The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-02
LINOTYPES MAY VIC.
win Probably Be Placed in State Of
fee After All.

Indications are that the long state
printing Office fight between the Mer-
gentha5er linotype and the monotype
Is about to be ended. and that the limo
type people VIII win. The state print
ing commission viii have a meeting
early in April. at which the fight viii
be finally settled.
For some time the monotype has
been on the inside track 1t seemed
to enjoy the preference of two out Of
the three members Of the commission.
Ed Harris, the foreman of the Crane
plant. has been q staunch supporter Of
the monotype; State Senator Geo. z.
Tucker has been just as strong on the
side Of the linotype. @. s. Gleed OF
Topeka. the third member of the com
mission. has been noncommittal, with
strong leanings toward the monotype.
The rUmor is now, however, that
MI Gleed will support the linotype.
1t is not likely that the commission
viii buy either form Of machine They
win rent for the present, and wait for
the next legislature to make an ap-
The money which the last legislature
appropriated for the purpose of buy
ing equlpm ent for the plant has all
been used for something else besides
typesetting machinery, and the print
ing commission is at the end Of it's
financial string.
The linotype machines cost about
$500 each The mOnOtypes cost from
$4,000 up, However, one mOnotype
has larger capacity than one Hno-
type. So far as cost is concerned, the
two machines are about standoff.
The monotype people offered to sell
their machines to the state and walt
for the next session of the legislature
for their pay BY merely renting the
machines, however. the state win be
time, provided the kind first adopted
IS found unsatisfactory
The competition between the limo
type and monotype people Is Of such
fierce and aggressive nature that the
chances are they viii get together and
form a trust pretty soon to save ex-
penSe Of fighting each other The
linotype concern is a big, husky COM
pany with S50,00O,000 capital which
has reputation for fighting for
everything 1t wants and not being very
careful about the feelings of its small
competitors. Tt never had much real
competition until the monotype com
menced an aggressive campaign for
business some years ago The mono
type evidently got some good men in
It's employ, FOR it engineered a deal for
placing 70 mOnotype machines in the
government printing Office. This
created a great sensation in the print
ing world and there were all sorts of
charges Of corruption But the mono
type did not lose its grip. The govern
rnent printing Office is using mOnotyDe
machines, and the mOnOtyDe people
received about $500, 600 in payment.
Since that time, the monotype has
been going after the linotype business
hammer and tongs, and in some in
stances has been able to disDlace the
older machines
Whatever the printing commission
decides to do about renting machines
will likely decide what kind of ma
chimes the plant will continue to use
for good many years. A machine
once in place IS likely to stay.
It. B. Brown. the foreman of the
state printing plant, and State Printer
T. A McNeal are both in favor of the
linotype machines, and this likely had
a good deal to do with bringing about
the alleged change in Mr.. -CsIeed's at
ttude.