The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-02
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
The Government Printing Office.

To the Editor of The Journal.
The article in Tuesdays Journal from
your correspondent at Washington, re-
garding the government printing Of
flee does, it seems to me an injustice to
many, and leads to some wrong conclu-
sions. z.'+
The writer has been employed in some
Of the largest and best printing offices in
the east and west, and was for some years
an employee in. the government printing
office at Washington, consequently he
has some knowledge of that institution
a knowledge derived not from what 9TH
ers say but from what he knows. I have
never seen more competent workmen than
are employed there and I do not hesitate
to say: that it has, and does, turn out as
good, If not better work than any private
establishment in the country. Well Off
cered. thoroughly equipped and syste-
matte. 1t can and does outstr1p. both as
regards time, quality and quantity, many
Of our modern Offices and for much Of
this the union is responsible.
Public Printer Palmer is by those who
know him best, considered not only
gentleman, but also as thoroughly COM
petent and efficient, and is acknowledged
printer the office has had. AS to what
is said in the article about the way
modern offices hire. their help
fifty years ago, in a backwoods office, they
did have Gas suggested) the applicants
''set up a stick Of type, read it, correct it;
and then distribute it, But to-day it is
different. The printing business, like 9TH
a great change. In olden times the an
prentice learned the whole trade. To-
day no one learns it all. Those who
Stick type know nothing Of press work:
stone and makeup men know only their
own particular part, and proofreaders
seldom know anything else of the BUSH
ness. Like doctors of old, who pulled
teeth, set broken limbs, gave physic and
doctored every disease that flesh was heir
to, the modern doctor pulls no. teeth (the
dentist does thaD; the surgeon gives no
physic, the eye and ear specialist treats
those organs only. To-day the trend of
professions and trades is to divide and
subdivide them into parts, with a spe-
cialist for each one whether this is
caused by the great growth of business.
or by the lack Of brains, we cannot saw.
This division Of labor has taken place
in the government printing office, as well
as elsewhere. If you should visit the gov
eminent printing office, under the guild
ance Of some one who is posted and up
to-date,' see it with it's army of EN-
ployes and its machinery, witness it's al
most perfect system of management. fol-
low the truck loads Of copy going in al
one door and coming out at another door
as finished books and documents-if you
should do all this. you would know some
thing about this establishment. Or spend
one night in the Congressional Record
room, If you want to see push, discipline
and modern methods of work
But the chief aims of the critics of the
government printing office seems to be t.
discredit the labor unions because the,
have opposed type setting machines If
this office. The unions have opposed
these machines and do oppose them, anc
as matter Of fact. it is subject upor
which there is an honest difference O.
| opinion among the best informed, wheth
| er they would improve the quantity anc
quality Of the government work.
The main trouble to-day at our publ,
printing office comes from the interior
ence. of politicians and their dictation a.
to who shall and who shall not .'enter in
lin spite of the civil service rules.