The San Francisco call., 1897-02-18

mittee 10 investigate the affairs OF the
State Printing Office was also passed by
the Assembly and transmitted TO the
Senate.
1t provides that the committee shall
employ two experts on prin ting, one to be
appointed by the majority OF the commit
tee, and one by tre minority OF the COM
mittee, and TWO accountants TO De APP
pointed IN q similar way Ihe Senate
amended the resolution and provided that
the experts and accountants should be ap-
pointed by the majority of the committee
only.
Mead's amendment calling for an in
vesiigation by the State Board of Exam
liners was voted down.
At the night session of the Assembly
State Printer Johnston sent a statement
to the House which was received and or
dered printed in o-morrow's journal.
The following are extracts:
Many charges of wild and fantastic nature
have been made against me and the institu-
ton under my charge, and have hitherto
trained from answering them, because to
those who were familiar with the Office the
charges were SO ridiculous thatan answer
seemed unnecessary; but inasmuch as a con-
certed attack seems to be made by certain
persons to misrepresent the facts, have been
advised by my friends that ii is due TO myself
that l shall make q statement concerning
these matters:
In the first place, with the execution of nv
salary and possibly few dollars that 1 may
receive for contingent expenses, l do not
handle and under the law could not handle
one dollar OF the States money. Every claim
charged against the appropriation for support
OF the State Printing Office mus, before ii is
paid, receive the sanction of the State Board
OF Examiners, consisting of the Governor, a
Democrat, and of the Secretary of State and
AttOrney-Geueral, Republicans. 1t then
passes 10 the Controller of me State, who, if
he is satisfied with the claim, draws war
rant therefor, and it is paid out OF rhe State
treasury 10 he person who presents the claim
Every claim that has been paid during my
adm mis- tration OF this Office has been paid in
this manner, and every claim has received the
sanction of the Board OF Examiners. II would
be abso .utely impossible for me, even If l so
desired, TO use for my own purpose one dollar
OF the States money.
charge has been made that names CT per-
sons who DO not exist have been carried on
the payroll. These charges, If true would
simp condemn the Governor, Secretary of
State and Attorney General, who pass upon,
the claims, and the Controller, who delivers
the warrants. This statement, l say mCst
emphatically, is untrue, and nobody could
draw any money in this way without COM
mitting forgery. II is the practice for most
OF the state institutions for the person in
charge to draw one warrant and to give his
check TO the individuals entitled TO the re-
spectiye amounts. Under the law l cannot
follow this practice and have not followed it:
but every person, no matter how small his
claim may be, WHO has a claim against the
State payable out OF the appropriation for the
Stale Printing Office receives warrant there
for.
1t has been charged that there is f. discrep.
ancy betv cen the Controllers books and mine.
This IS absolutely untrue, and in The very
nature OF things could not be true. The Con-
tToller is the bookkeeper of the State and his
are the books to be governed by. In estimat-
ing the amount so consumed l have made a
rough estimate, taking into considers ton the
composition, stock, presswork and binding,
but ] hsve not counted as charge against
the institutions or departments other ex-
penses consisting OF light, heating power re-
pairs and sundry other expenses which are
charyeAble to this institution as a whole. The
laws OF the State are faulty in that they DO
not require that each department and officer
should pay out of the appropriate made for
1t or him the amount OF printing done for him
or his department. but over this ! have no
control. l AN satisfied that if the institutions
of the State were required to pay for printing
out OF their appropriation the demand upon
me would be much less thnn II has been
In the management OF this Cffice ] have fol-
lowed union rules and employed union men
and paid the union rate Of wages. l am free
TO confess that if the State desires TO inaugu-
rate policy OF having wor. done for less than
union rates and not III accordance with union
rules, slight saving might be effected but
this is for your body 10 determine Solar a. I
am concerned l desire to say that until the
law IS Changed, and as long as the matter is
left 10 my discretion, shall run ii as union
Printing once, as am union printer NJ y
self.
Ever since the inauguration of the State
printing office there has been a concerted
attack made by persons and establishments
who desire to have the work done by ontract
There have also been frequent attempts made
TO prevent the State from publishing State
text books THESE are matters of legislative
policy for the Legislature to determine. have
already asked, as vou know. that q Joint COM
mittee from both houses be appointed to in
Vestigate the State Printing once, when these
matters can be verified and elaborated in
detail.
For your information append 20 this letter
q statement from the Controller OF the State
showing that every dollar that has been ex-
pended by the State Printing Office has been
upon claims audited and ellowed by the State
Board OF Examiners and paid upon the Con-
troiler's warrants. In many If not in most of
the State institutions, there is contingent
fund which is expended by them without
being passed upon by The Board of Examiners
or by the Controller. This is not the case
with the State Printing Office. The State
Printing Office collects no money of its own
and handles no money, and it IS absolutely
Impossible Tor any discrepancy to exist unless
3t be by collusion with the Board of Examl-
ners, State Controller and State Treasurer.
Appended 10 the com munication of the
State Printer is a statement by the Con-
troller certifying that all money expended
for the State Printing Office has been paid
upon claims presented to and allowed bv
the State Board of Examiners and paid
upon warrants issued from the Office and
paid by The State Treasurer:
l further certify that the State Printer COL
lects n money h himself, and that 1t is impossi-
bic for any money to be spent except upon
claims allowed by the Board of Examiners
and by the Con ntroller. further certify that
the State Printer draws no money himself ex-
Cept his salary and small items for postage and
travelling expenses, and that all warrants are
issued TO the party directly who performed
the services or furnished the supplies and
that warrants re delivered by me 40 such per-
sons only or their authorized agent. further
certify that there are vouchers on file tor every
claim that has been allowed against the ap-
propria ton for the support of the State PRINT
ing Office, and that my books correctly show
the amount OF money that has been allowed
and expended for that purpose, and that there
is not and cannot be any discrepancy between
my accounts and the accounts of the State
Printer authorized by law 10 be kept.