The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-06-26
HOW UNCLE SANS OFFICIALS
MAKE MONEY.

Washington, June 24.-Another pet
ty scandal has come up in connection
with the American exhibit at the
Paris exposition, to be added to the
many that have already found public
ity. This particular one does not IN
volve any dishonesty or any real turpl-
4ude on the part of anyone. but is
merely considered to be a rather stupid
attempt to get exorbitant money by
the sale of handsomely bound copies
of stupid report.
1t emanates from a. S. Capehart,
who was employed by Mr.. Peck as ed
itor of his report at a salary of s40O
month and travelling expenses, who has
sent out circular advertising copies
of the work. 1t seems that Congress
did not really consider the report
worth printing at all. An effort was
made to provide for an edition, but it
was found that the appropriation could
not be passed through Congress, at
least not without a fight, because so
many influential members of both
Houses were annoyed at the constant
criticism over the expenditures au-
thorized by Commissioner General
Peck.
At the last moment, however. an ar
rangement was quietly effected by
which the report was printed as Sen
ate document. Such an edition con-
sists of a total of 1,6S2 official copies
of the book. of which 500 copies go to
designated libraries, 500 to members
of the House and Senate, fftv-two to
the library of Congress, fifteen to the
House library. fifteen to the Senate
library. and 800 to be reserved for
binding upon orders from members of
Congress.
There is. however, a law, providing
that any person can have printed for
him not more than $50 copies Of any
Government work by giving his order
in advance and paying the cost plus
ten per cent. Copies so printed are
not bound
Mr.. Capehart took advantage of
this bv ordering 500 copies of the set
of six books, which We're delivered to
him at a price which. within the bind
ding, would amount to about s.. 60 per
set. These Mr.. Capehart now wishes
to sell for $1,000 set. Adding in
81. 30 a set to cover all expenses of
advertising, packing, shipping and col
lecting will bring the cost of the full
set of volumes up to the moderate
sum of IS. Mr.. Capehart's selling price
is just four times that amount, and ap
parently he is in position where he
expects to make profit of s15 dollars
set on 250 sets or a total profit of
IS. $50 on report, for the editing of
which he was paid by the United
States government at the rate Of 81
500 a year.
1t should be said in justice to Mr..
Capehart that he has made no at
tempt to misrepresent the situation,
In his circular to exhibiters he
says: The purchase of these reports
from the Public Printer is a private
enterprise and YOU are under no obll-
cations to take them from me. He
manages, however. to atfiX the Official
seal to the transaction by saving:
"Having served as a member of the
committee which compiled this report.
and as its editor, it would be inappro-
pirate for me to comment upon its
merits as a publication. =
= To fix Mr.. Capehart's official con-
nection with the Paris exposition COM
mission it is sufficient to make a note
of the fact that he is officially desig-
mated as director of liberal arts and
chemical industries. and as such he
receives a salary The final financial
reports have not Yet been submitted.
so that it is impossible to learn Just
when be ceased to draw his salary, If
that time has Yet arrived.
There is no law preventing the sale
of government publications. Secre--
tarv Gage or Postmaster-General
Smith could order extra copies of their
annual reports and sell them to the
public at a generous advance on the
cost. but these distinguished officials
have not thought it proper for gov
ernment officer TO attempt to sell the
report be was paid to write.