Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-21

ter IN patience. waiting in silence Tor
the complete vindication wnich we
knew we were entitled to, ana whicn
| has come to us as result or the
searching legislative inquiry Instituted
ut our request. We intend from THIS
time forth. with ample official testi-
mony to back us. to expose falsehoods
of this character AMI to call them by
their right names.
What are the facts? OF twelve
practical printers who were summoned
before the printing committee. aside
from Mr.. Flynt of the kennebec Jour-
nal, only four were summoned at the
request of the Public Printer. Six
we're summoned at the request of Mr..
Nichols, and two came at the request
Of the committee. 1t is only fair to
say that of the six practical printers
summoned to the hearings at the re-
called to the stand by his attorneys,
and all of these three gave most val
liable testimony for the Public Printer
on cross examination. This testimony.
however, was suppressed so far as the
Lewiston Journals report was con-
cerned. Why were the other three not
permitted to testify? Our readers can
draw their own inference in view Of
the fact that we were reliably inform
ed that one Of the three expressly
stated to the counsel for Mr.. Nlchois
that mis- testimony would not help inc
latter. In his false and abusive crl'i-
cisms of the unanimous report OF the
Printing committee this expert PRINT
or" says, the humbug Of double charge
for blue ink is not alluded to-. There
never was double charge for blue
ink. which. by the way. is used on less
than one per cent of the printing. The
law allows double price for colored ink
on PRESS WORK ONLY. which 1t
was shown in testimony was only
fair price on the small runs that con-
stit,Ite nine tenths of this work.
Continuing the expert printer" says:
The committee does not explain why
the state Printer, while under contract
to do the State work. at the stated
price per unit was allowed to make
special contract for the Revised Stat
utes. We know printer whose bid was
within three cents per copy of the sue
cessful bidder in previous revision who
attempted to get a part of this work. He
was promptly turned down with the
statement that this was the State Print
ter's job" More falsehood--and need
less falsehood. Hon. Wallace II. White.
who was the chairman of the judiciary
committee when the resolve was re-
ported giving the Public Printer the
printing Of the Statutes, lives in Lew
iston and could have told the expert
printer'-if he had really desired to
| ascertain the truth-that no special
| contract was ever made for doing
this work. He could have told him.
moreover. that neither the Public
Printer nor any member of his firm
was ever before the committee to ask
for the printing of the Statutes. In
response to an inquiry at the time as
IN -h,, hnI
task we were informed that it was due
to the fact that the Statute prices I'M
der which we were doing the State
printing were considerably lower than
any figures which the committee was
able to get from Maine printers for the
performance Of this work. We cheer
fully leave it to the practical printers
Of Maine to say how much margin there
was to us in doing this large volume,
exclusive of the index. within period
of sixty days, at A. cents per thousand
ems.
There are other mis- statements in
viz al tbNiC VI cApcIl printer Out
these will suffice to indicate it's gen.
eral character. While the bitter hos
tllity of the publication in which this
screed appeared. to the Kennebec
Journal. is SO well known by the peo-
PIE of Maine. as largely to neutralize
anything it may say to prejudice us.
being now specially well understood
by the members Of the present legisla-
ture. we feel that it's falsehoods at this
time may well be met in these col
unns. While those uttered by it i'm the
earlier part Of the session can be cared
| for later.
There will be general satisfaction at
the selections made, yesterday. by the
subordinate city officials. The nomi-
rees of the Republican caucus were in.
dorsed by the joint convention, and the
city has the assurance that the vari-
| o'lS Offices will be well filed. Most Of
I ha as..s