The record-union., 1897-03-16
We find. where the Assistant

Der of the board in place of
the Attorney General at twen-
ty-six meetings, and at sixty-six meet
ings there was only one regular MEM
Der of the board present, the majority
of the board being made up either
by the Assistant Attorney General or
the Secretary of the board. and the
business of the board of May 4, and 8,
1895, was transacted by the Secretary
of the board and the Assistant Attor-
ey-General
Claims aggregating, as we are in
formed, an amount in excess of S4,OOO,-
900 per year. it would seem should be
passed upon by an Auditing Board,
composed of persons who could give ex-
elusive attention to such important
matters. We realize that the three
State officers who constitute this board
are persons whose official duties are so
great as to preclude the possibility of
their giving the time and attention to
the business of the Board of Examin-
ers as it's Importance demands. And it
is not difficult to see that from the
facts presented here there should be an
independent auditing board, composed
of others than State officials, and GER
tainly of persons who would not be
called upon to pass upon their own
claims.
Section 53S of the Political Code
reads as follows: when any chart,
map, diagram or other engraving shall
be required to illustrate any document
ordered to be printed, such chart, map,
diagram or engraving shall be procured
by the superintendent Of State Print
ing. No bills tor engraving or hth-
ographing or Autograph printing other
than the above shall be allowed by the
Board of Examiners. All State print
ing shall be done in the State Printing
Office
The Interpretation of this section
would seem to indicate that no bills for
engraving or lithographing or litho-
graph printing, other than such as may
he required to illustrate any document
ordered to be printed, are proper
charges and should not be allowed by
the Board of Examiners.
In cursory examination of expen-
Gitures for this class of work, We find
sum aggregating about 81 800. There
is no doubt that this sum is greater
than the amount mentioned here as it
would require a technical knowledge
of the terms used in the bills examined
to ascertain whether the work would
come under the head of lithographing
or engraving or not. We find orders
for Autographed letter-heads and en-
velopeS from nearly all of the State
officials, both the State Prisons, some
of the insane asylums, the National
Guard, the Insurance Commissioner,
the Supreme Court, and many other Of
the appointive officers of the Executive.
We find also large bills for htho-
graphic work on certificates. Of incor
poration, school diplomas, certificates
of appointment, and various commits
sions. The largest bills that have
been allowed and paid, as you may
readily see by reference to the exhibits
hereto attached, have been presented
by Gthographing and engraving firms.
We can see no good reason why all
the work referred to herein, and which
1t would seem are not proper charges
under Section o3S Of the Political Code,
cannot be done by the State Printer,
taking into consideration where the
sum of S250000 is appropriated for
work covering two years, and the print
ing plant and machinery at his dis
posal. The United States Government.
in the transaction of business through
out all its departments, does not use
Autographed letter heads and enve
lopes, and seems to get along admira-
bly, in it's matters of correspondence.
In the items of special envelopes.
which are now purchased outside.
large portion of the State appropria-
&c nd no
great saving could be effected to have
these made under the supervision of
the State Printing Department.
Section 81 of the Political Code,
among its other provisions, states,
That the State Printer shall employ
such compositors, pressmen, and assist
ance as the exigency of the work from
time to time requires" and also pro-
vides in the same section, That he
shall at no time employ more compos-
itors or assistance than the absolute
necessities of the State printing may
demand" And il would seem that
these two emphatic declarations, that
there should be some measure of the
sufficiency Of labor to perform the de-
nands made upon him from time to
time SO as 20 guard against a possible
employment of more hands than are
necessary. :
We have been exceedingly careful in
the pursuit of our investigation to
omit notice of nothing within the
scope of our authority, and omit moth
ing that would assist your committee
in the line of it's inquiries
We have been assisted in our Iabors
by all persons employees and officers
from whom We sought aid or informa
tiCn, and We confidently hope that this
report will contain the information
sought by your committee in our ap-
rointment as experts. Very respect
fully submitted.