The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-09-16
NEW BUILDING NEEDED.
Present Government Printing Of
fec should So Vacated,
In ,tn Gnriy Bays Al she Printing
Needed by the Governments Wa
Given Gut BY Com
tract,

The government printing utace is p
Yeas Old; but he building (which his
housed looks as though il mught be 8,
centuries old,
Previous to the 3lst day Of May, 1850,
the government printing had been done
hy contract in various way The first
federal congress which met in New
Aork, March 4, lisD, provided Tor the
printing Of 800 copies Of the acts OF
congress. and 100 copies OF the journals
a. the senate and house of representa-
tiyes.
The first appropriation made by the
federal congress which provided specif-
igally for printing, was enacted in l194,
.tor the expenses Of fire wood, station
cry and printing work. The same act
made an appropriation of S2,2oi for the
secretary OF state, including the pub
LEGATION of the laws of the first session Of
the Third congress-
From 1874 to 1919, the government
printing was given by contract to the
lowest bidder, but on March B, lSl9, a
concurrent resolution was passed prs
Wong for the election of q printer for
congress-, who would print all bills in
Engiish type on ~fcolscap paper. The
resolution fixed the prices TO be paid
fcf the various kinds OF work to he done
BY the printer Of congress.
\ joint resolution was passed on Au-
gust B.. 1876, dispensing with the services
Of o congressional printer, aud reylN-
IN. the old contract s. stem. This meth
ed of printing tie work of congress
| continued until 1852. but it grew TO ba
| expensive and unsatisfactory, and an
act was passed providing cor a superin-
tcndeEt OF printing, whose duties were
"tC advertise Cor proposals. from dealers
IN paper. and buy all paper used 10y the
government, and superintend all the
printing done for the government, by
the house and senate printers The
act also fixed the prices to be paid Tor
| composition and press work.
Il is "a significant fact that the gov
eminent printing was regarded AS a
matter of such Importance at tins early
day that on one occasion it almost led
to a duel. In 1871, Senator King, OF
Alabama, and Senator Henry Clay, OF
kentucky, became involved in a bitter
controversy over the appointment OF
III, senate printer, and Senator King
challenged Senator Clay to fight n duel
A compromise was effected by the mu.
tun' friends of the senators and no due
was fought.
Congressman John \. Gurley, of Ohio
was chairman of the committee OF
printing of the house of representatives
in 1860, and he was the author of The
bill to establish IA government printing
office, which was passed by both houses
Ct congress and approved by President
buchanan on May 81, 1860. Although
his name is not often mentioned now in
public print or in private conversation
all of the employees of the government
printing Office know Mr.. Gurley's name
and reputation. and speak of him witt
profound respect and admiration. Or
the day preceding the vote on the bill
Nj. Gurley delivered a speech in ad
vocacy OF his measure which was y
vincing and eloquent. His speech wa
also quoted in the senate in full, an'
was influential in that body also. II
his most impassioned utterances thu
Ohio statesman declared that ther'
could be no possible opposition to the
founding Of a government printing Of
flee, except the opposition Of partisan
shin which he dpDrpcutpJ with NcOru