Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-07-24
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, D. c., July "a.


William A, Miller, the order for
whose reinstatement as assistant foreman
of the bindery in the Government Print
ing Office. has aroused the opposition OF
the Bookbinders' Union from which he
had been expelled, has returned to
Washington from his home in Minneap'
oils. and this morning appeared before
Public Printer Palmer. He made formal
demand upon Mr.. Palmer for reinstate-
ment in accordance with the order Is
sued by the President through Secretary
Cortelyou. He was told that nothing
could be done in the matter until the
nroner certifcation of the order had
been received by Mr.. Palmer IRON the
Civil Service Commission. Mr.. Miller
thereupon left for the office OF the Com
mission to request such certification.
In the meantime Mr.. Palmer was
waited upon by a committee OF the
Bookbinders' Union who protested
against the unemployment of Miller.
At 11:l5 this morning, before Mr..
Miller had arrived at the Civil Service
Commission, President Proctor, sent
by special messenger to the Public
Printer the proper certificate OF rein
statement for Miller. He said, in an
swer to a question, that such certificates
are not given to the employe himself,
hut are always sent to the chief of the
bureau or department from which the
man has been suspended or discharged
Under this certificate, said Mr.. Proctor,
Miller is entitled to immediate rein.
statement. and that the Public Printer
has no option in the matter whatever,
Moreover, if there should be a strike OF
the other bookbinders in the Office, all OF
them would have to be re-examlned
and obtain new certificates from the
civil service commission before they
could return to work. In the meantime
Miller will be secured in his position.
Mr.. Proctor stated that no charges had
been filled with the commission by the
union against Miller. Such charges
have been filled with the Public Printer,
but the latter under the law, has no
authority to suspend or discharge Miller
until after thorough and impartial in
vestigation, upon which the commission
will have to pass. Mr. Palmer stated
after receiving the certificate from the
commission that he would put Miller
back to work as soon as he should return
which he expected would not be until
tomorrow morning, When Miller left
Palmer's Office earlier in the morning,
he said he would report for duty at the
usual hour tomorrow. Having heard in
the meantime that the desired certificate
had been issued, Miller did not call at
the Office of the commission. President
Barrett. of the bookbinder's union, &C
companied by about a dozen of his COL
leagues, after interviewing Public Print
er Palmer, had long conference with
members of the civil service COM
mission in protest against Miller's
reinstatement. At its conclusion one
of the commissioners stated that
it was not possible for the commits
sion to receive any charges against
Miller and that the whole matter was
now in the hands of the Public Printer.
If charges had been filed with him it
would be his duty to investigate them,
and if they we're found to be we'll ground
ed, he could discharge Miller. The
latter could then appeal to the civil
service commission which would review
the case and for the first time take official
cognizance of the charges. The delega-
ton left with the commission a copy OF
the charges filed with the Public Printer,
and while disclaiming any authority to
take official action on the same, the COM
missioners promised to look over the
paper. President Barrett, interviewed
after the conference, said he will not act
hastily. al Miller returns to work, as we
suppose he will, we shall not walk out.
We shall merely call a meeting to be
held probably tomorrow night, at which
time the whole case will be thoroughly
discussed and such action taken as seems
advisable. We intend to pursue a con-
servative course, at the same time up
holding what we believe to be the rights
of the union"
Ghe suggestion that the typographical
union in the government printing Office
might 90 on strike in sympathy with
the bookbinders' union in case Of the
reinstatement of Assistant Foreman w.
A. Miller, has reached the ears of the
President and he has determined on at
least one line of procedure. He has,
in fact, taken the first step, that is, the
investigation of the question of intro
ducing typesetting machines into the
Office. AS soon as the news OF the
bookbinders' unions threat reached
President Roosevelt, he instructed Sec
retary CortelyOn to make Immediately
the necessary inquiries looking to the
accomplishment of this revolution, as
certaining the number of machines that
would be required, the cost of the
change and the amount of money that
will be saved to the government by the
adoption of these modern devices. In
accordance with these instructions Sec
rotary Cortelyou on Wednesday sent a
letter to a company which manufactures
the machines, calling for information as
to the cost of supplying the government
printing Office with complete battery OF
them. Whether the machines will be
introduced in case the proposed strike is
called off has not been determined, but
it is certain that ifthe men dos out they