The sun., 1905-09-11


that he considered Mr. hcKetts preluoiced
in favor OF the Mergenthaler machnes, and
that he was satisfied IRON Information tnat
came to him that the Mergenthaler com
pany bad ~ oeen tne Prlna3al Pd ,hnSenSe SsoS AZ Hs-
hind Mr.. Ricketts's candldacy. Suoh ois-
sension In a, great government bureau,
between the head OF tne once ana one OF
his most important assistants couio hot
fail TO be preJudiciai 70 the proper conouct
OF It's business
PRINTING MACHINE STOCK HOLDINGS
or the assertion. chat the purchase OF the
Ianston machines was influenced by the
fact that employees Of the printing Office
held stock in the company making them,
the report SAYS:
1T develo ped in the course Of the testi.
mony taken by the committee that several
persons in the Government Printing Office
interested in the stock Of the Lanston and
Mergenthaler companies. Both Of these
stocks are dealt in on the Washington Stock
Exchange, and it is not surprising that in q
body OF men as large as that employed IN
the Government Printing once, whose
setting machinery, some speculation In
Lanston and Mergenthaer stocks should be
found. Inc oommttee , oonslaered =; ~ suca aca
matters OF no importanco, eAcept III Cne esso
Of persons whose acts exercised an mhu-
ence upon the reports submitted to the
Public Printer about the typesetting ma
chimes, or persons who occupied important
positions in the Government Printing
Office, and might be regarded as the assist
ants Of the Public Printer"
Byron w. Bonney, In charge Of the record
clerks division, testified that his wife once
owned some Mergenthaler and some Lam
ston stock and bad sold both. 1t developed
also that the wife OF Albert Cottle, chiei OF
the fifth division, owned some ianston
stock, which she had pought on ner In.
dividual Judgment ana palo ior IL ou1 Oh
her own independent means.
also called He testified
Il want to state further that, after seeing
the adaptability OF this machine to the
different kinds Of work, and feeling, as most
men would feel who had any sense at all,
that the market price must advance neces.
the price Of the stock must rise and !,
being human, wanted to get my share Of IL,
and would have had some had it not been
for the Public Printers protest against my
taking any stock because OF my position
as foreman Of the gazette division, and
they were in my division
n Won tailed with the publio Printer as
to the propriety of this? A. Yes.
O.. And ne advised you AGAINST it3 A. rl He
was his expression.
On the comparative useluiness the
Investigators reach no verdict, although
they discuss at some length the question
raised by, the sixth paragraph OF the
Mergenthaler complaint.
The report thus summarizes the COM
THE COMMITTEES CONCLUSIONS.
.E;re.Tbe cont "a ct OF the 10Th Of June
was div execnted by the Public Printer
and the fanston Monotype Company before
its subject matter was called to your atten-
ton and before. therefore, any orders were
or could he issued to delay action. The law
gives the Public Printer full discretion to
,nake such contract. and his contracts for
naobinerv do not have to be approved by
anv SUPERIOR officer or by the joint com
mittee on printing. We know of no ground
upon which the contract can be successfully
attacked. It's validity is, however, more
pro perly a question for your legal advisers
than for this committee. II it could be set
aside. such curse would be desirable.
.Second-No corrupt consideration, pay
ment or promise passed from the Lanston
Monotype Company to the Public Printer
or to any person in the Government
service,
aThird-The action OF the Public Printer
in making this purchase was, in our opinion.
based largely upon a report from his SUBJ
ordidates claiming superiority Tor the
Lanston machines, which report was based
on unfair tests and imperfect records and
was unjust to the Mergenthaler machine.
.Fourth-Two important assistants OF
the Public Printer, holding positions as
chiefs Of division In the Government Print
ing Office, and connected in important
ways with such report, were indirectly inter-
ested in the Lanston company, their wives
being stockholders therein.
-Fifth-Both the Lanston and Mergen-
thaler machines have done excellent work
In the Government Printing Office and both
are needed there. and, in our. Judgment.