The sun., 1905-09-11


10 the Me~genthaler machines.
aThe basis on which they PROCEEDED is
quite clear. There has been an increase OF
force in the proof division since the intro
duction of machines, amounting to eighteen
1T took no longer to handle hand SGT work
than 1t had before.
at took no longer to handle Ianston
work than 1t did to handle hand-set work;
therefore the entire increase OF force IN
the proofreading room might properly,
according to their ideas, be charged against
'"S But Msfssif' ss one Of the committee explained
in his testimony, to be on the safe side they
charged the machine with only hiteen
proofreaders instead Of the whole eighteen.
There appears to have been no other lnior-
nation before the Marston committee ,a than ".
Tapley testified to none. Mr.. Bushnell
testified to none.
sThere is, however, nothing in Mr.. Robin
sons letter to indicate whether the increase
OF eighteen in his force was due entirely 70
increased labor on Mergenthaler work, or
whether there was large increase In the
general volume Of work done In the Govern
ment Printing Office. Mr.. Ricketts,, IN his
testimony, commenting upon this matter
indicated his belief that the increased force
Of eighteen was largely due TO increase IN
volume Of work in the office. Mr.. Robinsons
testimony not having been given during
the hearing, and 1t being important to clear
up this point, he was sent for, and, in answer
to questions, made brief statement TO the
effect that at least half Of his increased force
of eighteen was due to increase OF work In
his office. and the balance was due to IN"
creased labor on the Mergenthaler output.
The commission also nolds that no test
should have been made until an expert
enced force had been developed on each
class Of machines"
THE PUBLIC PRINTERS PART.
On the day after the Marsten committee
had submitted it's figures, the report goes
on, the Public Printer wrote for prices on
Lanston machines and had conversation
with the chief clerk Of the Office, Capt.
Brian. The report then says:
as follows
i think it was the next day after read
ing that report that he called it up again
and said something about buying some
machines. asked him IL he had made up
his mind, and he said, not fully, think;
Before that had asked him il he had ever
had an estimate made Of how many ma
chimes it would take to do specification
work, and he said, 'forty-five.' l think
that was the day prior to the conversation
/ am detailing, now, think 1t was the
said he was considering the matter of buy
was going to buy, and he said he thought he
would buy seventy-two. and l asked him
where he was going to put them, and ne
said we'll he had had an estimate made
the specification work and the balance
on the document work. ! asked him then:
-Are you going to buy any Mergenthalers2ss
and he saws: Il don't see how could. I
don't see low could justify myself in the
face OF that report in buyin0 any Mergen--
lhale,s:' He asked n. me: .Do you MnIasn think l
thalers in the face Of that report9' Seyp
aNo, il this report is true. II these figures
are correct do not zee that you can" He
said: Il have no doubt Of their being correct,
have your" l says, mo, / hare no reason
to doubt them, but hare not gone into them
at du"
In a letter to P. T. Dodge. president Of
the Mergenthaler Linotype Company. dated
June 2l, 1905, and signed by F. W; Palmer,
Public Printer, in answer to telegraphic
inquiry from the Mergenthaler company
as to whether he had ordered large group
Of Lanston Monotype machines, the fol-
lowing paragraph occurs:
.'There have been since the early days
Of autumn last year forty-six Mergenthaler
Linotype and twenty eight Lanston Mono
type machines in continuous use in this
Office. A record Of the output Of both clossss
Of MACHINES has been carefully kept, and that
quantity and economy Of the Ldnston Mono
fvpe orey the Mer0enthdleS Linotype ma
chimes. Accordingly contract .0ds executed
en- the l9th inst. NTH the officers OF the Ldnston
MonotyJe company for se.enty-tco machines.
based, furnished as it was by daily obeerva-
ton OF practical employees in this office,
was Of more value than any which could
have been furnished from outside sources.
OF MIR. Palmer's good faith, the report
says yysI,,, N. vho,s # seems 70 be verv
conclusively established that the Public
Printers determination to buy no Mergen-
thaler machines, but to buy all L4anston
machines, was not finally reached until
Special Report No. was in his hands, and
that that report and its unfounded con-
clusions decisively determined the Public
Printers action"
RIcKETTss CANDIDACY FOR PALMER's PLACE
Taking up the allegation that the Lanston
contract was entered into .clanoestinely,'
transa citing some Of his business with Mr..
Dove, the president Of the Ianston oom-
pany, at the Ia tiers house, and at the house
OF Gen. Michener. the counsel Of the COM
pany. On this point the report says:
In giving his testimony in the case Mr..
tiations for this contract had taken place
ct Mr.. Doves house rather than at the
Goyernment Printing Office, and he replied
that, being subject to interruption at his
ofiiceAit was more convenient for him to
transact the business at Mr.. Doves house,
and he saw no impropriety in doing SO.
He testified also that during his term as
Public Printer he knew Of no other instance
in which he had negotiated any contract
outside the Government Printing Office.
-Mr. Dove gave as his reason for asking
Mr.. Palmer to come to his house to talk
about the purchase OF machines that he
spent four days Of the week in Phila delphia
at the office OF the IAnston company, and
that he had coal business In Washington
which fully occupied his attention during
business hours Friday and Saturday when
he was in Washington. and that It was
more convenient for him to have the Public
Printer come to his house than 1t was for
him TO 20 to the Government Printing
Office during business hours.
whether the motive for the meetings
at Mr.. Doves house was to prevent knowl-
edge Of the negotiations from reaching
other persons, and especially to prevent
such knowledge from reaching the Mer-
genthaler Linotype Company, or whether
these meetings we're based upon the busi
ness convenience OF Mr.. Dove, or whether
both reasons we're in mind, is matter for
conjecture"
1T is our opinion that this purchase should
not have been negotiated at the private
residences Of Mr.. Dove and Gen.
Michener, but at the Government Printing
ONCE, and that the method followed in