Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-10
The Commissioner to Be Called Down
by Mr.. German.
ASENATOR A WHOLE JOINT COMMITTEE
He Believes the Law Forbids Con,
tract Work.
CONFERENCE TO BE HAD

The controversy between the Topographic
cal Union and the commissioner OF patents,
Mr.. Seymour, over the printing of the Pat
ent Office Gazette grows hotter as the time
approaches for opening the bids invited by
the commissioners advertisement. No bids
nave yet come in for this work, but sew
eral are expected, most of them from this
city, but, as is usually the case, they Will
not be placed in the hands of the commits
sioner of patents until the last moment be
fore the expiration of the time set for open
ing them, which is at noon tomorrow. The
committee representing the Typographical
Union have had interviews with the COM
missioner and with Mr.. German, who, by a
singular concatenation of events, is at the
present time in his own person the entire
printing committee of Congress The COM
missioner still stands to his guns and MAIN
tains that he has the discretion to construe
the clause in the last appropriation bill
controlling the printing of the Gazette.
Seeing the Commissioners.
When the committee for the union, con-
sisting of Mr.. George A. Tracy, president
of Columbia Typographical Union. and
MeSsrs. ChaS. +. Miller and Z. w. Oyster,
called upon him the commissioner showed
them the law and made statement of his
construction of it, also showing them the
letter from Mr.. German, which he regards
as his authorization for preparing the speci
hcatlons and advertising for bids. Mr.. Sey-
mour seems to have understood this letter
as directing him to go ahead and advertise
Tor bids upon the entire work involved, the
typesettirg well as the photolithograph-
ing of the mechanical drawings. MIR.
Tracy, the chairman of the committee,
however, reading this letter. called Mr.. Sey-
nOur 5 attention to the fact that 1t applied
only to advertisements for the work of pho
toiithographing. The committee also called
upon MIR. German and placed in his hands
full statement of their case.
The Printers Statement.
In this statement the committee says:
In our Judgment this action on the part
of the commissioner of patents is contrary
to law, both in letter and spirit, and in di-
rect opposition to the plain intent of Con-
Sress as Indicated by its action in striking
from The legislative. executive and judicial
appropriation bill the authority sought by
the commissioner of patents to do the work
referred to by contract. We believe This
portion of the public printing has been for
years more promptly, accurately and salts
factorily executed in the government print
ing office than it Will be or can be by con-
tract
I'VE respectfully, but very earnestly. pro-
test against the action of the commissioner
of patents for the reason that his policy, if
he is permitted to carry it into execution
VIII not only be very detrimental to the
public interests but will result in a large
reduction in the wages of the and
X.
fortune of the employees would not benefit
the government, for experience teaches US
that the amount saved by cutting wages
would so into the pockets of the con-
tractor.
The patent office particularly has been
unfortunate II making printing contracts.
and We are of opinion that another scandal
will surely follow the action OF the COM
missioner of patents in giving out the work
we have referred to by contract
Gnrmnn the Cnpn
Singularly, at the present time, Mr.. Cor
man occupies position such as probably
never fell to the lot of any man before to
occupy. He is himself essentially the en-
tire joint committee of Congress on print
ing His colleagues from the Senate
Messrs. Ransom and Henderson, by the
eNigcnc.es of political life have both re-
tired. and the Fifty-fourth Congress not
having assembled. there is no printing
committee of the House Of Representa-
tiNes that in the present juncture Mr..
German will alone. under the law, decide
the controversy which has arisen between
TIE printers and the commissioner of pat
entS.
taken from the government printing Office
that is already there by law. In his inter
view with the printers committee Mr.. Cor
man. it is stated, said tina. The advertise
ments for contract work upon the type
setting of the Gazette wera wholly unau-
thorzed by him and III direcE violation OF
the general law affecting the work of tbs
public printer and the last appropra zion
bill which specially provided $685. for
printing the Gazette.
A Personal Interview.
Mr.. German has addressed a letter to the
commissioner of patents. advising him ot
his decision in the matter. and will also see
him In person tomorrow and exchange
views on the subject in issue between the
commissioner and the printers. Mr.. Cor
man, it is represented, says the bids, if
any are made, must be rejected where they
involve the whole work, and that the com
missioner is only empowered under the law
to accept bids that cover the work of pho
tolithographing alone.
1t is also said that sharp criticism of the
commissioner would follow If contracts
were made with bidders for photollthog-
raphy under the advertisements made by
the commissioner. This seems likely for
the reason that some bidders might put
the figures low on the photolithography,
expecting to make up on the type work.
which would be an easy matter nowadays
with typesetting machines. 1t is believed
that if Mr.. German knocks out the COM
mssioner's construction of the law the
commissioner will begin and advertise all
over again.
Cruelty to Animals.