The record-union., 1897-03-10
POLITE, BUT VERY PUNGENT.
Legislative Committees Letter TO Coy
ernOr Budd.
1t Relates to His Attitude on the
State Printing Office
Charges.

When the Special Joint Committee Of
the Legislature to investigate the State
Printing Office met last night, all the
members We're present except Senators
Dickinson and Seawen, who arrived
later
The chief feature of the evenings
inquiry was the reading of a letter that
the committee had addressed to. Gov
ernor Budd in connection with the
charges made by him against the Print
ing Office, a synopsis Of which is given
below.
John SHELTON the first witness called,
presented a statement of the amount of
coal delivered to the State Printing
Office and the price charged and his
figures were ordered entered in the min
utes.
Expert Roche, in answer to a ques-
ton, said a full report of their inves-
LEGATIONS could not be made inside of
six months, but that a partial report
could be made in two days, which he
thought would cover what the COM
mittee desired.
Bookkeeper E. S. Hadley, who should
have been the next witness, was eX-
cused, as the books with which his
statement would have to be supple
mental, We're in the hands of the ex-
perts, and it had not been possible for
him to prepare the statement asked for.
ON motion of AsSemblyman Cami-
netti the experts were ordered to make
as full a report as possible to the COM
mlttee on Saturday at , p. m, and in
the meantime the committee is to visit
the State Printing Office in a body and
have an opportunity to learn the work.
ings of the institution
Thursday morning at s a. M was set
as the time for the visit, and State
Printer Johnston arose and expressed
his qualification as to that action of the
committee
The Chair announced that if the
bookkeepers We're ready earlier than
Saturday a special meeting would be
called to consider their report.
Harry Rodgers, general foreman of
the State Printing Office. was called
and sworn, and Mr.. Caminetti said he
had no particular questions to ask him.
Acting Chairman Gillette then ex-
amined the witness, who testified that
he had six foremen under him. He sue
ceeded w NJ. Taylor, who was exam
1ned day or two ago. The force varied
with the work on hand.
Usually the press of work began in
August and continued till November
He gave figures showing that the state
ment made that the pay roll had been
increased during the city election in
November, 1895. was false Instead of
there having been an increase the fact
was that the force was reduced, and
no one was employed during that cleo
ton for political reasons. Many of the
employees laid off just before the city
election were compositors who had
votes in the city
The office employed none but skilled
mechanics. and these the best in the
State. The wages paid the men-when
the class Of work was considered-were
lower than in any other part of the
State He gave figures showing that
there were few employees who could
average So day during the year, and
this, he claimed. was a factor to be
taken into consideration.
The examination was conducted al
most entirely by Senator Gillette and
Assemblyman Price, though much of
the same ground was gone over again
by Senator Seawell
The witness said they never had more
men on the pay roll than We're actually
needed, but the work fluctuated so
much that they could never tell how
many men could be employed a week
ahead. All employees who failed TO re-
port sharp on time We're either sent
home or locked and the discipline of
the office is the best in the State
In case Of a drunken or incompetent
employe, the witness never had TO, nor
did he ever consult with anyone before
discharging him, and there had never
been the slightest friction between MIR.
Johnston and himself.
He had some old soldiers on the pay
roll, but they We're all extremely COM
petent men. and there We're no incom-
Ietent employees of any kind in the
office.
The matter of contracts was gone
into. and the witness showed how the
tests of inks and rollers We're made and
rebutted the testimony of the Caifor-
MIA Ink Company's representative COM
pietely
He then produced a number of proofs
OF the reports Of the State University,
TO show how It came to pass that the
cost of printing these reports was so
large. These were second revises sent
out from the University, and practi-
cally amounted To making 1t cheaper
to reset the whole work The first re-
wise had been worse still.
on being asked for a recommends
ton. he suggested that all copy for the
State Printer should be furnished on
one size of paper and should have no
changes made in ii. after being sent
from the institution.
The committee was much interested
in these proofs. and Caminetti and 9TH |
e. members gave it to be understood
that they would recommend that no
proofs should be sent back TO any
State institution for revision. but that