Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-07-08
PRINTING OFFICE

The government printing office Is rap
idly becoming an object of as much ugly
suspicion as was the Postoilice Depart
ment two years ago, when the rumors
of scandal first attached to that depart
ment. The office is at present under in
yestigation by commission appelned by
the President to investigate certain
charges affecting the contract made by
Public Printer Palmer with the Lanston
Monotype Company for " additional
machines. The charges, it is understood,
came frcm the Mergenthaler Linotype
Company, a rival typesetting machine
company. The testimony so far has not
been of nature to encourage confidence
in the printing office. Public Printer
Palmer has confessed on tbe witness
stand that he held frequent meetings
with the president Of the Lanston Mo
notype Company, and with its chief coun-
sci at the respective homes OF these gen.
tlemen, bad example that appears to
have been followed by three other officials
of the government printing office, who
were connected with the contract The
contract itself that was finally drawn as
the result Of these meetings. was actual
" prepared in The office OF the counsel
for the company.
No evidence has so far been adduced
to prove that actual corruption exists IN
the government printing Office. with
the enormous amount of paper, printing
material of all kinds and bookbinding
material. as we'll as all other supplies
that enter into the daily work OF the
greatest printing establishment in the
world. it is natural that suspicion, based
on the disclosures already made, is be-
ginning to show its head in Washington.
Very .pnwisely, the present commission
investigating the office has decided that
its sessions shall hereafter he absolutely
secret. Naturally such secresy will avail
nothing, and there is now every indica-
ton that one of the first acts OF the
House when Congress meets next winter
will be to order a thorough investigation
OF The government printing office. The
printing committees of Congress are
already charged with the task OF trying
to find out the reasons for the enormous
amount of work, most OF 1t absolutely
useless, which the printing office tuln'
out now at an expense of scores OF mil
lions every year. But with the facts
that have recently cropped out ii is GER
that another investigation will be ordered
which will sink deeper probe into the
management Of the office.
As result of the present scandal over
the typesetiing machines, it is generally
assumed that Public Printer Palmer
will retire. For several years Mr. Oscar
Ricketts,, the foreman Of the office, has
practically assumed the work OF the
Public Printer, owing to that gentle
mans age, and he has for som etime
been regarded rs Mr.. Palmers success
sOr. more that One-half the members OF
the Senate, as well as Speaker Cannon
and large number OF the representa-
tives, being his active supporters for the
position. But the Lanston people, who
openly avow their friendship for Mr..
Palmer, and do not deny their hostility
to Mr.. Ricketts,, have made the charge
that Mr.. Ricketts, is the candidate OF the
Mercenlhaler people, and so il is not
unlikely that Mr.. Ricketts, will lall to
succeed TO an Office whose duties he has
filled for sometime and for which he has
shown himself to be in every way quail
fed. Other designations besides those
of Mr.. Palmer may follow.