The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-11
FEAR INQUIRY IN
NATIONS PRINTERY
Type Machine Companies Anx-
ious to Quiet Trouble Over
Palmer.
Congressional Investigation Like
ly to Lead to Some Rad
ical Changes.
BY w. w. Jermane.

BY w. w. Jermane.
Washington, Sept. 1.-THE govern
ment printing office situation, in one
of it's important phases, reminds one of
the story in the Arabian Nights Of
the poor fisherman who opened a. bot
tie which he had pulled up on his line
permitted the escape Of a wicked genie,
who threatened to take his life. AS the
fisherman unwittingly raised a spirit
which he could not subdue, except after
most skilful management, so the rival
Mergenthaler and Lanston typesetting
machine companies seem, thru their bit
ter rivalries growing out OF printing OF Of
ing investigation Of the entire printing
office, themselves included, at the hands
of congress. Neither company wants
such an investigation, and, like the
fisherman, having unwilling permitted
the escape of the genie from the bottle,
they are now doing their best to put
him back again.
Bottom of the Middle.
These contracts are at the bottom
of the entire printing office muddle,
including the recent swift dismissal OF
Public Printer Palmer. It was the Mer-
| genthaler company. which paved the
way 1Of Inc puICHdoo VI 'JR0'oooIuS
machines by the government, When the
time came to bid, however, the Lanston
company put in an appearance, and 1t
took so much of the contract as to- an
ger the Mergenthaler company, which
then began to stir up trouble.
Graft charges have been made right
and left by the partizans Of each side,
flee officials have been involved. These
charges may or may not be true. Most
people will prefer to reserve Judgment
until some authoritative agency has
gone to the bottom of them. That they
are proper subject of investigation
is beyond question.
Officials Took Sides.
Officials in the printing office took
and the great establishment was broken
up in factions which displayed a great
deal of bitterness. Public Printer
: Palmer was the head of one of these
factions, and it so happened that Oscar
J. Ricketts,, his confidential adviser and
foreman of printing, headed another
, This situation strained the previously
; close relationship existing between the
two men to the breaking point, and
finally led to the foolish attemp pit or
Palmer's part to dismiss Ricketts, an6
one of Ricketts, lieutenants, l.. G. Hay
$ a foreman. The president, at long range
! took aahand in the affair, and the up
; shot was that Palmer was last weel
: summarily dismissed from his position
in advance Of the time originally al
D lowed him in which to get out, ant
8 Fprlnter in his stead-a most bitter pill
n for Palmer.
During the progress of the type ma
chine fight, the president asked tn
= Keep commission to investigate tn
. Lanston contracts. It did SO, and re
= ported that the contracts were all right
. . and that no evidence Of fraud could b
II discovered.
r Investigation Incomplete.
8 This investigation, however, it is as
# serted by many disinterested men, wa
4 not thoro. These men do not alleg
- fraud, but they say that in view Q
8 the Doodle charges which have bee
j. made 50 freely in the newspapers, COZ
Ie gress should take the question up an
80 determine just whs~tt4 the situation i
H. These men are not pursuing eithe
- company. All they want is a "squa1
W deal, - and they insist that a con gre
10 sional investigation will insure this.
20 The Keep, commission is a commit
"a "a sion of bookkeepers. None Of it's men
ID bers is an inquisitor. None of the
p which distinguish Joseph L. Bristow
. fourth assistant postmaster genera
s. They are young men, for the most par
Us without long experience in public lif
a. and with little knowledge Of the so
'e, required in the unearthing Of frau
C. The commission was appointed to i
OF quire generally into the government
to methods of doing business, with vie
to determining if it would not be pc
sible to simplify the existing system
and secure greater efficiency and co
formity. For such purpose, the col
an mission is satisfactory. But nothi1
that it might have to say regarding
question of graft would be regard
as necessarily conclusive or convincin
ut ut Hit-and-Miss Printery.
zee It is not unlikely that compression
an investigation Of the printing off
! would discover condition Of alta
nd that would make the typesetting n
chine contracts relatively insignifica
mt even if graft were discovered. This
no establishment has been running ]
avtt many years, in a sort Of hit.and-m
ART way, regardless Of expense and withc
on proper or efficient management. \
'de Palmer is now upwards Of 70 years
re. age, and is feeble in health a
at strength. For several years Mr.. Ri,
etts has, to all intents and purpos
7AS Deen pubic printer, and yet he has be
md unable to- correct abuses and extra,
er- gances because Mr.. Palmer held
The veto over him.
as There is no question that the !,
kes hand held over the establishment by ]
the Palmer has resulted in feuds in the
ties fee. There are numerous little bal
Of partizans there, each headed
some vigorous leader, and they make
a business to prey on the regulate
,at- Of the members Of rival bands, m,
ent after the system Of unceasing predat
an, warfare Of the old Scotch clans, I'll
ich the entire office has become demon
be lied.
an Palmer an Honest Man.
1er, In Mr.. Palmer's behalf it should
l1a said that he is personally an hon
oft' and Well-meaning man. During
=, earlier years Of his long term as pul
Ine printer, age had not begun to imr
ne his strength or to emphasize cert
ing idiosyncrasies which Of late have b
far very marked, and his services were
tirely acceptable. It is generally
mitted that he has outstayed his ]