The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
A Rotor. from ,he co,ernmen, PRINTING once.

A Retort from the Government Printing once.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sir: Once upon q
time two little children were at play. whom one made
an assertion which the other doubted. "How do you
know ?' asked the doubter. "Cos my mother says
so,'' replied the first. land II my mother says SO. it's
80. even II It amt So" With n similar childllke faith
the composition ana proofreaders OF the Government
Printing once have always believed II you see It In
THE Sun, it's So"
An exceedingly we'll editorial in TIE Sun Of
last Tuesday. headed Mail Route No. 1905" be.
gins with the following statement Of fact:'
The letter Of a mail carrier on route No. 7s. l05 Of
Of the Hoase 1Gesnrs sys.e on Miii Rsry PHrrfI AFFAIRS. II thus 1s9Ss be-.
coming part OF the orncial documentary history OF the
Braner; the Somposisors and proorreadsrs Of the Gov:
eminent Printing once are not quite able to decipher
his rugged and unconventional autograph.
1t is perhaps q "nnicky" mind that has recalled to
It by this recital the venerable chestnut in regard to
the French Acadcmy's description OF the crab as be.
ing "a small red fish which walks OF
which the great naturalist Buttons criticism was:
THE crab is not red. is not a nsh, and does not walk
Backward; but in all other respects the description is
perfect as far as It goes" Nevertheless. the facts are
somewhat differentiated is to say:
On Dec. IL (ominous dateD q letter from the Sec
Rotary of War. transmitting letter from tho mail car.
ri i between e Juneau and Circle City relative to the
States Senate. and by that body was referred to the
ssoS% be- pr;nte on and in Due aa tims il aR was was p.l n,so i 0s q, the
Government Printing ONCE.
Tho compositors and proofreaders OF the Govern.
bring to light ~leglbility and ~iucidlty, out Of. and
untangis the "snarls" Of. pitilr ssly bad chirogra
ply emanatius from legislative. executive. and
judicial sources, and are probably the most ex
any in the world. But In this case they are fairly ex
cusable when you take into consideration the facts
The lettor was addressed to the Secretary OF War
who had the unsuccessful aid OF the large admins
deciphering II, with the entire army OF the United
States as a reserve upon which to draw. the larger
number OF the osfLers OF which wer. educated al
Westpoint tsfc In United States Postal Guide by a
billion. II such eminent authorities were unaGle &c
decide between 3" Braned" and "Braner." how could
the compositions and proofreaders of the Government
Printing once be expected to render a decision
laid before them? For the copy of the letter sent by
the Secretary OF War to the Senate. and by the Sen
ate TO the Government Printing ONCE. was typewrit
ten from date line to signature. " both inclusive
Braner)."
The Government Printing ONCE has been occasion
ally. aud generally unjustly. blamed for errors. oil
which this is "a case IN point and It is rare that we
talk back so when we do we are entitled to
hearing. As a matter of fart, It Is tho largest anc
best equipped printing ONCE in the world, and hA
European language and on any subject. from a Rus
sian lexicon to a negro dialect story. and from tn,
Nautical Almanac to a bill to pension a mule driver
who caught hay fever during the war. To do thu
are proficient in all the arts. sciences. and Languages
from the problems Of Euclid to the Black Art, from
astronomy to craps. and from the Indo- Aryan tongues
to Amy Randall county (Md.) English. We do tn,
and the most of 1t. and booShinding as practiced her,
shows the perfection 10 which the art can be brought
And wtthal we are very modest. A. +. BLooMER.
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. WASHINGTON. D. C.
nAc- 90 1907