El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-02-27
The Public Printing Law.

BEAUMONT, Tex, Feb 10, 1897.
THE Ell PASO DAILY HERALD:-As
you know, there is a bill pending in
| the legislature to exclude nOn-resldent
printing firms from competing with
those of the state for sta tie printing.
The writer hereof does not approve IL,
| because it is radical measure of pro-
lection. the object being not for the
public interest-which would be best
| subserved by the fullest and freest
com petitiOn-but it's design is to in
crease the profits of only four or five
large printing firms in the state at the
expense of the taxpayers.
| However, if the stare cOntemplateS
assuming the obligation of protect
ing" its industries, it is the duty OF you
and to inquire where we come in.
| Hence l have requested Representative
Dies to amend the bill so az to forbid
county officials sending outside the
county for any printing or stationery
| that can be obtained in the county in
which they hold office. If the bill to
protect the few larger printing iii ms in
the state from the competition OF out
side printers is just aud honorable, the
| amendment, designed to protect the
several county printers from the com
petition of the large printing firms, is
equally just and honorable, and is de-
serving of your active interest and sup
port.
The few large printing firms to
| which [ have referred have drum
med" every county official and the
| business men of every county and town
| for every piece of job work that could
| be obtained, and having grown strong
are now initiating the example OF the
rotection-pampered manufacturers OF
the east by asking that the state be
delivered over to them that they may
IL, I'D of hn
of the people. The few asking protec-
| tion have done comparatively nothing
toward making known to outsiders the
states resources and they contribute
not farthing toward the upbulldlng
| of various counties and towns: their eff
| forts have been eXerted for only them
selves, and if few others have prOtted
therefrom it was not due to any pre-
conceived purpose to distribute bene-
! fits. They pay no taxes to the counties
and towns and the money they spend
in each is limited to an occasional
days board for travelling man at a
hotel.
On the other hand, the country Dews-
paper, which the amendment is de-
signed to benefit, is in every case the
promoter of the towns and county q
material and moral interests; it is a
local taxpayer, and it supports families
In us LII Gue VI
cases it can do as good work and do it
as cheaply as the city firm which now
clamors for "protectoD"-from the
''pauper labor" presumably of other
states. Country papers are entitled to
all that the amendment offered by Mr..
Dies will give them. 1t moreover con-
templates a saving to the people of each
county by forbidding the extravagant
expenditure of their money for high
priced autographed stationery-a lux
ury in which only those should indulge
who spend their own money.
] take it that you clearly understand
these facts and arguments and that you
will therefore use your influence with
your representative and senator to
have the bill introduced by Mr.. Harris
of Galveston, with the amendment of
Mr.. Dies passed.
Rather than have the amendment
pass [ am satisfied the few large print
ing concerns and their LOBBY would
prefer that the bill and its amendment
be killed, for the business they draw
from the counties exceeds in volume
and value that which they expect from
the state. But L beg of you that you
insist on the passage of the measure,
| including the amendment. Ask some
thing for yourself.
Soliciting your consideration hereof
and again requesting that you actively
interest yourself in the measure, | am
very truly. r. Z. KELLY.
Editor of the Beaumont Journal.
Santa 10 ROuta EycurSjOuS