Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-04-08
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP.
AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM JUL
len RICHARDS.
Discusses the Two Reports On the State
Printing Investigation-Several Import
ant Changes In the Revenue Bill-State
Will Probably Publish the Code.

PRINTING OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Import
ant Changes In the Revenue Bill-State
Will Probably Publish the Code.
Dies MONIES, April Especial. The
strife in the house over the two reports
OF the committee which investigated the
offices OF the state printer and binder
eliminated on Friday with long and
at times quite fiery discussion on the
floor. The outcome was the reference
OF both reports together with the evil
dence adduced before the committee to
the house committee ON printing. and
the addition Of Representatives Van
Houten and Ray to this committee.
They were instructed to take what
action they deemed necessary in the
matter and report some measure to be
adopted by the house. The general inn.
preston is that the report of the com.
mittee or at least majority of the
members, will be recommendation
that the house pass the senate bill
which has hitherto been reported in
these letters. III
The controversy which has been the
outgrowth of this investigation is one
to be regretted in many ways. Chiefest
OF these reasons is because of the tend
ency which it will have to unduly
alarm those people who are not CONVEX
SAINT with all the facts in the case. It
will undoubtedly be admitted from q
nonpartisan standpoint that there was
somewhat of buncombe in both the re-
ports of the majority and minority Of
the Lambert investigating committee.
The truth Of the whole matter, so far as
relates to the state printer, seems to be
that the present law has authorized him
to charge prices which to the ordinary
mortal seems exorbitant for certain lines
OF work which he has done for the state.
AS an offset to this, however, he claims
that there are other lines of work which
must be done at loss, such, for ex-
ample, as the house and senate journals,
which have to be 'set up" at night in
order to be placed OH the desk of each
member the following morning.
State Printing Office.
1t is, perhaps, unfortunate, that the
committee did not investigate all the
matters per tanning to the work done for
the state by the state printer. If this
was done, Mr.. Conawav claims it would
show that there is not so much of
''rake-off" in 1t as might appear from
the report OF the mainri.v NJ .h< Conn
~ =. Wis point have no infor-
nation on which l can write advisedly.
1t is true, however, that the senate bill
governing the state printing provides
for q material reduction of the prices on
certain lines, and it is also true that
some Of the leading job printers of the
city of Des Moines have said that under
this schedule it would hardly pay any
| one to come from outside of Polk county
and establish plant here to do the
state printing. OF course, rates paid to
! employees here are governed by the rules
| of the Typographical union, which
makes the expense in that line much
higher than in non-union plants. Then,
too, considerable capital must be in.
vested in presses and other machinery.
It is also true that the plant is not in
operation continuously during the year.
! have no apologies to offer for anyone
and am willing to admit that some Of
the jobs to which particular attention
was paid by the majority report were
charged for at an exhorbitant, although
probably legal rate. If this investiga-
ton results in the passage of bill which
will readjust prices, leaving the printer
q reasonable profit for his work it will
have accomplished its purpose, and it
hardly seems that it is necessary to
smirch any of the officials to bring
about this result. In regard to the state
binder the main trouble seems to be that
it is charged he. like his predecessors,
has used quality of split sheepskin
known technically as "skiver" instead
of full sheep in binding the documents
described to be bound in sheep. How
ever, if the law is to be interpreted as
meaning that the documents of 1886
shall be taken as model to govern the
state binder, he has been complying
with the law in this respect for the
reason that those documents were also
bound in "skiver."
Revenue Bill Changes.
Much that is of importance has been
accomplished by the two bodies during
the past week, and if anyone has an
idea that the members are not working
hard they are certainly mistaken. In
the consideration of the revenue bill the
house made a radical change by the
adoption of the Cheshire amendment
governing the assessment for taxation
Of telegraph and telephone lines, ex
press companies and palace cars. Thi!
amendment was defeated in the senate
but when offered ON the floor of thu
house was adopted by vote of 65 to %
and it is claimed by Senator Cheshire
and others of its supporters in the sen
: ate that when it comes back to tina
| body again it will be adopted there ant
become the law of the land. In brief
, it is the Indiana plan for taxation o
such companies, and provides that tn,
executive council shall ascertain b,
means provided in the bill the actua
value of the stock Of the telegraph ant
telephone lines, express companies ant
palace car companies doing business il
this state. When this value is ascer
tanned, and the real estate assessed :,
them otherwise is deducted from it
IL