The morning times., 1896-08-30
PUBLIC IS NOT CHEATED
Campaign Committees Do Not
Pervert the Printing Law.
ONLY FOLLOW OLD PRACTICE
Chairman Richardson Of the House
Printing Com init tee Show . That the
Criticism of Campaign Managers In
Ordering Free Envelopes Ii Not an
Offense Against Law.

Apparently just rebuke by the several
political campaign committees is adninis-
tered to the authors OF the statement
that Uncle Sam is being made to cheat the
voters by the distribution OF partisan htera-
ture at public expense.
The criticism was caused by the operation
OF the clause in the latest public printing
act, which, though overlooked by the
criacs, merely cod1fies an old law. The
only change in the law and that Is slight,
Is IN the interest OF economy, rather than
species OF public fraud.
Ahthe managers OF campaign committees
Irrespective OF party, are equally eager to
correct the Misrepresentation caused by the
recent public statements, and Represen-
tative James d. Richardson OF Tennessee.
who was the chairman OF the House Print
ing Committee when the act in question
+ waspassed, explains the claw conclusively:
1t has been asserted that the practice OF
hecampaign committees this year in calling
upon the Public Printer in the name OF
congressman for free envelopes without
limit OF quantity is a creation of the new
law
PLAIN CASE, SAYS RICHARDSON.
Said Representative Richardson:
THE law has always provided that free
envelopes with certain printing on them
be furnished free to Representatives in
Congress. tits not truethat members were
ever charged for such envelopes and such
printing above certain quantity.
In fact there was one element of waste
incurred under the provisions of the old
law but il is now eliminated.
THAT is, members were allowed to have
any amount OF display printing on the en-
velopes calling attention to the contents
This made the envelopes, II any were left
over from the use of the particular Sen.
ator or Representative who ordered them,
useless to other members. As the law now
stands only these words may appear: Sen
ate. L. g, tor House OF Representatives, U.
81 Part of Congressional Record. Free;'
and in the upper right hand corner the let.
tiers U s. s. or N. C. Besides this there
can be nothing except the official title Of
a document
This is in lie interests OF economy and
of the citizens who pay the taxes, you see.
The only different method folio wed
this year is In the ordering OF the envelopes.
Wesimpl Y order them from the Public Printer
nsteai OF procuring them Indirectly
through the folding rooms at tbs Capitol.
Formerly the cost Of these envelopes
was paid out OF the House and Senate
contingent fund: now it ocmes from the
appropriation for public printing
IT Is AUTHORITATIVE
Mr.. Richardson would make no statement
concerning the matt arun-Il he ha Locked up
the law carefully and could be prepared
to speak authoritatively. Then he spoke
positively as above stated.
The officials at the campaign he iiq'Iarters
of the other parties were equally coafiient
in their statements and declared tnat y
reference to the old law and the new is all
that is necessary to justify their course.
As set forth by one OF these officials at
Republican headquarters, the practice 1T
sending out campaign literature at pubic
expense, even il il had less clearly the
justification of law, could not be objection
able to the citizens OF the UniteI states
They expect TO receive these docn :nents,
not as partisans, but TO inform ne nseIyes
ON the questions at issue in the campaign.
The governme ut frank granted TO menl-
rers of Congress is The visible illustration
OF this fact, this official declared.
No limit is placed on the number OF en-
velopes which Congressman shall order.
and the campaign committee feel that
there should lie 10 such limit: evidently
the lawmakers thought so, too, when they
passed the printing bill
AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE.
The Republican Congressional Committee
this year is even taking less advantage Of
the law than usual. 1t has been customary
to have the mailing of dcCume nts done at
t he folding rooms at the Capitol, but this
year the Republicans have taken The mat
ter in their own personal charge and under
their own expense in private building.
The other campaign committees. however,
are using the Capitol folding-roons as
usual and a large force of workers is eni-
ployed there.
Ir it is necessary to defend the law
itself, say the campaign committees, 1t fs
only necessary to call attention to the fact
HAT congressman could rot afford the
private expense descending documents which
their constituents actually demand and
have a right to demand. To defend the
law they say, is simply to needlessly argue
Tor a practice which has been justified by
an unquestiuned law for many years.
~ FOR changes III the law, there has been
only ore. and that. as explained above By
Mr. Richards On, is in the very interests OF