The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-02

Total sll5 900
STILL ANOTHER INCREASE.
These estimates. however, although
seemingly sufficiently liberal, as compared
with that made originally, were SUISSE
quently again revised, and the State Printer
and the State Board Of Education asked
for an appro priation OF $3.50, 600 to begin the
work, and $4,000 was actually approp-
rated, $4,000 of which was for the State
Printer, and $4,000 Tor the State Board of
Education to be used for mpiling"-that
being the Legislative idea Of the method of
producing textbooks.
Compiling" Tor, in plain English, stealing
the work of successful authors, is the only
method ever proposed for the preparation
of State textbooks In one Legislature a
member introduced a bill, which met with
good deal Of approval, directing the State
Printer to put in type and print the series
of textbooks then in use In the State; the
illustrations were presumed to present no
difficulty and when sitter considerable dis
cuSSiOn, some one ventured to suggest the
obstacle of the United States copyright laws,
there was at once an indignant assertion OF
ultra State rights.
THE STATE PRINTERS MOTIVES.
1t may be proper to explain the motive of
State Printers in lobbying for the passage
of these textbook bills. The fact is that
these officials the only persons inter
ested In these bills. and they have the same
pecunary interest IN State publications that
pllh ilstN6 Ill THEIR OWN DOCKS.
in States where the State Printer Is simply
a contractor the interest Is obvious; where,
as in California, he is salaried officer, the
average honest man may not see it so
clearly. In the first place, the volume of the
business Is grossly exaggerated in the public
MIND, and the State Printer, who knows no
more about it than other people,
shares in the Illusion; visions of an
immense establishment, riyaliug the
Congressional Printing Office, rise in
his mind. with innumerable appoint
ments" of printers, porters. clerks and
storekeepers al his disposal. Patron
age" is the legitimate medium of exchanges
In political transactions; with appoint
ments all political debts may be paid. and
political security and advancement ensured:
the disposal OF appointments" in the end
brings money, or something which may be
preferred TO money, to the person who con-
trolls them. But in addition to this wrll-un-
derstood source of revenue. the expendi-
ture OF large sums in the purchase of
plant ana stock" always nav bring
secret commissions TO the officer awarding
the contracts When you find a State
Printer working for these bills-and no one
else ever does work for them-you may
rightfu4iy suppose that he has these per-
sOnal profits in mind
In his report of January, 1888, State Prln-
ter Ayres states that he knew exactly what
plant he needed, and all he needed, and
that II was "one mammoth edition bindery,
one Hoe perfection press" little type-'a
mere trile"-'to sort up"
In his report, after he had got his appro-
priation, he states: Il deemed it neces-
sary, In order to carry out the provisions of
this act satisfactorily and intelligently, to
proceed East and make 4 careful examina-
tion OF me most improved machinery in use
in the large Eastern establishments. did
So"
Yes and besides that, he extended his
trip 10 Europe, and travelled all over that
part OF the. world, hunting for improved
machinery" and all the expense of his vaca-
ton was paid for from the California State
SchoolbOok Fund
CONTINUED GROWTH OF COSTS.
The following quotations from subse-
quent State Printers reports will be found
interesting, as showing the State Printers
unQuenchable thirst for appropriations"
when once he had teen permitted to get up
Stat YES schooi-book publishing bus ness,
In 1883, all he needed was =" a mere triie."
In 1855, ne felt that he should have quar-
ter OF million, but was induced to try to
begin" with Sl50,O00.
IN loo6, he outlines almost innumerable
new ana plausible expenditures.
In 1888 the new State Printer. Shoaf. saws:
I'm assuming my office / found that the
Xtpook business had not been fully estab-
nsneu ana was incumbered with numerous
dlihcuitles. The last Legislature passed an
ACT aappropriaiing $4,000 to build a fire.
tH6 GeXl-
BOOKS: The result shows that the cost of
manufacturing the State textbooks, as given
DJ my predecessor, j. j. Ayres, fall short of
the actual expenditures. (Well, yes, indeed
they did, No percentage was added for
contingent expenses, snch as wood and coal,
repairs to machinery, engineers supplies,
oils, ETC., freight and drayage, telephone,
gas, Ice, water. insurance, plumbing, express,
lumber, nor for the wages of employees not
directly employed in the manufacture of the
Ct.tn To-
porters, time-keeper, messen-
gers. carpenter. book-Keeper, watchman,
porter to pack books, etc, nor for the neces-
sary waste of material"
Shoaf promised to try and estimate high
enough in future, but political changes cut
short his career, after three months, and j.
ID. Young became State Printer. The State
of California is too rich to be bankrupted
by the textbook business, but how long
could any private publisher last with such
Superintendent Young says report of
1889:
Since l took charge Of the Office, October
|, 1887. much has been done in the way
OF Improvement. Your Excellency found |
the floor OF the bindery in dangerous con-
dftion this was the fioUr Ayres had fixed. |
The unslghtly coal-shed was removed and
replaced; by changing some partitions more
room has been gained the elevator is alto
gether untitled for the work required of it;
a new one should be obtained; the Office |
should also be provided with a fire-escape;
the supply of type in the Office is too small, |
l is all badly worn, the font purchased two |
Or three years ago (Ayres' report, 1885, |
ab0ye) Is very imperfect and unsatisfacto- |
ry; the whole outfit of the book department
should be sold and a new one provided; |
another press, capable of more speed, is bad
ly needed.
After few weeks work upon the text
books l became satisfied that the price at