Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-12-05

public functions. This will come
when we become surfited with build
ing navies, big guns, enlarging armies,
and Notifications for the laudable pur-
pose of killing our fellow men, and thus
showing to future generations our In
depreciation of an obsolete saying,
"Peace on earth, good will to men,"
We now know more than the Prince of
Peace. He turned the other cheek, we
spit on our hands, roll up our sleeves,
vote a larger appropriation, send out
the Red Cross women and an ambu-
lance corps, and then cover our hypoc-
risy with remarks about the strenuous
life, and ease our consciences with the
reflection that if Jesus were here now
He would be leading an army division
and preparing en- addenda to His Ser
mon on the Mount to square with mod
ern ideas, with the purpose of having 1t
printed in the Congressional Record for
campaign purposes. However this is
another story and somewhat afield from
the beauties of Washington. But
when 1 gaze upon the lovely Library
building, behold its eternal elegance
and drink in all that it means toward
education, art and culture and remem.
Der how hard it was to obtain the pal
try six and half millions of dollars with
which to build it, and think how eager
ly our great men will vote millions up.
on millions with which to construct big
guns, floating arsenals and any thing
and every thing with which to kill and
MAIN and torture, l feel like turning
Jeremiah and weeping and lamenting
over the general "cussedness" of this
untoward generation. As Brother
Amsden once remarked in prayer meet
ing, "now if any brother wishes to kill
anybody let him get up and say 3d."
am going to proceed to write about
Washington.
This is rather labored introduction
to some facts about the Government
printing office. This building is an
old one, and there is nothing artistic
about it, but there is an Mt, large
new building now in course of CON
struction, which, when finished, will
have cost 100000. The Government,
does its own printing. The Congress.
ional Record. that embodiment of al
the wise and otherwise sayings of on
congressman, all the documents, re
ports, bills, books and blanks require,
by the departments are printed here
The number of employees are $3.50; o
which 600 are in the main composin
room: 1888 in the bindery; 2os in tn
main press room; 254 in the specifics
tion room and 582 in the folding room
the balance are in many other depar
ments. The Office has 1877 large presse
with an output of 100000 impress
ions per day of eight hours. They us
$50 tons of type. Here are some of th
yearly rations of this modern stationer
Frankinstein: paper 5000 tons; glue 8
600 pounds; bar lead 100000 pound
binders board 100000 pounds; printin
ink 10000 pounds; gold leaf 1000 pack
besides thousands of pounds and ga
Ions and yards of other necessar
things. The aggregate expenditur.
of the Office per year are about $500
600; nearly three. fourths of which
paid to its employees for labor.
r Few people have any idea of tt
publications of the Government.
large portion of them are very valuab
in the matter which they contain. Fir
quently when there is some impOrtal
legislation before Congress, such as IL
Nicaragua Canal or the Ship Subsid
or the Oleomargarine matter, or Armt
Plate, or Ship construction, or IL
Philippine, OF Porto Rico matters, IL
documents published in reference
them, for the aid of Congress, are r
j, plete with interesting and useful info
nation. These may be purchased
times from the Government, or
- some cases the members of Congre
:, have q few copies to distribute. Mu,
of this information could be gott,
= from the Congressman for the use
- the schools; and now that the distric
y are building up libraries for the
: schools it would not be q bad idea
- obtain some of this literature for ut
n 1t may not be bound as neatly 81
SLOWLY as some of the works publish
= by the American School Book Cor
! pany, or other Companies which M
A. have "pull," but the infornati'
l. would do our young people just
much, If not more, good. may in n
!, next give description in generality
=. some of the noted buildings WIFI
- grace this city.
IS EDWARD P. SEEDS.
~ DeWttt's Little Early Risers a