West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-03-09

Explains the Changes In the Law In
Regard TO the Snpreme Court
Printing.

ha'lhs cIf'lCistH inc Legislature,
and particularly the Speaker Of lhe
House, for an alleged ebsrgr in the
law ia regard To the printing Of
records for the Supreme Court. in
favor OF the Clerk Of said Court
and The Printer. Mr.. o. :. McXin-
ney, Of Fairmont. aud one Of the
editors and proprietors Of the In
dex, and claiming that as Speaker
Of the House, he had rushed
through u bill entirely in his own
interest and cutting off Ill the other
papers, etc. Va wrote him a letter
asking for the facts and enclosing
criticisms clipped from the Park
ersburg Sentinel, Clarksburg NJ ii.
and Grafton Sentinel, and promptly
received the following reply from
Mr.. Mckinney. winch we publish
in full. in justice to the gentlemen
aud for the general Information Of
the papers Of the State, and we
hope The above named papers. and
all others that published criticisms
on The sntj CT, will tlke due heed
and govern themselves accordingly.
FAIRMoNT, w. VA,
March 3, 1899.
j. SLIDELL BROwN, ESQ.
Kingwood, W. Va:
DEAR SIR Your favor Of the
2Sth nit, with enclosures, reached
me this morning. | am glad to
have tho opportunity TO explain
somewhat in detail the provisions
of the new law concerning the
printing of records to one who | am
sure wall appreciate the delicacy
that prevents me from replying to
the newspaper criticisms which are
founded on a misapprchens;on Of
what the nrw law ia, and were IN
spired by the disappointment and
chagrin OF u newspaper reporter at
Charleston who rs not permitted
to dictate the course of the Legis-
latare and the Speaker in certain
directions.
In advance of other explanations
| want TO say, that no printing
which his heretofore been done by
the country press has been taken
away from IL. Stress has been laid
upon the hardshps worked in com
polling lawyers to give their brief
printing to the Clerk of the Su-
preme Conrt, in one or two articles
L have seen, when, in fact, there Is
no reference whatever in the new
law to brief printing. and the law
yers may do just as they have al
ways done in the past, get their
briefs printed where hey please,
and in the II and for the
prlcc they plar.
There is substantially but little
DIM renee in the new law ard the
OF, except IN three p%trtIcaIurs.
and the printing Of records is still
left IN the hands Of litigants to
print where they may desire, under
the following restrictions:
When they take the record from
the Clerk, they must have it printed
IN a certain waY-that is, In long
primer type single loaded, the size
Of the printed part Of the pages to
be 4 10y z inches, on good book
paper, at II cost not to exceed rs
cents per page. The Clerk of The
Court is put under precisely the
same restrictions.
have said there are but three
s%ubstantial changes in the present
law.
LIST. Instead of measuring by the
hundred words in computing the
cosr, as was done under the old
law, the price is 0 computed by
the thousand ems.
Under the old law. there were
always vcxatious disputes arising
between the lawyers and the print
ers concerning the number OF words
IN y record. Printers nearly always
estimated the number Of words by
counting a few pages, and striking
an average, and then multiplying
the Whole number OF pages Oy this
average. OF course if tho record
was largely composed Of ''fat'' ties.
timony, this estimate would run
too high, and there would be a
"kick'' after the record was com
ploted that the amount charged
was too great. If, however, the
record was composed largely Of
deeds, the calls IN which embrace
many figures. degree aud minute
marks, the estimate would be cor.
respondingly too low, and il The
printer charged too much on one
record, he was apt to charge too
little on the next, and so in the
main, by this process, tho general
average vas about right. This was
especially true when it is considered
that all printers demand that the
lat and the lean" shall 90 to-
getber, aud that II set by the page.
the testimony cost just IS much to
put ~ type as deed matter. But 10
was felt that 70 settle all disputes.
The fair name Of cOmruting wa