Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-28
MIR. Nichols and the State Printing.
HalloWell RegiSter)

(Hallowell RegisterD
The State printing has been done at
the capital city ever since the Repub-
lican party came into power in Maine,
and we think it will continue SO for
some years. Editor Nichols of Bath
makes bad break in announcing him
self a candidate for public printer by
allowing his announcement to degcner-
ate into a personal attack upon the
present incumbent of the Office. The
fact that he allowed himself to indulge
in SO many mis-statements has also
weakened him. and will not tend to
gain public credence for what he may
say in the future. 1t is best for a
candidate for office to go slowly and
carefully in such matters. There is
considerable truth in the old adage
that it is better not to know so many
things than to know so many things
that aren't so. So far as we can see,
Mir. Nichols Indictment of the Journal
plant resolves itself into these claims.
1st-Errors were made in the Aus
tralian ballot.
2d-There was delay in getting out
the House and Senate Journals.
The Kennebec Journal answers the
first Of these by showing that the errors
in question We're not upon the printer,
bat upon the State official who read
and o. KID the proof.
This would seem to dispose of Mr..
Nichols upon this point most eftectual-
ly. Even if such an error had been up
on the Journal it would not have been
anything extraordinary. The perfect
printing plant has yet to be estab-
iishtd. Mr.. Nichols may have one;
but we doubt IT, To us the remark
able thing about this complicated Aus
tralian ballot printing, the whole of
which is practically crowded into a
space of two weeks, is not the fact of
two or three errors of the prOOfreader
in this Year of 1904: but that for thir-
teen long years the work has been car
ried through without errors of any
consequence.
In referring to the House and Senate
Journals, Mr.. Nichols apparently over
looked the fact that the printer was
Obliged to hold these publications in
order that they might contain the
proceedings of the special session held
the following fall for the passage of the
revised statutes. This put them cut OF
their regular order. brought them into
conflict with the rush work on the stat
utes. and occasioned some delay AS
the statutes are only revised once In
twenty years, this combination of cir
cumstances is not due to occur again
until 1923. 1t need not. therefore, be
regarded as very serious factor in the
present contest.
MI Nichols has something to say
about the cost of the State printing:
but he knows very well that the prices
are fixed by law. and he ought to
know that a poorly equipped plant in
Bath would in every way increase the
cost to the State, as compared with
fully-eauipped plant in Augusta.
We think Mr.. Nichols has made
mistake by stopping to these petty at
tacks upon his competitor. 1t would
have been better for him to tell the
members of the Legislature what in
ducements he had to offer in the way
of superior equipment, location, con-
venience to the Legislature and State
departments, ETC., ETC.. for the change
which he SO aggressively advocates
None of these reasons appear in MI.
Nichols letter, but we find his motive
very clearly stated in an editorial III
his paper. He wants to build up a
new industry in Bath! By sacrificing
an established industry in the capital
city. in which the workmen of three
cities and a considerable part of Ken
nebec county are interested! This
may be a worthy ambition. but we
don't believe the State Legislature
will put the State department to delay
and inconvenience to crafty it.
Moreover, we do not believe that
methods like this will blind the menu
bers of the Legislature to the. real
issue. viz: promptness and con-
yenience in doing the States business.
While the State house remains at Au-
gnsta, we do not think that the mis-
take will ever be made Of trying to do
the printing elsewhere.