The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-11
Palmer's SubOrdinQteS
Led Him by the Ear
Keep Commission Finds That Public Printer
Was Msled-WiveS of Assistants Held
Stock in Lanston COMPANY.

AANSAucllt tNOOSeNelt mas approved VI
the conclusions of the Keep commission
III its recent investigation of the Lans-
undergraduates typesetting machine
controversy and the awarding of certain
contracts for machinery at the Govern
ment Printing Office.
The President concurs with the recon-
mendations made by the commission in
all except the annulling of the Lanston
contract. In his review of this feature
OF the report the President says:
1t does not appear that there is any
question to the validity of the con-
tract in question If II had not been
for the conduct of the Mergenthaler
people in preferring the charge discussed
by the committee. that of corruption,
should agree that it would be desirable
to set aside the contract if such
course was legal"
The report develops the fact that two
'important" assistants of Public Printer
Palmer were indirectly interested in the
Lanston company, their wives being
stockholders in the company The re-
port shows that fair and impartial test
was not made and that the purchase
of such a large number of machines
was considered as "maladministration."
Proved a Myth.
The charges that the Mergenthaler
company was behind Oscar ]. Ricketts,.
foreman OF printing, and was using all
its efforts to GUST the Public Printer
and have Ricketts, succeed him, is
proved to be myth.
In its general conclusions, the report
as made public. follows:
"First-The contract of the 18th of
June was duly executed by the Public
Printer and the Lanston Monotype Com
pany. before its subject-matter was call
ed to your attention. and before, there
fore, any orders were, or could be. Is
sued to delay action. The law gives
the Public Printer full discretion to
make such a contract, and his contracts
for machinery do not have TO be APP
proved by any superior officer or by the
joint Committee on Printing. We know
OF no ground upon which the contract
can be successfully attacked It's valid
ity Is, however more properly ques-
tion for your legal advisers than for this
committee. If II could be set aside, such
a course would be desirable.
''Second-No corrupt consideration,
payment or promise passed from the
1anston Monotype Company 10 the Pun
lie Printer or to any person In the Gov.
eminent service
.'Thrd-The action of the Public
Printer In making this purchase was, IN
our opinion, based largely upon a report
from his subordinates, claiming SUI
periority for the Lanston machines.
which report was based on unfair tests
and imperfect records. and was unjust
to the Mergenthaler machine
Women Held Stock.
"Fourth-Two important assistants of
the Public Printer, holding positions as
chiefs of division in the Government
Printing Office and connected in i'm
portant ways with such report, were in
directly interested in the Lanston Com
pany; their wives being stockholders
therein.
thaler machines have done excellent
work in the Government Printing Once.
and both are needed there, and, in our
Judgment both should have been pur-
chased but further than this we express
no opinion 10 their comparative
merits for particular classes OF work
..Sixth-The purchase OF forty-hYe
Ianston machines costing about $4,000,
for work on patent specifications, with
out any test or the MergenthaIer ma
chine on this work. although a request
for a fair test of the two machines on
the particular work had been made by
the Mergenthaler Company; and al
though the Public Printer had promised
the Mergenthaler Campony careful
consideration OF the merits or the two
machines on this work, was great par
lie Printer. We consider IL maladminis-
tration-
..SeyPurh-The openly aNOWeC Dene1 OIL
the Public Printer that the Mergenthaler
Linotype Company had been at the bot
tom Of the movement TO secure his re
tnoval from office. and the strong sup
port he received from Dir. Dove, presi-
dent of the Lanston company, and from
General Kitchener. his intimate personal
friend OF twenty years standing, counsel
for the Lanston company, had put the
Public Printer IN a condition OF mind
which rendered him Incapable OF Impair
tial action in the purchase OF typesetting
machinery for his ONCE
The total cost of the machines pur-
chased was about $3.50
The report refers 10 frequent visits
made by Public Printer Palmer e
the home in Washington OF ]. Maury
Dove. president of the Lanston com
pany Mr. Palmer said that, being sub
feet to interruption at his office. IL wa;
more convenient for him TO transact th'
business at Mr.. Doves house Mr.. Dow
testified that he spent four days eacl
week IN Philadelphia. and had otheI
made II more convenient for him to have
the Public Printer call at his house
Commenting on these meetings. the re
Whether the motive for the meeting
at Mr.. Doves house was 70 proven
knowledge of the negotiations from
reaching other persons, and especially Z
prevent such knowledge from reachini
the Mergenthaler Linotype Company. o.
whether these meetings were based uool
the business convenience of Mr.. Dove. o
whether both reasons were in mind, is
matter for conjecture.
Negotiations Kept Quiet.
IF one object was TO keep the nego
tiations quiet, the purpose was full.
obtained, as the Mergenthaler Linotyp
Company appears not to have known
that any negotiations for the purchas.
OF machines were proceeding until tn
announcement Of the matter was mad
IN the public press.
''In view Of the fact that the purchas
of machinery thus agreed upon on tn
18th OF June was one of the most impor
tant in the history OF the Governmen
Printing Office: In view of the reQues
CRY NEAnkEuE