Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-17
CRITICIS6 The DEFENSE
Charges Reiterated Against Director of Bu-
reau of Engraving and Printing.
Central Labor Union Receives Ito
Committees RePort-Lnbei Of
BroOm Makers Union.


chair at the meeting last evening Of the
! Central Labor Union. Mr.. J. l.. Feeny was
secretary.
The committee appointed some weeks ago
TO consider various charges against Mr
Claude NJ. johnson. chief of the bureau Of
engraving and printing. submitted partial
| report which was adopted. 1t dealt with
the charges affecting the printing Of notes.
government bonds and other forms Of Sc
curities. and was as follows:
Mr.. Johnson's statement in his defense
to the effect that bank notes. government
bonds and other forms Of securities are not
turned out from steam plate printing ma
chimes. while true at this moment. is never
theless entirely disengenuous He has
sought to introduce inferior methods of
printing upon this class OF work notvith-
standing repeated expressions Of opinion
on the part OF Congress against the use
OF steam plate printing presses. Only last
winter he purchased a number OF steam
plate printing presses for the avowod pur-
pose OF using them for the printing Of gov
eminent currency. His course in this re-
| spect was so determined that IL became
necessary for Congress to enact in express
. terms a provision Of law directing tLat
! s"Neriltnent notes, bonds and checks should
| be printed by the hand-rolled process.
Although, therefore. II is true that tho
securities are not at the present time
printed upon steam plate printing presses
IL Is furthermore true that Mr. johnson
d1d his best to have them 50 printed and
was only foiled by the action of Congress.
he even went SO far as TO have engraved
plates prepared of an inferior character
SO that they might be brought within the
range of work capable of any sort of exc-u-
tlon by the steam presses.
Regard Him as an Enemy
SO far as the treatment of this question
Is concerned. the Federation OF Labor has
recognized Mr.. Johnson as an enemy. not
simply of the trade unionist within its
rank, but Of the public at large. in that
he has persistently sought debasement
of the government currency Mr. johnson
cannot escape this charge I'm view OF the
foregoing facts. by saying that Congress
mas now made hand work compulsory. The
Judgment of Congress was better than that
of Mr.. johnson, but its Judgment was moi
his judgment. Mr.. johnson must fall be-
cause of his own persistent errors. having
within his reach the material for proper
judgment
But Mr.. Johnson was not satisfied with
violating the intentions of Congress by pur-
CHASING steam presses to work upon the
government currency, and was not satisfied
with the plain expression of opinion OF
Congress as indicated by the law passed
last year. Knowing the congressional wish
to be that steam plate printing should he
discontinued, he has again this winter d.
verified funds which it IS believed were in
tended by Congress to pay for labor in the
purchase of additional steam presses. This
last fact serves to clap the climax so far
as indicating that Mr.. johnson is not fit
to occupy the position he holds Why
he should so persistently insist upon dis
bursting public funds in the purchase Of
machines representing a condemned method
Is not apparent to any one except himself.
The Charges Referred.
THE resolutions Of the Federation recite
that Mr.. johnson has introduced steam
plate printing presses in the bureau Of en-
craving and printing In violation Of the ex-
pressed will of Congress, thereby lowering
the standard and artistic excellence Of gov
eminent securities. Mr.. johnson does not
undertake TO deny this fact. The resolu-
tons next recite that Mr.. 4 Johnson has ex-
pressed an intention to sNll further defy
the authority of Congress and dehaSe the
art of money making by the purchase of
ten more power plate printing presses. Mr..
Johnson will not undertake to deny that he
is buying the presses referred to. but under
takes TO beg the question by saying that
he does not propose to use them for the
printing of money. AS before indicated.
Mr.. Johnson has every reason To know that
the intention of Congress was to stop the
use of such presses entirely The language.
therefore, of the Federation upon this point
is justified
IF Mr.. johnson has learned anything at
ell about the bureau over which he pre-
sides he knows that his policy of employ
ing steam plate printing presses. with all
the evils incident to SuCh employment.
means the destruction Of rine art and the
crushing out of its representatives. the
Plate Printers Union. No person who has
a reverence for fine steel engraving and an
appreciation of its possibilities, can possibly
sympa thize with the course pursued by Mr..
johnson.
Mr.. johnson need express no surprise
at the position Of the Federation of Labor
toward himself He has treated that body
and its representatives with contempt on
more than one occasion He has sought 10
injure it's members engaged in the business
of plate printing ana has endeaNOred to de-
grade lire art"
The Broom Makers.
A communication was read from Mr.. w.
Il. Boyer. secretary-treasurer Of the Inter-
national broom Makers Union. informing
the Central Labor Union that his organiza-
ton had adopted a label. and asking that
obly brooms having the proper label upon
them be purchased by the members II was
explained that prison competition made the
course of the International union necessary.
Organizer Lewis reported that he re-
Gently organized a union of pattern makers,
and had also in course OF formation union
of blacksmiths and machinists helpers.
The delegate from the Plumbers Union
reported that his union had endeavored 10
have Mr. Powderly employ union plumbers
on his new house, and that Mr.. Powderly
had refused to do The work was, the
delegate said, being completed by nom
union men.
Mr. John Torch of the Engineers Union
rendered his resignation as inanciu secre-
tary which was accepted, and Mr.. John A.
O'Brien of the same organization was
elected his successor.
Delegates from the Horseshoers' Associa-
ton Plumbers and Cashiers, Steel and
Copper Plate Printers. and Steam and Hot
Water Filters were admitted and obligated.