Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-28

Usually the "copy" for the message is in
trusted to very limited number Of COMPOSE
tors-the fewer, the ssfer-who, though trust
worthy and faithful. are nevertheless carefully
watched lest they should be led into temptation
and fall. Then the form and stereotvpes. then
made up, are securely locked and sealed in
the safe deposit vaults and there kept under
strict watch and ward. together with priuted
copies. when fuisbed. until thew are o.fcisily
promulgated. Likewise tariff bills and appro-
pTlauon bills IN certain contingencies are sub
iec'ed to the same waichful process Prcsi-
dents messages have on several occasions Of
note been procured surreptitiously from the
outside and published in newspapers before
their submission to Congress.
AsHREwD NEWSPAPER rEIcK rukr raurp.
An incident still fresh in the minds Of some
Of our national statesmen occurred in the
Fiftieth Congress, illustrs ing the need OF ali
the minute precautions that are taken. Just
before the Mills bill was reported 20 the com
mlttee on ways and means in the spring OF
lSSs the hveliest interest wss felt everywhere
as TO the precise nature of its provisions The
democratic members of the committee had as
sembled one night at the residence OF one OF
their number to receive and revise the last
proof sheets. The government printing Office
people were particularly charged TO be careful
In guarding and transmitting the proofs
coterie of enterprising correspondents were on
the alert TO obtain an advance copy. and we're
determined TO get it by fair means or foul on
the principle, no doubt. that everything
is fair in love. war and journal,
ism. Somehow they received tip"
concerning the plans OF the committee ana took
steps accordingly TO accomplish their design
A special messenger from the printing Office,
bearing bulky package Of proof sheets, APP
peared at specified hour at the residence re-
ferred to and handed in the package. taking
receipt therefor. Another individual, en-
ployed by the correspondents. had shadowed
him all the way from the government printing
Office and few minutes after the package had
been handed in he. too, presented himself be-
fore the door, bearing a similar looking pack
age filed with blank paper with instructions
to explain to whoever should answer his ring
that the wrong package mad been delivered
through inadyertence by his predecessor He
was a moment too late. however. for the proofs
had just been distributed smons the democratic
statesmen inside when he arrived and thus the
ruse failed, notwithstanding its cleverness
ORIGIN OF TIE O. =. o.
The present government printing Office was
not founded until 1861, when John ID. Defrees
of the Indiana STATE Journal was appointed
public printer bv President Lincoln. after Con-
gress had worried along with other less con-
yenient and satisfactory systems since the gov
eminent was established in 1888. When the seat
ofgovernment wa at New York and Philadelphia
all the public printing was done bv private parte.
ana ftlu LOT Out OF tne contingent FUNDS or the
House and Senate Later on printing work.
in conjunction with firewood and stationery
was specifically mentioned IN an appro priatlon.
Up TO 1903 there was a decided diversity %
opinion in Congress as TO the propriety of
printing public documents at all. and in that
year there a violent debate over PROPOSE
ton to have the Presidents message prin ted.
After that until 1919. the clerk OF the House
and the secretary of the Senate looked after the
printing, letting out contracts to the lowest
bidders. In that year, however, this system
was changed and thereafter. until 1916. both
the House and Senate elected by vote salaried
public printers and paid for their printing at
stipulated prices.
The expense then averaged only about Sos. 900
year. but many complaints were made against
the system, inssmuch as the printers elected
were generally newspaper editors OF Organs
having pull on the statesmen who elected
them. Thereupon Congress returned to the
contract system again, until the expenses, leap
ing up to $500 900 year, compelled its aban-
donment in 1852. when q superintendent OF
public printing was created to supervise mat
tiers and stop the leakages. Among the unsuc-
cessful candidates for the Office were Horace
Greeley, W. 7. Brownlow and II. J. Raymond.
That regime continued until 1861. when Defrees
started the present plant with 800 employees in
pursuance of law.
The public printer. who is now Frank W.
Palmer of Illinois. gets 81, 500 annual salary. He
materials and machinery for the Office. Both he
and his foremen of printing and OF binding
are expressly prohibited from having any inter-
est in the publication Of any newspaper or pc
medical. or in any printing, binding. engrav-
Ing or hthographing. or in any contract for
supplies The salaries and COMPENSATION OF
the subordinates in the establishment range all
the way from $500 down to $50 per month.
THE ms AND OUTS.
Among the 5000 odd employees are a consid-
cradle number of highly expert specialists,
whose services are invaluable and almost iniis-
pensable, and these win no doubt be retained
by the incoming administration. As for the
great remainder. however. there is likely TO be
a practically clean sweep. The ''ins" will be
turned out and the ''ours" will be ushered in.
The ''ins. naturally, are now striving TO make
their positions permanent. and to that end are
bringing great pressure to bear uuon President
Harrison to have him cover the Office with the
mantle of the civil service law. But the Presi-
dent has lntimated that he will not do it.
although he has the power.
Win a great MANY people would count il a
clever political stroke on his part thus to deny
TO MS successor the spoils OF victory in the gov
eminent printing Office, vet such a stroke would
not be practicable. for the reason that the
trades unions represented in the ofice-lhs ty-
biographical. pressmens $. stereoty pers. electro
typers'. bookbinders' and knights of Labor
nssembies-wouid strenuously object to any
arrangement of their existing system of opera
tons by the civil service commission. No
political party can afford to incur the enmitv of
these org anizatioas, and consequently nothing
is apt TO be done IN the way of a change. These
organizations, however, do not interfere with
appointments and removals on political grounds
aud the result will be that after the 4th of
March the government printing Office will be
hiled up with democratic union men instead Of
republican union men-that is all