Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-12-24
THE STATE PRINTING.
What Maine Publishers and Printers
Say Concerning It.
No Valid Reason for a Change.

state capital is apparent to everyone
familiar with State affairs and the
printing. business. The Kennebec jour-
nal has a plant that has kept pace with
increasing business and capable OF car
ing for the needs of the departments.
even under the great pressure OF
strenuous legislative session. which IS
test of its capacity. 1t has corps OF
skilled men, for years familiar with ths'
high grade Of work required by state
officials. and Legislatures and this work
has been satisfactory. The plant Itself
is one of the best equipped and most
conveniently housed in the State. if not
the best. In the same, commOdious
bnildinC, under the same Roof. and
reached by the same elevator. is a Dig
bindcrv in which State work is done. an
elevtrotvpe foundry and machine
shop: everything essential to the rapid
and effective handling of the States
work.
The prices paid for State work are
fiyed by statute law. They are con-
ceded to be rs low as any man or COM
panv can do good work and make a
reasonable profit. The bills are audited
now under direction of the executive
council by one Of the most experienced
Job printers in Maine, Stephen Berry OF
Portland, nan Of the highest in
tegrity. He has performed this work to
the satisfaction of the State for more
than a quarter of a century. The State
is getting its book composition at ~
cents a thousand ans which is con-
ceded bv practical printers to be a low
rate for high grade work. The question
Of price does not rest with the State
printer but with the legislatures: the
amount of printing rests with State
officials and the paying of the bills
when audited by their appointee. Mr..
Berry, rests with tn. Governor and
Council. Thus the duties Of the State
Printer are largely in efficient super
vision of the work and its prompt exc
cution. Therefore we Go not see how
this official can increase or decrease
the volume of the work, or the expense
to the State Of its being done.
MIR. Clarence X. Burleieh of the Ken
nebec Journal. who has held the Office
of State Printer since the Office was
created, desires recollection by the in
coming legislature. He has behind him
the Journal printing rlant. considered
to be amply provided with excellent
facilities for doing the State work.
The acceptable manner in which the
work has been done must be Mr.. Bur-
leish's guarantee for future efficiency.
Mr.. r. Il. Nichols of the Bath Times.
desires the position OF State Printer
and proposes to do the work for 10 per
cent reduction of present prices and
chiefly at Bath. Mr.. Nichols is a man
of energy and ability hut he has not the
mechanical facilities for handling the
extensive work, nor experience in this
members of the Legislature will look
carefully into the matter before they
make change at this time.
This same matter has come to the
surface many times in the past. In one
form or another. and legislatures have
invariably decided that the prope..
place +" have State printing done is at
the State capital. and the members of
the legislature Of 1905 are likely to view
the matter in the same light
Location at Capital Has Saved Many
Dollars to the State.
(Farmington Chronicle)
Just before the opening Of the Legis-
lature we hear report from Bath that
Brc. Nichols of the Bath Times wants
to be selected state printer. We can
n IT take. much of any stock in such n
report. for being practical printer
Jurself and having some knowledge of
the magnitude of the work and the
expense necessary for the satisfactory
fiftif.v or
details of that position, we confidently
advise the Legislature not to make any
change. this winter Re-elect c. B.
Burleigh of Augusta. without fail. We
have looked over Messrs. Burleigh &
Flynt's great printing plant in Augusta
the Kennebec Journal cffice-in which
are executed all orders placed by State
Printer Burleigh. md we know whereof
We affirm when We state it would be
impossible for Bro. Nichols. Or any
other man running Il plant like his, to
think for a moment he can do the
States printing, this winter The
Journals plant occupies five floors Of
their great new building. and the two
other stories are occupied by the State
bindtry and e!cctrotype foundry. All
these are kept "humming" during the
sessions. and the great advantage of
having srch a well-equipped plant near
the Capt :ol is frequently illustrated
and mary dollars have thereby been
saved tn, State.
An effort has been made to give the
impressi IN that in some mysterious
and une splained way the public printer
has beea responsible for the increase
in the number of State departments
and ms itutions and for the larger VOL
ume of business done by the old State
departments and by the Maine Legis-
lature. as compared with the number
of dep lrtments and institutions and
the o!ame of business done more than
two de ,ades ago. This is absurd The
legislature Of Maine has fixed by stat
ute law the prices to be paid for print
ing. 1T Is evident, therefore, that the
total cost of printing to the State will
depen entirely upon the work the
printer is ordered to do by the Legis-
laturt and by the Governor and Coun-
Gil. he State printer, therefore. will
receive for his work just what the law
gives him for it, and no mere Economy
in expenditures is commendable, but be
caref Al that that economy begins and
is carried out on proper lines, under
skilled hands and intelligent observa-