The herald., 1898-11-05
THE RECORD
OF STATE
PRINTER
JOHNSTON

JOHNSTON years his Deficiencies of which there should
not have been dollar, increased from
$4,000 to $s25OO his official report
showed that he spent for the year beginning July 1885, S46
0o0 while he showed in work performed only about
This left $5 900 for which accounting made.
great many specifications of official misconduct and gross
tavagance against him which
disproved.
Mr.. Johnstons friends distributing anonymous
and abusive circular which claimed being per
scued that he is the champion of the school books;
the book ring desires his defeat and finally that
Grated by investigating committee appointed by the egs
The circular and friendly newspapers whose
ca honesty has been buned by paranship this
committee commended his management reported his books
recty kept his accounts correct and that report made
that there balance in his favor of cent,
This is vain subterfuge, and effort to divert
from waste and The balance
Johnston spent all the money appropriation except
that cent There is charge that he had taken all he
could get The charge that his methods
nesk and grossly exravagant and that he has properly
accounted for the funds appropriated for the his Office
Let see how he eXonerated. Two eXperts-one Re
publican and Democracwerea appointed by the nvega
ing committee Mr. Woodham the Republican expert Joined in
report that the state printer acknowledges that his
is incomplete and imperfect They recommend the keeping
time book, in which the time of persons working the
school books be separately kept that
is impossible to find out the exact of the school
the present pan They keeping of an
appropriation account and additional books in
which accounts should be kept not shown
In other words it appears to that the books great
uton, such the state printing department is should be
kept upon the plan of the books of great mercantile
After referring to the large expenditures for thographg and
engraving the experts contnue We good reason
why all the work referred to herein and which would
proper charges under section 53S of the Political Code
be done by the state printer taking into consideration
where the of 250O00 is appropriated for work covering
years. and the printing plant and machinery at his dis
posa In regard specially the SOL 900 deficiency in John
son official report the experts made thorough nvest
CATION and after accepting such further items the
printer could present plausible for they reported
that there remained baance be accounted for January
1897 S2l l0554 These grave charges joined in by Mr.
Woodham the Republican expert
matter first REFERRED promptly reported that the great
for it, and recommended that it be fully investigated
They further reported that in the matter of the publication
documents the method of such character
expenditure of state moneys and that they had
of preparation legislation to correct the existing meth
DDS of questionable expenditures in these departments
Other experts appointed by the investigating committee
commended reforms in the management of the office which
of them estimated would to saving of from $4,000
$4,000 per year. These facts supported by the statutes
of the state and by the reports of the Republican
of the experts the Republican
joining.
Mr. Johnston may call this vindicaon if he wishes, but
the people whose money he has expended and has failed
count for call it by another