The Washington times., 1905-10-30
PR|NTERY SERVES
SENATE'S FRIENDS
Accommodates Many on the
Outside, SAYS Witness.
ABUSE WORSE THAN HOUSES
Organization of Binders to Solicit
Orders Denied by Assistant
Foreman.
ABUSE WORSE THAN HOUSES

The Lands committee. now investi-
eating the administration OF the Gov
ernmeat Printing Office. obtained today
additional evidence that the printery has
10 turn out much useless printed mat
ter
The statement was also made that
the Senate abuses more than the House
the leave 10 print privilege
Useless Books.
Capt Thomas H. Mckee. now journa.
clerk in the House OF Representatives.
and at other times varfouslv connected
with the document rooms OF the House
and Senate, was first called by the
committee. He gave a list of public
documents which, he thinks. could be
done away with. Among these were
the annual report Of the clerk and the
inventory CT property in the House.
There are many Others he said
Over some that come to the clerks
desk in the House there is more or
less dispute as TO whether they should
be printed. If such documents have
been printed before, in they go TO the
printer Often nobody calls for them
at all. Many are perfectly useless. but
they are published because there is no
way 10 prevent IL
Here Is Loophole
In my mind. this is the loophole for
much of this extravaganza Recently.
this precedent rule has been rigidly
enforced in the House; but In the SEN
ate: there has been much published
simply as q matter OF accommodation
10 outside people There ought TO he
bound limitation of the leave 10
print
Thomas B. Penicks. assistant fore
man OF the biudery at the Government
Printing Office. the next witness. said
economy could be gained by compelling
the executive departments of the Gov
ernnent to have their publications
bound In less expensive materials
Sometimes he declared "a depart-
ment spends $500 or 500 uselesSly in hav-
ing books bound. Wien their app-opria-
tions arc running low they get palmer
and more economical in their tastes
Denies Bindery Story.
Mr.. Penicks said there was no organi-
zation At the prlntery to persuade Rep
resentatives and Senators to have their
reserve documents bound. with the oh
iect OF providing more work at the
birdery.
Capt. William r. Ramsey, foreman of
the specification division at the Govern
ment Printing once. then explained that
the Patent Office Gazette is an expen-
sive publication, much OF the work on
II being done by outside contracts
Il believe" said Mr. Laness. the
printing of that Patent Office Gazette
could be cut down by 100000. Ii costs
now over $4,000 year
Bad Copy Expensive.
Captain Ramsey said he thought II
could be reduced in cost He thought
there ought TO be some law or rule to
compel patent attorneys TO turn in bet
ter prepared and arranged copy to the
Printing Office. He said there are. at
times. many and expensive corrections
made IN proof. as the original copy turn
ed IN by attorneys Is poor aad sloppy" 3"
w a. Smith. clerk in charge Of the
Congressional Record. said thar now the
daily edition OF the Record Is about
s.. nea. large majority OF members OF
Congress. he explained. send out daily
from forty TO fifty-five copies OF il
while some members do not know what
to do with their quota. The full Quota
for each member is fftv-nina comics