The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-02-27
AFTER THE STATE PRINTER.


Special DepA1ch TO the Post-Inselligsncss
OLYMPIA. Feb. g. Cn<zsr q sEsscsa. cr-
Der the aouse " Ill take mp for acticg Tuss-
Jay afternoon az 2 s'cinck the csI reported
81 the committee on printing and sapplses
sasol.shinx the offsee Of state printer and
providing fer sae purchase by the state
% complete printing and binding plant
a. cost af not 70 exceed si50eD. \ SINH
lar bill has hefE introduced n the s@nst~
by Senator Davis
The legislature has ascer,a;ne1. through
III committees on printing and suppEe<,
that the state b now paying nearly dou-
bic what il should for the state p~sntssi<.
Former State Prsraer O. {. Waite, WITH
cut even q blush. testified before the house
committee on yrinssng md supplies that
the profits Of his office during his eight
years tenure we're approximately Na.yo
The price has not been lowered In she
meantime. although the Taxpayers VINO
foot the bills arc clanoring for economy
IN public expenditures.
The house committee on printing and
supplies has before /. q bll by Curtis
abolishing the office Of stats printer as
now constituted. and providing for the
substitution OF the contract system Ter
the presen; ore. A decision between state
ownership and the contract system VIII
therefore have To be made by the LEXIS
iatEre
An active lobby Is at work trying to
laid the legislature In the solution OF
the problem. Chef Clerk Sutton. OF the
state printing Office. has devoted the
greater part OF his time during the past
week to advising the members OF the legis-
lature how TO vote He represents Mar.
Hicks who naturally wishes 10 MAINTAIN
his hold on his office and continue for two
years more 10 pile UP profits at the ex-
perse OF the people.
Much of the sentiment in the leg sla-
.ure favorable to a contract system is
In fact created by the Hicks supporters.
These hope 10 defeat any action by pit
ting the contract bill against the state
ownership proposition, believing that ac-
ton viii thus be delayed till the last few
days, when the whole matter will be lost
sight Of.
1t Is said that while a bill inaugurating
the contract system might pass the house,
il would be killed In the senate, where. 1t
IL stated, there are men who are interest
ed in seeing state ownership carry.
State Printer Hicks wants 10 hold his
Job He has already had taste of the
profits OF the system as at present con-
stituted, and naturally he yearns for
more. II he cannot prevent the passage
OF the bill providing for state ownership.
ne hopes to save himself by unload-ng has
plant upon the state. The committee pii
provides Tor the dppoiulfFeht VI a SoAii
mission by the governor who shall select
a plant and purchase it cost not to ex-
ceed SIS 900.
Former State Printer o. C. White. 1t Is
reliably stated. ia interested In this BILL
1t IL said that Mr.. White wishes to sell 10
the state the plant which he operated fer
over eight years az state printer.
The members Of the legislature cannot
plead ignorance on the question OF re-
form In the method Of doing the state
printing. There is iscontestahle evidence,
obtained by the house committee on PRINT
ing and supplies, that the state is paying
from one-th.rd TO half more for It's print
ing than should be paid. 1t Is eoaa:v
obvious that the state does not desire any
second hand plants. The course of the
Minard bin viii be watched with interest
from now on Sentiment In the house is
Overwhelmingly in favor OF radical meas
ures In dealing with the printing problem.
The lobbyists for the state printer VII, OF
course try TO obscure the issue and defeat
action THE house can be expected TO 90
its duty in the matter and in the senate
there is A clearly defined sentiment III Ia
yor of a change.