Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-09-13
PUBLIC PRINTER OUT
Not a Case of Graft But One OF Par-
TALLY and Fayoritlsm
PARTIsANsHIP, NOT CORRUPTION
Reason Fer the Summary DISMISSED
Of Public Printer Palmer is GIVEN
by President Roosevelt.

~ pAJ LIZ A3
Roosevelt has made public the report
of the Keep commission on its receh'
investigation of affairs in the Govern
nent Printing Office at Washington
The inquiry was made by speclal III
rection of the President on account OIL
a protest which he had received from
a protest whichhe had received from OF
fcials of the Mergenthaler Typesettlng
Machine Company against the award OF
a contract by Public Printer Frank W..
Palmer to the Lanston Monotype Com
rany for 72 machines Of it's make.
The President decided, after an e2-
animation of the Keep report, that the
contract for the Lanston machines
should stand. The Keep commission
reported that if the contract could be
set aside, "such a course would be ad-
visable," although the commission
states expressly that mo corrupt con-
sideration, payment or promise passed
from the Lanston Monotype Company
to the public printer or to any person
in the government service"
1t was developed by the investiga-
ton, however, that two important as
~sistants Of the public printed were in
directly interested in the Laston Com
pany, their wives being stockholders
therein" The commission shows that a
fair and impartial test Of the Lanston
7 Mergenthaler machines was not
made, and reports that the purchase of
Sc large a lumber of Lanston machines
was 'improvident" and Indicated great
Partially and bias or the part Of the
public printer" The commission re-
CARDS the purchase as "maladministra-
ton
The text Of the Presidents mem
oranduM upon the report follows:
"Oyster Bay, Sept. 9, 1905.
"The conclusion of the committee are
hereby approved, save the latter part
OF conclusion first. 1t does not appear
that there is any question as to the
validity Of the contract in question. If
it had not been for the conduct of the
Mlergenthaler Company in preferring
the charge discussed by the committee
in conclusion two. that of corruption,
| should agree with the committee that
it would be desirable to set aside the
contract, if such course we're legal. But
second only to corruption in a public
office in point of inquiry, olnes making
g baseless charge of corruption, and
this is what the committee finds the
Marganthaler Company has done in
this case, it's comments being in
part:
I'm the light Of the failure of the
company to produce evidence Of such
corruption, it must be held that the
charge was made recklessly and the
Mergenthaler Company should be Sc
verely condemned for including such a
charge in a formal communication to
the president of the United State
made as a basis for official action IN
his part. 1t is fair also to the Lanste.n
Monetype Company to say that no e|l-
dence was produced by the MeHen-
thaler Company, 0 was any ob"anea
by the committee in the cOurs| VI us
hearing, tending to show anyproln!se
payment Or consideration q any klno
whatsoever made by the talSton OH
pa.y, or any Of its offers ol agents
to any person in the 5o'ernA1en' Ser
vice.
Had not this c'arge OF corrupuon
Been MADE / Sioti"
agreed with theconcluslon OF the com
mittee that tit were possible (Which
e is mott it could be desirable to can
rel the contract in question.
"pnh1ic Printer Palmer has been re-
moved fom office. The cases Of the
s~I7hordnates alluded to in the report
re1s+lbe taken up in connection with
h discipline and reorganization OF
~ bureau when Mr.. Palmer's sue
&ss or assumes office.
"THEODRORE ROOSEVELT.
Referring to the allegation that Os-
car J. Ricketts, was the candidate or
the Merganthaler Company for Public
Printer, the report says: "Questlons
were asked of the Public Printer, ME.
Dove and General Michner, as to what
grounds they had for thinking that
the Mergenthaler Company was be-
hind Mr.. Ricketts,. The seasons given
were Of an unsubstantial character ana
it is only Just to Mr.. Ricketts, to say
that there is not in the evidence axe
before this committee anything to snow
nm LEGITIMATE connection between Mr.
Rockets and the Mergenthaler Com
pany."