The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1905-12-05
THE STATE PRINTER.
(Oregonian.) }


No doubt the state printing costs too
much; but the reason is not so much
that the charges are exorbitant as
that there is altogether too much state
printing. Probably the volume of
state printing could be reduced one
half without depriving the public of
necessary or desired information, and
with actual benefit to the taxpayers.
Public reports are too lorg and too
numerous, and many of them find
their way eventually to the dust heap
At every legislative session vast
number of bills and other documents
are printed that are of no interest
to anybody. Every state institution
of every kind has its catalogues, .cirou-
lars, reports and advertisements
printed at Salem. Much of this
material is valuable, or eresting
and if it is either valuable or interest
ing, there will be no complaint that
the public must foot the bill to put it
i'll type. But great deal of it is not.
Herein, then, is the real abuse in the
public printing. 1t is in the sheer
waste and extravaganza of officials
who grind through the State Printing
Office matter that is unworthy of
anybody's notice.
The last Oregon legislature appro-
priated $60,000 for public printing for
the ensuing biennial term, and $16,-
900 for deficiencies. Minor appropri-
ations will raise the total to $4,000,
no doubt. It is said that the state
printer under the present system
makes net profit of $4,000 a year,
which the Oregonian doubts; but
there is no doubt that he makes
money, and good deal of it, The
excessive emoluments, actual or sup
posed, of the printer have led to de-
mand that there be reform, and the
demand is doubtless well founded.
But we are not entirely sure that the
schemes proposed will bring about
satisfactory results. For example.
the Direct Legislation League Mr..
U'Ren) proposes to place the state
printer on salary. 1t appears to be a
consequence of this method, though
not a necessary one, that the state
printing shall then be let out by con-
tract-a method that is open to grave
objection. 1t will lead to lack Of
uniformity in all public work, which
ought to be sufficient in itself to de-
feat the plan; and it will open the
way to- the frequent scandals of COM
petitive bidding, and the trouble, con-
fusion, dissatisfaction and delays that
are certain to attend contracts with
various printing establishments.
The typographical unions are op-
posed to the U'Ren plan because the
defects of the contract system are
obvious to them as practical printers
and they propose to substitute in its
stead initiative amendments that
shall place the printer on salary
and install state printing plant.
This method is employed by the
United States government and many
states. Objections to it are that it
does not tend at all to correct the
evil of too much printing, but en-
courages it, and that positions in the
state printing establishment would
be sought, and likely enough secured,
on the ground of personal and politi-
cal pull. The state printer would get
his salary, and, unless he were an ex-
ceptional person, he would doubtless
be susceptible to influence by the poll
tlcali bosses or other persons who
would want to place their friends.
But, even with these imperfections,
the union printers plan is to be pre-
ferred to the contract plan; and it
would be at least as good as the present
system, if there is to be no amendment
to the method of conducting the office.
Yet the Oregonian does not hesitate
to say that the present system,
properly directed, is infinitely better
than either of the proposed schemes
of reform.