Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-20

errors in the Australian ballot. ThoSe
errors rest upon the State ofncial. who
road and O. KID the proof. which we
now have OH file in our ONCE vault.
They were the first Of consequence TO
he made in period OF IL
vsars-a record which speaks for
itself in view of the fact that even
The most careful men are not infalhble.
So far as to the promptness and EN-
c,ency in handling the State reports is
concerned. We cheerfully refer men,
hers of the Legislature to the heads oil
tho various State departments. We
submit that their testimony will be en-
titled to quite as much weight as the
moro dictum Of one who has never had
any dealings with our establishments
II might be pertinent to inquire how
the state could expect to secure
nrompter service by taking it's work
from the largest book and job printing
establishment in the State, located
within five minutes walk Of the Capt.
tol and turning it over to one OF the
smallest printing plants In the STATE
located so far from the Capitol that a
State official who desired to consult
nersoually with the public printer re-
pardine the numerous details Of his
work would have to travel nearly 100
miles and consume practically a days
time.
To be sure Mr. Nichols says that il
elected he will establish. wrthm
week" :; branch or auxiliary plant at
Augusta to do the legislative printing.
When it IS understood that the legis-
latiye work is the supreme test of the
big Journal plant working day and
night and supplementing overtime
work from its large crew Of printers
| with years Of experience in handling
these matters, with overtime work
from its big force of newspaper hands.
| the absurdity of the claim that plant
| could he established within a weck'
TO do this work is too apparent to need
comment.
Even we're we to turn over the big
Journal plant itself with its immense
equipment. to Il crew OF printers
new to this work. they would be un-
able. with all it's facilities. to meet the
| demands OF a legislative session.
The Journal plant was not equipped
"within week Starting with
plant more than three times as large as
the present plant of the Bath Times. 1t
has taken US seventeen years of hard
persistent work to build it up to its
present degree Of efficiency.
The present Journal plant is one OF
| the largest in New England. 1t occu-
pies five floors of the big Journal block
three above and two below the street.
| The sixth and seventh stories Of the
block are occupied by the State bindery
and an electrotype foundry-all being
connected with the various floors Of the
journal establishment by an elevator.
There is also machine shop in the
building where repair work can be
done at short notice.
| Mr.. Nichols explains that his late
appearance in the field is due to the
| difficulty in getting the facts in re-
gard to the public printing" He need
have encountered no difficulty what
ever in obtaining all the facts con-
corning the cost of the State printing.
They are matters of public record,
the State treasurer, and which he. or
any other citizen of Maine, may have
| for the asking. The mistatementS con.
| tanned in the letter Of Mr.. Nichols
| would seem to Indicate he has made
| no study of the records and that his
real purpose in delaying his announce
ment was the hope that there might
| not be time faapthe Republican menu
bers of the Legislature to ascertain the
| real IaCtS Oh tnc matter pF1OT 10 tnc
holding of the legislative caucus.
Mr.. Nichols says he will do the work
ten per .cent. cheaper than present
prices. Similar offers have been made
before, but the peoples representa-
tives have never regarded this as a
fair offset toaputtng the great State
departments to the trouble. the delay
and the expense of having their print
ing done at a distance. They have all
ways recognized the fact that. SO long
as the State capitol remained at Au-
gusta. a sound business policy de-
manded that the State printing should
, be done there.
AS matter Of fact whoever IS elect
ed Public Printer will receive for his
work the prices fixed by law. The
Legislature fixes the prices and elects
. the printer. who is privileged to decline
the Office if he is unwilling to accep,
the established prices