Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-11
Makes Public Report Of
The Keep Commission.
Ma|administration Proven In
Case Of Public Printer.
Contracts With lanston Monotype Co. are,
However, Proven Binding.

oyster BAY, Sept. 1O-President
Roosevelt, today, made public the re-
port of the Keep commission on its re-
cent investigation of affairs in the gov
eminent printing office at Washing
ton. the inquiry was made by special
direction OF the President on account
of protest which he had received
from the officials of the Mergenthaler
TypeSetting Machine Co. against the
award of a contract by Public Printer
Frank w. Palmer to the Lanston Mon
Otype Co. for - machines of its make.
By order of the President, the con-
tract with the Lanston Co. was held up
until an investigation could be made
with view of ascertaining whether
the charge of favoritism and corrup-
ton in the letting of the contract were
substantially founded. AS heretofore
chronicled in these dispatches, the
President decided after an examination
of the Keep report that the contract
for the Lanston machinse should stand.
The Keep commission reported that if
the contract could be set aside "such
a course would be desirable" although
the commission states expressly that
mo corrupt consideration, payment or
promise passed from the Lanston Mon
otype Co. to the public printer or to
any person in the government service"
1t was developed by the investigation.
however. that two important assist
ants of the public printer were Indirect
ly interested in the Lanston Co. ''Their
wives being stockholders therein" The
commission shows that fair and i'm
,,l 49, la + ncfp nd
yenthaler machines was not made and
reports that the purchase of so large
a number of LanstOn machines was
"improvident,' and indicated great
partially and bias on the part of the
public printer" The commission re-
CARDS the purchase as "maladministra-
ton" The report of the commission Is
voluminous, containing about 5000
words. Accompanying it is memo
randum by President Roosevelt, the
text of which follows:
THE conclusions of the committee
are hereby approved. save the latter
part of conclusion first. 1t does not APP
pear that there is any question as to
the validity of the contract in question.
If it mad not been for the conduct OF
the Mergentha!er Co. in rreferring the
charge discussed by The commission on
conclusion two, that Of corruption. l
should agree with the committee that
it would be desirable to set aside the
contract if such a course were legal.
But second only to corruption in pub
lie officer in point of lniqulty comes
making baseless charge Of corruption,
and this is what the committee finds
the Mergenthaler Co. has done in TINS
case, its comments being in part:
I'm the light of Il failure of the
company to produce evidence of sucn
corruption. it must be held that the
charge was made recklessly and the
Mergenthale- Co. should be severely
condemned for including such charge
in ., formal communication to the
President of the United States, made as
A basis for official action on his part.
1t is fair also the Lanslon MonOtypc
Co to say that no evidence was pro-
c,uced by the Mergenthaler Co. nor was
any obtained by the committee in tn"
course of it's hearing. tending to show
any promise. payment or consideration
If any kind whatsoever made by the
Lanston Co.. or any Of its officers or
agents, to any person in the govern
ment service
Had not this charge of corruption
been made, | should have entirely
agreed with the conclusion Of the COM
mittee that if it were possible, (Which
it is not, it would be dcSira BILE to cam
col the contract in question.
Public Printer Palmer has been re-
moved from Office. The cases of the
rubordinates alluded in the report must
be taken up in connection wit hthe dis
cipline and reorganization Of the bu-
reau when Mr.. Palmer's successor as
sumcs Office
The report Is signed by G. II. Keep,
assistant secretary of the treasury
chairman; F. H. Hitchcock. first as
sistant postmaster general: Lawrence
o. Murray, assistant secretary of COM
nerce ard labor; and James r. Gar
field. commissioner of corporations in
the department Of commerce and labor.
The general conclusions of the COM
mittee in the report made public, today,
are summed up as follows:
First: The contract of the 18th of
June was duly executed by the public
printed and the Lanston Monotype Co.,
before its subject matter was called to
YOUR attention and before. therefore
any orders We're or could be issued to
delay action. The law gives the public
printer full discretion to make a con-
tract. and his contracts Cor machinery
do not have to be approved by any SUI
perior officer or by the joint committee
on printing. We know Of no ground
upon which the contract can be sue
cessfully attacked. It's validity is
however, more properly a question for
your legal advisers than for this COM
mittee. If It could be set aside. such a
course would be desirable.
second: No. corrupt consideration
payment or promise passed from the
1910. eoh Monotype CO. TO the public
printer. or to any person in tho GOV
eminent service " - -