Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-09-16
NEW BUILDING NEEDED.
Present Government Printing Of
fee SHOULD Be Vacated.
In the Early Days All the Printing
Needed by the Government Was
Given Out by Con-
tract.
Tspecial Washington letter.

o Especial washington Letter.
The government printing office is 81
years old; Sut the building in which it is
housed looks as though it might be 81
centuries old.
Previous to the 31st day of May, 1860,
the government printing had been done
by contract in various ways. The first
federal congress which met in New
York. March 4, 1889, provided for the
printing of 600 copies of the acts of
congress, and 700 copies of the journals
oil the senate and house of representa-
tives.
The first appropriation made by the
federal congress which provided specif-
ically for printing, was enacted in 1894,
''for the expenses of fire wood, station
cry and printing work" The same act
made an appropriation of $2,261 for the
secretary of state, Including the pub
LEGATION of the laws of the first session of
the Third congress-
From 1894 to 1919, the government
printing was given by contract to the
lowest bidder; but on March 8, 1919,
concurrent resolution was passed pro-
vioing for the election of printer for
congress, who would print all bills in
English type on foolscap paper. The
resolution fixed the prices to be paid
, fec the various kinds of work to be done
by the printer of congress.
A joint resolution was passed on Au-
gust 3, 1916. dispensing with the services
of a congressional printer. and reviv-
ing the old contract system. This meth
cd of printing the work of congress
continued until 1852, but it grew to be
expensive and unsatisfactory, and an
act was passed providing for superin-
tendent of printing, whose duties were
''tc advertise for proposals from dealers
IN paper, and buy all paper used by 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 for
composition and press work.
II is a significant fact that the gov
eminent printing was regarded a
matter of such importance at this early
day that on one occasion it almost led
to duel. In 1841, Senator King, of
Alabama, and Senator Henry Clay, of
kentucky, became involved in bitter
controversy over the appointment of
The senate printer. and Senator King
challenged Senator Clay to fight duel.
A compromise was effected by the mu-
tua' friends of the senator's and no duel
was fought.
Congressman j Ohm y. Gurley, of Ohio
was chairman of the committee on
printing of the house of representatives
in 1860, and he was the author of the
bill to establish Il 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 with
profound respect and admiration. Or
the day preceding the vote on the bill
MI. Gurley delivered a speech in adj
vocacy of his measure which was con.
vincing and eloquent. His speech was
also quoted in the senate in full, ant
was influential in that body also. In
his most impassioned utterances the
Ohio statesman declared that there
could be no possible opposition to the
founding of a government printing of.
flee, except the opposition of partisan
ship, which he deprecated with scorn
Epitomizng the history of the public
printing, Mr.. Gurley said:
''Sir, the public printing has been
made a subject of general discussion
strife, and even quarrels, in both houses
of congress, and between the various
political parties, with short intervals
% full half century. and up to this