Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-11
THE PRESIDENT.
Continued from Page One.)

our opinion. based largely upon a re.
port from his subordinates, claiming
superiority for the Lanston machines
which report was based on unfair tests
and imperfect records; and was unjust
to the Mergenthalar machine.
"FOurtk Two important assistants
of the public printer, holding positions
Us chiefs of division. in the government
printing office, and connected in i'm
portant ways with such report, Were
indirectly interested i'm the Lanston Co.,
their wives being stockholders thereof.
Fifth: Both the Lanston and Mer-
genthaler machines have done excellent
work in the government printing office
and both are needed there. and. in our
judgment, both should have been pur-
chased: but further tnaI this, we eX-
rress no opinion as to their COMPARE
tive merits for particular classes OF
work.
sixth: The purchase of As Lanston
machines. costing about $4,000. for
work on patent specifica lions. without
any test Of the Mersenth&ler machine
on this work, although request for a
fair test of the two machines on this
particular work had been made by the
Mergenthaler Co.. and although the
public printer had promised the Mer-
genthaler Co. careful consideration Of
the merits of the two machines on this
work, was IN improviden; purchase
and indicates great parti1lity and bias
on the part of the public printer. We
consider it maladminIstration.
Seventh: The openly avowed belief
of the public printer that the Mergen :
thaler Linotype Co. had been at the
bottom of the movement to secure his
removal from Office, ana the strong sup
port he received from Mr.. Dove. presi-
ocnt of the Lanston 60. and from Cen
eral Kitchener. his intimate personal
friend of 20 years standing counsel for
the Lanston Co. had put the public
printer i'm a condition OF mind which
rendered MIN Incapable of impartial
action in the purchase of typesetting
machinery for his Office.
The total cost of the machines pur-
chased WAS about s23O.0O0.
The report refers to frequent visits
made by Public Printer Palmer to the
home in Washington of J. Maury Dove
president of the Lanston Co. Mr.. Pal
mer said that being subject to inter-
ruptiOn at his Office, it was more con-
vcnient for him to transact the bust
ness at Mr. Doves house. Mr.. Dove
testified that he spent four days each
week in Philadelphia and had other
busine IS interests in Washington which
made IT more convenient for the public
printer to call at his house.
Commenting on these meetings. the
report says that if one motive was to
keep the negotiations secret. the OBJ
iect was attained because the Mergen-
thaler Co. does not appear to have
known that any negotiations for the
purchase of machines were in progress
until il was announced in the public
press. Continuing, the report says:
In view of the fact that the pur-
chase of machinery thus agreed upon
in the 18th of June was one of the
most important in the history of the
government printing office; in view of
the request of tho Mcrgenthaler peo-
pie as expressed in Mr.. Dodges letters
TO the public printer asking to be adj
vised whether additional purchases of
typesctting machinery were in con-
anu VI ltit BuDllc printer -
reply thereto that he was not yet ready
to take the matter up. but that when
the time came the comparative merits
Of the two machines would have his
careful consideration. and in view of
the intimate political and personal re-
lationship between the public printer
md Gen. Kitchener. the counsel for the
Lanston Monotype Co. it is our opin-
ion that this purchase should not have
been negotiated at the private resi-
hence of Mr.. Dove and General Mich
ener. but at the governcment printing
office. and that the method followed in
this case was highly Improper; also
that the Mergenthalcr Linotype Co.
should have been Informed that the
purchase of additional machines was
under consideration. and should have
been given an opportunity to be heard.
Concerning the opinion which, the
report says. was "avowed and express
ed by Mr.. Palmer and General Michen-
er and Mr.. Dove to each other and to
members of Congress. in connection
with the movement to have oscar j.
Ricketts,. foreman of printing appoint
I'd public printer, namely, that he was
the candidate of the Mergenthaler com
pany. the committee declares that it
finds in the evidence nothing TO sup
port tie theory or to Mr.. Ricketts, dis
credit. The important fact is. the COM
mittee says. that Mr.. Ricketts,. who
from his position as supervisor of the
work, was in the very best
position to know the relative merits
Of the two machines. was not consulted
by the public printer in the matter Of
The purchase. Tho public printer gave
as his reason for this his belief that
Ricketts, was backed by Mergenthaler
influence.
Such diSSensiOn in great govern
ment bureau the report says, "be-
tween the head of the office and one of
his principal assistants could not fail
to be predudicial to the proper con-
duct of its business"
The committee discovered from the ,tes-
timony that at the time of the cxamina-
ton several persons in the printing office
were interested in the stocks of the LanS-
ton and Mcrgenthaler Cos. Both these
stocks are deal in on the Washington ex-
change and the committee finds nothing
strange in the fact that out of as large
a number Of men as that employed in the
government printing office some should
speceulate in such stocks. The committee
considered such matters of no Importance