The Washington times., 1905-06-24
.LANSTON CONTRACT
UNDER THE PROBE
MergenthaIer People Seek
Its Abrogation. A
PRESIDENT TAKES A HAND
Claim Made That Purchase of Ma
chimes for G. P. o. Was Not
According to Law.

BY direction of President Roosevelt the
contract for seventv-two typesetting
machines of the Lanston type for the
Government Printing Office has been
held Up pending an investigation now
going on as to the relative merits OF the
Mergenthaler and Lanaon machines.
and the reasons which led to the choice
by Public Printer Palmer of the Lans-
ton machines.
AS soon as they learned that the Lans-
ton machines had been chosen repre-
sentatives Of the Mergen:haler company
called at the White House and filed a
protest This was early in the week, be-
fore the President went to New Eng
land They did not see the President.
but left their complaints with Secretary
Loeb. who laid them before the presi-
dent.
Today Philip T. Dodge, president of
the Afergenthaler company. called on
Secretary Loeb to see what progress
had been made He was told that the
investigation was still going on.
Protest Against Contract.
The claim of the Mergenthaier people
Il that the contract was irreeularly
awarded. They do not admit that the
Lanston machine is superior or even
equal TO theirs The records, thew saw.
show that the Mergentnaler is the bet
ter machine, and that it is used in more
government pripteries and by more large
pGDllShlBg companies than the Lanston
On the other hand, those who own
slCck IN the Lanston company say they
nave beaten out the Mergentkaler con-
Germ oy force of merit. The Public
Printer, they state. has gone over the
m 90 aFI,ll
better and more serviceable machine
Both companies have strong supporters
III Washington The local market has
always shown the quotations of the
stock of the Lanston and Mergenthaler
&C mpanies, and both stocks have been
sleculated IN to considerable extent
Irregular in Form.
The claim Of the Mergerthaler people
is that the contract for the Ianston ma
chimes was let irregularly, and in sup
pert of this they quote a section of the
statute which provides that the foreman
or printing and the foreman of binding
shaI make reQuisition- on the Public
Printer for supplies required. and that
these shall be issued when so reuuisi-
toned. II is alleged that there was no
requisition in this case from the fore
man OF printing for the Lanston ma
chimes, and that, therefore, the contract
has been le- tlregularly.
On the other hand, the Public Print
Ing Office explains that this law does not
relate at ali to the buying of machinery
and supplies, but merely to the Tethod
OF issuing them from the storehOusrS
The section under which machir cry and
supplies are bought is section IS. act vi
1893, ana, IN part, reads as follows.
1t shall be the duty OF the Public
Printer 10 purchase all materials and
machinery which may be necessary tor
the Government Printing Office"
Under this section, il is insisted. the
contract was let, and properly let, on
the basis os the merits of the two ma
chimes The claim is made for the Ian
ston machine that il IS better adapted
10 book work than the Mergenthaler.
Was Not Surprise.
1t was stated at the Public Printing
Office this morning that President
Dodges appeal to the Administration to
have the contract held up and investi-
gated was not a surprise. But the con-
tract has been made. made legally and
regularly. and will be sustained after
any inquiry that may be made" was
the declaration on this point. ''Aoj dou bt
there will be an effort to bring political
pressure to bear, but il will have no
result"
The Lanston company is strong in
Washington, and the Mergenthaler
people have strongly intimated that
some OF the people III the PUBLIC Print
ing Office have become financially inter
ested in the company. AS the big
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