New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-29
PRINTING REF0Rus ACCouPLISHED.

Two Joint resolutions have been passed this
week by Congress which Will put 4 whole
some check on eXtravagances in public print
ing. They end two special abuses in the prepa-
ration and dis tribuiOn of documents ordered
by the two houses or charged to their account
on the Public Printers ledgers. One of these
was the reckless Overissue of publications which
could not be forced into circulation. Under the
old system the maximum number of copies
allowed by law was issued in a single edition.
If the maximum was 10000. 10000 volumes
were allotted to the Senate and 100000 to the
House of Representatives. Then each member
was credited with his pro rata share and was
expected to push it into circulation. The Ques-
ton of adjusting supply to demand was never
raised. nor was any consideration given TO the
fact that a publication interesting to some spe-
cial section might have no value or attraction
for the rest of the country. \ few Senators
and Representatives in that case would eX-
haust their small quotas, while the great bulk
of the edition would be left to mOulder in some
storage sub-cellar.
The wastage under this system was enor-
nous The joint Committee on Printing has
cited few striking instances Of OvereStimated
demand. OF the special report on Diseases
of the HoTse"-one of the best sellers" ever
issued by the Government Printing Otiice-2OO-
642 copies were published. But to-day 70094
copies are left Undistributed in the House
and Senate folding rooms, representing a cost
exclusive Of plates of S}3,64J. Congress or
dered 1862 copies of the report of the Swayne
impeachment proceedings but only 3,542 copies
got into circulation. OF the bound volumes Of
The Congressional Record" for the second
session of the 5Sth Congress. 1890 sets, or
% 100 volumes. costing $122.323. were ordered
There are still ON hand as an undigeSted and
indigeStble surplus S.79j sets or G1.563 vol
umes. The government is actually renting three
buildings for $4,000 a year for the sole pur
pose Of storing dead documentary matter and
the committee says that 400 freight cars would
not be enough to carry the accumulated surplus
out of Washington. The remedy suggested for
the evil of OverprOductiOn is simple and IA
tional. 1t directs the printing of all documents
i'm two or more editions, that the supply can
be adjusted to the actual demand. This will
mean on the average publication a saving of
from 40 to 30 per cent.
The second abuse corrected was that of charg-
ing 10 Congress expensive departmental work
for which it was in no way responsible Under
the old system the cost Of printing all reports
made to Congress was met out Of the Con
gressional printing fund The departments eX-
banded their reports and filed them with illus
Tated matter, which they wanted to use sub
sequently for other purposes and SO shifted
the original expense from their own shoulders
One departments printing bill in 19O4'OJ was
on the face of the record S2OT,9S3 but the
actual cost Of the work done for it was $G34.-
5l4. Congress had TO assume 10 per cent of
this departments printing charges. The lcgis-
latiOn just passed provides that the deuart-
ments shall he charged with the costs of the
printing which they originate Congress paying
only for such copies Of any report as the two
houses actually receive and circulate This re
arrangement will compel the departments to
reduce their printing expenses and Will help
greatly to discourage useless and extrayagant
printing ventures In the last fiscal year the
governments outlay for publication purposes
was $7133OO0 With the reforms just enacted
and others which are to he effected in the exec
uuve departments and in the Printing Office
itself the annual charge should fall within
few years to $G,OOOO0O. or even S5.O0O0OO