The record-union., 1897-05-18
State Officials Embarrassed by Lack OF
Printed Supplies.
Secretary of State Brown Says lie
Can't Help Them From Ills
Department.

Iflnung once, the 1OdlOWlHS QutH tAOAi'7
were yesterday submitted TO him by
Record Union" reporter:
First-In the conduct of your office is
there any printed matter required by Id"
absolutely essential to be done?
Second-Can your Office be conducted Ell
1iciently and lawfully by the use OF copy
Ing and duplicating processes without any
printing whatever?
Third-How much, if any, of the printed
matter necessary to efficient conduGit OF
your office can be supplanted py Hlho-
graphy or by half tone work?
Secretary Brown, after studying the
questions briefly, said they were of
legal nature and called for legal an
swers. and he proposed to let the laws
of the State supply them. Taking up
the Statutes of the State for 1897, Sec
rotary Brown read as follows:
"Au officers. boards of officers, Com
snissioners. Trustees. Regents and Di-
rectors required by law to make re-
ports to the Governor or Legislature,
except the Controller of the State, must
send the original draft of such reports
to the Governor before the 18th day
of September in the year 1892. and in
every second year thereafter. The Con-
troller of the State must send his re-
port to the Governor before the 18th
day of December, 1892, and in every
second year thereafter.
The Governor shall, upon receipt of
such reports, submit the same to the
State Board of Examiners, who shall
order such a number of said reports,
or part or parts of each report, printed
as in their judgment viii meet the re-
Quirements of law; provided, that in
no instance shall less number of cop
les be printed than is necessary to
furnish at least ten copies of each re-
port to all officers. boards Of officers,
Commissioners, Trustees, Regents and
Directors required by law to make re-
ports to the Governor or Legislature.
1.-The Superintendent of State Printing
must print such reports, or such part
or parts of said reports, as may be
ordered by the State Board of Exam
iners, in a manner to be designated by
said board. before the first Monday in
December after receipt thereof. except
the report of the State Controller, which
shall be printed before the 18th day Of
January after the receipt thereof. and
distribute the same in accordance with
the direction of the Board of EXamin-
ers'
Mr.. Brown next quoted the law which
dtliiICS lllo uuLltS VI TIC sotfANC A-ihSoAf
and sending for blank form used by
the State Board of Health for the quar-
terly return of births, read from its
back the following section Of the Po-
litical Code:
Section 30S3. The Secretary of the
State Board of Health must prepare
blank forms of said registers for the
State Printer. who must print as many
III, IL
rect. and deliver the same to the Sec
rotary Of State. who shall forward the
same from time to time and in such
numbers as shall be directed by the
Secretary first mentioned, to the Coun-
ty Recorders Of the several counties.
who must carefully keep and distribute
the same to the persons in the county
who are required to keep the registers
and make the reports provided in this
chapter"
Turning next to the statute govern
ing the issuance of the State bluebook.
Mr. Brown quoted. showing that 1000
copies must be printed by the State
Printer at the beginning of the next
fiscal year-that is. July /, 1891. He
stated that he had sent communica-
ton to State Printer Johnston, but as
the latter was absent from the city he
had received no reply in writing. AS
the funds in the printing office We're
practically exhausted, Mr.. Brown said
he doubted whether the 5000 or any
other number Of copies of the State
buebook would be printed this year
Mr.. Brown further stated his inten-
tion of asking an opinion from Attor-
ney-GeneraI Fitzgerald as to whether
BILE TO do the work. he Grown would
be required under the statutes 10 order
1t done elsewhere.
The Secretary of State, Mr. Brown
said. was expected to furnish each Of
the several State departments with
such blank books and other stationery
as was not supplied by the State Print
or The latter had, heretofore. fur
nished all envelopes. letter-heads, and
other paper on which printed matter
appeared. together with all books in
the shape Of reports, bulletins. etc. If
the printing office were closed it meant
that all Of those supplies, formerly fur
nished by the State Printer, who made
them from raw material, would be
drawn for on the Secretary of State
In 1896. Mr.. Brown explained his Of
plies, and he did not see how il would
be possible TO expend a larger sum
during the coming year, seeing that
the Legislature had. in its wisdom, cut
his fund down 5000 This reduction.
however, he had asked for himself.
having effected a saving of that
amount in the purchase Of fuel. But
when that was done the present condi-
fion of affairs was not anticipated
Mr. Brown explained that during the
next two fiscal years the State Board
of Health and the state Board of Luz
macy would draw supplies from his Of
fee. These boards We're not in exis-
tence during the two last fiscal years.
and the State Bureau OF Highways
and the Code Commission only drew
supplies for about eighteen months.
The State Board of Agriculture would
also draw its supplies from his Office
a course that had never been pursued
before, and these extras. together with
the extra supplies formerly drawn by
other departments direct from the State
Printer. made So, rs look small
In conclusion Mr.. Brown said he
knew Of no reason why each of the sew
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