The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-03-05
A Tempest in a Tea Pot.
THE LONG AND THE SHORT
OF THE PUBLIC PRINT
ING MATTER.

II may be that some of our read
ers have heard of the noise made In
the city OF Raleigh over the election
of State Printer and awarding the
contract.
We understand that blank petit
tions, accompanied by one-sided
statement of the matter, are being
sent all over the State. To set the
whole matter right before the peo.
pie We publish the following article,
giving the facts in the case.
For four years or more Capt.S. \.
Ashe, editor of the News and Obser-
yer, was State Printer. He received
the same prices for the work that
are now paid. With the admins
tration of President Cleveland Capt.
Ashe was appointed Postmaster at
Raleigh. In 1887 Mr.. Josephus Dam
iels, editor OF the State Chronicle,
defeated Mr.. Ashe before the Dem.
ocratic caucus for State Printer. Two
years aso Capt. Asiie was again Il
candidate and was defeated by an
overwhelming vote.
By reason of the recognized oppo-
sition of the News and Observer to
those measures that cause.t the farm
ers of North Carolina to control the
present Legislature, it was perfectly
plain to Capt. Ashe :hat he would
stand no chance before its members
for election to his old coveted place
of State Printer. And for this rea-
son, and only this, as is believed by
those familiar with 1T all, Capt. Ashe
offered to take the State printing
contract for Is per cent. less than the
present prices. Therefore his offer
to do the work cheaper was not a
bona fide one. If he had thought
that the work would be awarded
him, he would not have made such
an offer. He knew that Mr.. Daniels
would be elected State Printer, and
he wished to force the Legislature &c
put the price SO low that Mr.. Dan
iels could not do If. But some one
will ask, why did not the Leglsla
ture take up Capt. Ashe on his pro-
position ard force him to do the
work ut a loss? Because, if Capt
Ashe had been elected State Printer
he would have claimed that his pa.
per, The News and Observer, was
endorsed by The Legislature as the
organ Of the Democratic party. Yes,
that farmers Legislature had en-
dorsed a corporation paper, and
Capt. Ashe would have been willing
10 have done the work at loss to
have secured this point for his paper
and the corporations of the State
Besides it appeared that the animu'
of the effort was to damage paper
that has stood up for and advocated
the rights of the people. Notwith
standing all this, we have inve-ti
gated the matter from a business
standpoint to see if the printing wa
done with due economy, and w
have been thoroughly satisfied tina
the State of North Carolina was get
ting its printing and binding don,
at rates as low as they ought to be
Talking with mechanics who do th'
work, we felt certain that any re
duction in the present prices woult
work hardship upon them. For ]
is fact, that wherever there ha
been reduction in the prices pai.
by the State there has been a reduc
tion i'm the wages Of the workmen
1t has been charged 10y the New
and Observer and statement sen
out by that paper in blank petition
] that Mr.. Daniels received bonus o
90 per cent. from Edwards & Brough
ton who dc the work; but this W
have been informed by Mr.. Daniel
J and by Messrs. Edwards & Brough
J ton is not true. Thecontractorsals
,elI US that. Mr.. Daniels does give
great deal 0 attention TO the work
J and that there is no reason for be
lieving that the State could do bet
ter in its contract if the work wa
|, given direct to some OF the Job off
ces as has been claimed.
1t ispart Of the history Of this pub
lie printing that in 1872 Maj. Wm
d. Hearne, then publishing the Can
Gilman in Raleigh, in his desire t
: defeat Hon. Josiah Turner for Pull
lie Printer, offered TO the Legislator
to take the contract for about Is pc
cent. less than Mr.. Turner was re
ceiying, bat the Legislature did nc
! join i'm Maj. Hearne's effort to over
come competitor by such unfai
means, and through Capt. y. A. Ashe
who was then the Representativ
from Few Hanover, gave The con
tract 10 Mr.. Turner at the old price
;, By the way il Will interest on
readers TO know that just after tn
war under Republican rule the pric
paid for the State Printing was 81 %
per 1000 ems for the composition
When the Democrats came into pow
: er it was reduced first 10 871 cents
then to 663 cents, and later to 40 cts
iper thousand ems as now paid. Th