The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-07
rHE GOVERNMENT PRINTING
HOUSE.


publicity given to the case Of Foreman Mil
lsr Of the Government Printing Office draws
attention to that establishment as a public
institution for which the public has to pay.
The purpose OF the institution is, pre-
sumably. the economical production OF
printed matter Of an official nature relat
ing to our national affairs, Presumably
its productions are of Importance or value
M records of governmental processes, or
or interest 70 the citizens Of the country
The printing Of routine forms for wilder
iiess oil otiiciSi reports is also a part % tts
functions.
OF the institution itself IL may be said
that it is the largest printing office, public
or private. in the world. A new building
has just been erected for it's aocommoda-
ton at a cost Of about $2,SO0,OO0. Its
floor space represents total area of four
teen acres Four years have been employed
in it's erection. Removal from the old
building to the new Ia now in process
More than 1000 persons are employed in
this mammoth establishment. the business
OF which is the printing and publication
of thousands Of tons. each year. Of books,
pamphlets, reports. statistics and speeches.
A small portion of these is OF real and i'm
pOrtant value a moderate portion Ia OF
some interest. and an enormous mass is
little less than rubbish, costly mountain
Of paper at which no one ever even looks.
The cost of maintaining the establishment
approximates %, 600 600 per year.
All readers have some knowledge OF the
so-called official documents" and OF
All, kn,,A IL
conception Of the huge output Of this in
stitution. In addition to the cost OF It's
production, there stands the cost Of it's
distribution. That item falls into the &C.
counts OF the postal service. The fact of
an official frank does not mean that there
is no expense attached to the Congress-
mans despatch to his constituents Of
few thousand copies Of some speech which
he may or may not have delivered; Of a
certain number OF volumes or Gets Of re-
ports, statistical or otherwise. Railways
do not transport free Of charge all the
tons Of matter distributed every year by
our legislators as an evidence to their
constituents that they are on deck and
duly mindful Of the interests Of the people
Of their various sections. Tons Of this mat
ter are loaded upon the shelves OF Libraries
where it is busted from time to time, and
thrown away when shelf room is needed.
Farmer A. uses his Congressman speech
for shaving paper, although 1t pleases him
to be remembered by the great man.
Farmer BIS children cut paper dolls from
the pages OF the voluminous reports Of
the Agricultural Department Nowhere Is
an intelligent censor more greatly needed
than in the Government Printing Office in
Washington.
The best that can be said for the estab-
lishment is that much OF its product is
useless, much is wasted and that all Of it
is unduly costly. As a commercial enter
prise obliged to pay profits to its owners
or dividends to stockholders, 1t could not
live for half year. Many Of its methods
are Anticipated, and there is no doubt that
it does suffer severely from the restrictions
imposed by the rules Of the unions to which
the greater number Of employees belong
and to which they have sworn fidelity.
One of the main charges preferred against
Foreman Miller which led to his expulsion
from the union, prior to his discharge
from his place, was that whereas the
schedule Of the International Brotherhood
OF Bookbinders declared that the binding
OF ten volumes Of a certain kind per day
should constitute days work for binder,
he insisted upon the binding Of twelve to
fourteen volumes. This might have been
in the interest Of the public service, but
it was violation Of the rules OF the union,
and therefore offensive. Some of those
victims Of an ion-handed
oppression were easily able to produce
the twelve to fourteen volumes during
the eight long weary hours Of days toll,
for which they received 81 per day, but
that is manifestly no reason why they should
be either expected or obliged to do 80.
Therefore, for this and few other equally
potent reasons, Mr.. Foreman Miller fell !
under the ban OF his fellow unionists. 1t |
was an oppression which could not be
tolerated.
A tentative announcement is made OF |
an official purpose to readjust the system |
Of Government printing. in part by the
introduction Of up-to-date machinery. This |
should have been done long ago. There |
may be some excuse for printing tons of |
useless rubbish at the expense of the |
American people, but there is no excuse
whatever for doing it at a cost far in ex-
cess of that for which it would be done |
by hundreds of printing houses rum by |
private enterprise.