Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-12
PUBLIC PRINTER BENEDICT
He Tells Why Reductions in the Forcs
Are Necessary.
VIII Make No New Appointments Nov
Need of a New Building
Set Forth.

There Is general CONSERVATION In the gov
ernment printing office over the report that
about one thousand members of the office
force are to be dropped, owing to the fact
that the force Is too large. A number Of
the employees take what satisfaction they
can out Of the statement of the government
printer that he intends to make all changes
In the office based on the principle of effi-
cheney. A large number. however. are re-
lying upon the political influence which they
can bring to bear upon the head of the Of
fee. and the result is that from early morn
to dewy eve Mr.. Benedict is besieged by a
steady and unremitting line of members of
Congress who come to say a good word for
their constituents who are employed in the
Office.
The changes and appointments announced
in The Star yesterday and the day before
are practically all that win be made at the
present time among the heads of the di-
vision. With the exception of the statutory
offices of foremen of binding and printing
all the heads of divisions have been re-
moved and supplanted, with the exception
OF one. Not all of the apDointees have as
yet accepted the offices rendered to them,
but MIR. Benedict is not lying awake of
nights in fear that he will have any trouble
In getting the men to accept. The reason
given for the large number of dismissals
far larger than the law allows or the re-
quirements of the office make necessary.
Flooded With Callers.
When a Star reporter called at the gov
ernment printing Office this morning Mr..
Benedict was simply flooded with callers,
most of them being from the Capitol With
out exception, they had favors to ask and
reasons in plenty why their requests should
receive more consideration than any others
The government printer received each one
OF them courteously, but assured them that
In their behalf. To one Representative he
said that he did not think 1t at all proper to
make any appointments at the same time
that he was making such large reductions
on the ground that the force was too large
He intended. at least. to keep the respect of
the men who were DISCHARGED and he did
not intend to put them out Of the front
door at the same time that he let others in
at the back door.
Why Reduction fs Necessary.
Speaking to The Star man, Mr. Benedict
said that he was going to make these re-
auctions not at all for political reasons. but
soieiy and only that he might obey the
spirit and letter Of the law governing his
ONCE. That statute" said Mr.. Benedict
prescribes In strict words that the force
IN this ofhce shall at no time be larger than
ao,.a - neeaeu ior the proper conduct of The
Ders S,o94. and 1t is my intention to reduce
.nis py ABOUT thousand in order to carry
tne once through the present fiscal wear
ana get rid of the surplusage."
When 1 was here before in Mr. C,Ieya-
Iahos nrst administration. the office force
vas only about two-thirds as large as n ia
low. ana on my return to office 1 do not
see that the needs of the government have
increased to any considerable extent or
tnat any more work Is being turned out in
tne same length OF time. The present force
- uhwleioy, and there Is not room In this
once 70 accommodate SO many" -
- The, Need of a New Building,
What about the new government print
Ing office. Mr.. Benedict?" asked The star
man.
L think that 1t Is simply an outrage that
government like this should compel near
ly four thousand of its best citizens to work
In a place where they are In constant dam
ger, as well as amid such unsuitable sur
roundings. In my report for 1888 I made
an earnest plea to Congress for a new
Ouiiding. showing clearly the important
and immediate demands for one Nearly
SIX years have elapsed since then and
don't see that this present building is any
better or more suitable than it was then.
ffihters are admittedly among the bright
est and most intelligent of all skilled work
men, and 1t Is wrong beyond question to
compel them to labor in such a trap as
this My own idea for a new building is
SAADPiy " iCDuhu tiiiS present
securing sufficient adjacent property to
erect necessary additions to take the place
OF the present dangerous portions 1t Is
not the best scheme to talk about putting
up new building in the way they do It
here. Five years ago when I left the city
they were beginning a new city post office,
and where is 1t now?'
why, it is on the south side of Penn
sylvania avenue"
A Business Proposition.
"Yes, and just up to the level Of the
street. Now, this office is a workshop, a
business office. and my idea would be to
make any changes in 1t just as a man
would do In his own business. Plans could
be drawn up for building that could be
completed within eight months, and that
would be in every way suitable for the
purpose. The present location Is an ad-
mirable one in my opinion. from every
point OF view. and has as many advantages
as any other site that has been proposed,
with the possible exception that some of
theEe are little nearer the Capitol. At
any rate a new building of some sort is
most urgently needed, and the sooner it is
provided for the better 1t will be for the
government and the people generally"