION OF THE BILL,
providing that thereafter the chief and assistant
chief OF the Bureau OF Engraving and Printing
shall be either practical engravers or plate print
ers, the committee, after the most careful and
anxious CONSIDERATION and deli0erdtion are OF the
opinion that proper discharge OF the duties de-
volvtng upon those officials demands a special and
peculiar knowledge of the printers or
saiasa only % BY " special 'a and PRACTICAL
training. The deliberate conclusion of the COM
mittee Is that the chief or assistant chief OF the
bureau should be Qualif1ed to decide OF his own
knowledge upon the merits or defects Of any
piece OF work turned out by any OF his subOrdi-
edge to anu poSt Ou a ao e ms ne
most ef1ectualy and expeditiously remedied.
The committee find further that this ability can
not be acquired without preliminary training and
experience as practical printer or engraver, and
that no amount OF general Information, no degree
eilnteiigence, can supply this indispensable prac-
tlcal knowledge or be an equivalent for IL.
PRACTICAL ENGRAvKR NEEDED.
If practical printer be required to take charge
OF the comparatively unimportant work Of print
ing the official reports Of the Departments, the
Congressional Record, the public documents, bills,
speeches, &C., surely 1t is lar more nnperatively
demanded that practical engraver or plate
printer should be at the head OF the bureau in
which the inner and much more important work OF
printing the Government bonds, the paper money
OF the country, and the internal-revenue stamps Is
done.
As heretofore stated in this report, the commit
tee find that the printing OF the pOStage-Stamps is
new governed by contract which viii not expire
until the 1st OF July, 1889. and therefore they do
not deem II either necessary or expedient to at
tempt to interfere with or to express any opinion
regarding the present method OF doing that work.
For the reasons heretofore stated, the committee
report back the bill with the following amend
ment: In line OF the first section, after the word
snOtes," strike out the word ''checkS," and insert
the words 'internal revenue;" and AFTER the
word stamps strike out the words
sand drafts" that the section will read: "That
from and after the passage OF this act all Govern
menJ securities, bonds, notes, and internal-reve-
stamps shall be printed In tie highest style OF
the art OF plateprinting from handrolier presses"
the bill do pass"