Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1905-12-08
THE REAL ABUSE.

HE KEAL ABUSE.
The following editorial remarks by
the Oregonian concerning the State
Printing Office are so sensible and
directly to the point that they should
be read and re-read by every voter in
Oregon:
''No doubt the state printing costs
too much; but the reason is not so
much that the charges are eXorbitant
as that there is altogether too much
state printing. Probably the volume
OF printing could be reduced one-half
without depriving the public Of neces-
sary or desired information, and with
actual benefit to the taxpayer Public
reports are too long and too numerous,
aud many Of them find their way
eventually to the dust heap. Atevery
legislative session a vast number Of
bills and other documents are printed
that are of no interest to anybody
Every state institution of every kind
has its catalogues, circulars, reports
and advertisements printed at Salem.
Much OF this material is valuable, or
interesting; and If it is either valuable
or interesting, there will be no COM
plant that the public must foot the
bill to put it in type. But great deal
Of it is not. Herein, then, is the real
abuse in the public printing. 1t is in
the sheer waste and extravaganza Of
officials who grind through the State
Printing Office matter that is un-
worthy Of anybody's notice.
'"The last Oregon Legislature APP
propriated 100000 for public printing
for the ensuing biennial term, and
$4,000 for deficiencies. Minor appro
prlations will raise the total to $50, 900,
no doubt. 1t Is said that the State
Printer under the present system
makes net profit of $4,000 a year,
which the Oregonian doubts; but there
Is no doubt that he makes money, and
good deal Of it, The excessive emol-
uments, actual or supposed, Of the
Printer have led to q demand that
there be a reform, and the demand is
doubtless we'll founded. But we are
not entirely sure that the schemes
proposed will bring about satisfactory
results. For example, the Direct
Legislation League (Mr. U'Ren) pro-
poses to place the State Printer on
salary. Itappears to be consequence
Of this method, though not a necessary
one, that the state printing shall then
be let out by contract-a method that
is open to grave objection. 1t will lead
to lack Of uniformity in all public
work, which ought to be sufficient in
itself to defeat the plan; and it will
open the way to frequent scandals of
competitive bidding, and the trouble,
confusion, dissatisfaction and delays
that are certain to attend contracts
with various printing establishments.
"The typographical unions are OPP
posed to the U'Ren plan because the
defects to the contract system are
obvious to them as practical printers
and they propose to substitute in it's
stead an initiative amendment that
shall place the printer on salary
and install state printing plant.
This method is employed by the United
States Government and many states.
Objections to it are that it does not
tend at all to correct the evil Of too
much printing, but encourages it, and
that positions in the state printing
establishment would be sought, and
likely enough secured on the ground |
of political and personal pull. The
State Printer would get his salary, |
and, unless he were an exceptional /,
person, he would doubtless be sus-
ceptible to influence by the political |
bosses or other persons who would |
want to place their friends, But,
even with these imperfections, the
union printers plans is to be pre-
ferred to the contract plan; and it
would be at least as good as the
present system, il there is to be no
amendment TO the method Of conduct
ing the Office. Yet The Oregonian
does not hesitate to say that the
present system, properly directed, is
Infinitely better than either of the
proposed schemes of reform.
''The schedule of prices in the State
Printing Office is too high. A per-
fectly simple and obvious remedy is
to reduce them, and pay for the work
what it is worth. There is too much