The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-07
JUST rs EXPECTED
EsXTRAVAGANCE OF THE CENSUS
BUREAU LEFT A $I,277 DEFI-
CIT.
LEGISLATURE is NOW ASKED
NECESSARY TO PAY THE OLD
BILLS.
sINY-HIGH PRICES PAID OF COURSE
Wild Fire in Tall Prairie
Grass.

Senator McHale yesterday introduced
In the senate a bill which brings again
t. public notice the extravaganza OF
the census officials. who conducted the
census of 1895. The G 0 b e, at the
time the census was being taken, called
public attention to the way the thing
was being handled. 1t was charged at
that time that the officials of the
bureau were recklessly eXtraVagant in
their expenditure of public funds
which is confirmed at least apparently.
by the fact that Mr.. McHale's bill
aims to supply a deficiency of $1,277.10
in the fund for the taking of the cen
sus.
The G o b at the time went into
the facts. so far as they could be as
certained from the officials, who were
10th TO give out such information. An
excuse for the big figures paid them
was that it was rush work" This has
since been shown to be untrue.
Sept. %, 1895, however, the G 10 b
was enabled to comment upon the
business transactions of the census
bureau. as follows:
II is possible that 200 portfolios for census
enumerators may be worth $780, but if so
they must be really elegant affairs. I'm
uouotedly they would be Of superior quality
s472.5O.
II has been a custom with the state of
Minnesota to buy paper and stationery in bulk
and award the printing to some firm on con-
tract. II the state furnished the material for
some Of the bills allowed in the lists attached
then the printers could rapidly become rich at
the gait they have struck. Even if the print
ers furnished the material the charges for en-
velopes, note and letter heads large
n N EA no nrV q
plum for any firm in any city in the land.
Very reasonable, indeed. seems the charge
for binding fiat books in the McGill Print
ing cOmpany's bill; but $40 for $50 population
labels is fat and juicy beyond the dream
Of any ordinary printer. And S75 for 4,500
sheets OF fat paper ought to secure quail
ity fine enough to print an edition de luxe
Of the Minneapolis census.
In one place 5000 catalogue envelopes are
charged for at the rate of 81 per thousand.
Half dozen items further along the quantity
is increased to 10000, but the price goes up
10 81 20 per thousand. Semi-weekly reports
Of enumerators bring 81 per thousand in 900
lots. and money is lost there by the
printer.
Fifty dollars for 10000 envelopes (61as and
10s) is only about $50 better than they could
be got for in any commercial printing house.
And $3.50 for 5000 GIGS is real good pay.
Ten thousand enumerator's schedules at
Sf60 would well repay the time and labor
OF even so high-prced a man as the state
printing expert.
one hundred and forty dollars for 1850
population schedules is beyond question
take that would have been called 'phat
in the halcyon days OF booming Western
town where the printer stood in with the
chaps who could take the limit off
But to go right through the list, with re
form country editor checking each item. would
hardly serve to show more forcefully than the
face OF the bills themselves just what snap
the printers for the state are enjoying. Here
are TIE bills itemized:
The first is a bill of Smith & Harrison Min
neapolis. for 81 500, dated Aug. "A, and bearing
fafn