The morning times., 1896-05-17

The District Commissioners are not pre-
pared, they say, to 1ndorse the bill now
before Congress, providing that the Dis
trict printing and binding pe done under
District auspices.
The question was Submitted to the board
for an opinion as early as March 3, by
Senator HansbrOugh, and since then an in
vestigatlon has been made OF the subject,
under the direction 0I tne Commissioners,
tile result of wnicn as an adverse recon-
mendaLlon.
Tie communication, addressed 10 Sena-
| tor HausDrOuSn, rccncs that the eXanlna-
| tion OF the matter was necessarily I'M
| perfect ana hurried, tut i'll support OF ti.eir
| conclusions they inClosc an estimate OF the
| cost OF furnishing the equipment necessary
! to do satisfactory work, and contrast 1t
with the annual expenditures for printing
and binding. The cost for the work Tor
| 1892, was $11 ,257; for 1898, a total Of
| 81 A ,97S; for 1894, the sum expended was
| 80 ,667, and i'll 1885, the work cost Sl2,-
| 219. For the first half OF the current
| year it was $4,92S.
| COST OF ANNUAL REPORT.
| In these annual amounts there is each
| year included the item paid TO The fubhc
| Printer for printing the annual report or
| the Commissioners, which has ranged from
| Sl ,OOO 10 SooD,
The cost or plant with which the work
| might he successfully done is estimated at
! $50 700. This includes engine, boiler,
| type and other materials, fuel, rent and
| the pay OF the employees for one year
This estimate was made by the property
| clerk of the District, after conference with
some of the leading printers OF the city,
| and the Commissioners are OF the opinion
| that The results OF the enterprise would
ll.s.lf
| standpoint.
"In addition to the large expense" they
| say, which would be entailed by this
/ plant, the Commissioners ire OF the opinion
| that there are many weeks IN cach llScal
| year during which there would be no print
| ing required, and when the men and the
plant would he OF little use
In the course Of their Investigations, the
| Commiss toner's referred the subject TO
Superintendent ow ell OF the p ublic Schools,
| for information and an expression OF ms
| views.
Mr. Powell does not indorse the plan
| He SAYS the total cost of the school print
ing for 800 did not exceed So 500. which
included the printing OF the annual report,
and adds that the work is OF so little
amount that it would not justify tie main
tenance of a printing establishment. unless
it be the purpose TO print the text books
for the use of the schools, and this he
does not regard as at all desirable.
EXPENSE TOO GREAT
Wherever the printing of such books by
pubic authority has been tried" Mr.
| Powell says, the experience has been
greater than would have been the purchase
OF an equal number of books i'll the upeI
market
Professor Powell regards the difficulty
in making the right kind Of books as the
ole ~, ff,EIf lion
The school," he said, should stand fo
the latest thought in educational work anC
| to do this its condition must be one OF al
vancemcnt and growth.
The preparation and revision Of book!
to maintain such a condition would require
the services Of a standing commission OF the
highest intellectual and iterary character
representing many lines Of thought
This Prof Powell believes, would b'
very expensive.
The Commissioners returned TO Senator
Mcmillan yesterday House bill No. 36lC
for the relief OF the holders OF certain
District tax certificates with recon
| mendation for favorable action. provided
the measure shall tie amended by the add
| ton of u list Of certificates presented since
the bill was introduced.
SUGGEST a PROVISO.
They also recommend the addition of
provisC authorizing the Commissioners L
reasseSs gaiust the lots the taxes in respeC
| to which the sales mentioned We're mad,
and for which the certificates were issued
The sales included in the Commissioners
amendment were all made in 1875 anC
covered twenty y-nine lots.
The bill IS intended to provide for tn
redemption OF such tax sale certificate
issued by the District government as shal
be found TO have become invalid or no
collectibe by reason of the neglect of th'
government officials To cause repOrtso
the sale to be recorded as required by law
These certificates are TO be redeeme'
by the issue to the holders OF drawback
certificates for the several amounts founC
to be due including interest thereon to th,
date of the act.