The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-06
MILLER TO APPEAL
Discharged Government Bookbinder
Will Take His Case to Civil
Service Commission.
He Says That He Has Been Perse-
cuted by the Bookbinders'
,... .''.. ...-. .....
- .. Association.

W. A. Miller, former foreman of the
printing department at Washington,
whose falling out with both the Bookbind-
ers association and Public Printer Pal
mer led to his removal from office, is at
home at 1887 Harriet avenue. Mr.. Miller
Is at present busy in the preparation of
a statement of his case, which he pur-
poses submitting to the president and the
civil service commission and the Inter
national Bookbinders association. He
charges that the government printing Of
flee is In the grip of the Bookbinders'
association, which he alleges is manipu-
| lating the department to suit its own
| selfish ends without any regard to the
| introduction of modern methods or limo
vations which would result in big saw
| ing to the government ~
/ He informs the president in a letter
now ready for mailing that the causes
| leading up to his removal constitute the
most fragrant violation on record of both
the letter and spirit Of the civil service.
| Il have been persecuted," he said, "for
the last eight months by some of the
bookbinders for having furnished to the
postoffice, in the line of my official duty,
| samples Of cheaper binding on certain
work, as requested by that department,
which would have saved to the depart
ment on orders then at hand $4,000 and
would indicate an annual saving Of $4,000.
am the victim Of conspiracy"
Mr.. Miller explains that the postoffice
| department had two sets Of books, which
were increasing very rapidly In orders and
constantly repeating. In September, 1902
the postoffice department sent in for sam.
pies Of a less expensive binding for the
two books, Letters Returned BY Car.
riers' and the Route Book" Mr.. Mil.
Ter had the samples made and he fixed
the price. The samples were accepted
he says, with the saving above referred to
This naturally would be considered {
business transaction" he continued, "bu
the bookbinders, thru committee, tool
exception to my right to furnish this de.
partment with the samples Of a cheaper
binding. They preferred charges agains
me and suspended me from their organ
ization. Mr.. Palmer prevailed on me t.
rest up for fifteen days, he not having
backbone enough to deny the right o
the binders to interfere with government
work-in order that he might take Of
fetal cognizance of the action of tn,
union and thus be relieved of embarrass
ment. The binders were after my scall
, because had reported to Mr.. Palmer tw,
of their members who had been con
} stantly interfering with the work and OBJ
jected to my cheaper process of binding
Mr.. Palmer later, at the request of thes
men, had me transferred to anothe
division in violation Of the merit sys
tenn, thus indorsing and establishing TIL
, walking delegate system in the govern
! ment bindery.'
: Later on Mr.. Miller's resignation wa
enforced by Mr.. Palmer because as tn
former foreman charges, the Binders as
ISOLATION had discovered that he had fur
n1shed Congressman Joel P. HeatWol
with copy Of the testimony used by tn
!, union when the former was on trial.