Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-03-30
STATE PRINTER CANDI-
DATE FOR DENOMINATION
j. X. Whitney. Present Incumbent.
Gives Reasons Why He Should
Win at the Primaries.

ext mt as to the emoluments of the
state printer and the practical work
ings of the office. 1t is not the big
fat Office it is accused of being
In the first place the appropriation
for printing" conveys a wrong i'm.
preston. The biennial appropriation
is rot for printing alone, bat includes
also the cost of paper, ruling election
supplies aud many smaller items,
amounting for the biennial period to
about s23, ,0OO. The last report of the
secretary of state to the legislature
will show these figures to be correct
Then the state printer must provide
his own printing plant and pay all
running expenses of the Office. The
pay rolls alone for the two years ex-
ed $25, 900. The Salem Topographic
cal Union can bear out the accuracy
of this statement The cost of ma
terial, limited amount of work done
in outside union Offices during a rush
in the state printing Office, rent, power.
inks, and hundred other expenses,
adds fully $40, 900 more. This makes
$5S, 600 expenses which the state
printer does not get.
Thus it will bs readily seen that
when the cost of production of the
printing is taken into consideration,
the state printing office is not all pro-
fit. 1t is just like any other printing
business. 1t costs something to run it.
Criticism has been for years directed
at the state printing office and it seems
that it still continues. The present
state printer has been accused of graft,
of dividing the profits of the office
with political bosses, and of further
division for the use of the state print
ing plant. There is absolutely no truth
in tn Sc statements. | pay 500 per
month rental for the plant and no
more. which is considered reasonable
rental. haye LEASE duly signed to
this effect, and there has been no di-
vision of the Office with any person.
The fees paid the state printer are
fixed by law, and every item printed
is measured by an expert printer, ap-
pointed by the governor, whose duty
it is to measure the printing and sffix
the amount due as provided by law.
Governor Chamberlain appointed to
this position Mr.. Albert Tozier, dem
ocrat, practical printer, and secre.
tary of the Oregon Press Association,
whose integrity is unqnestioned and
who has measured all printing done
and approved all bills therefor in strict
accordance with law. Every bill for
printing is also carefully audited by
the secretary of state. Mr.. Dunbar is
acknowledged TO be one Of the best off.
GERS the state has ever had, and his
auditing stamp of approval is suffi lent
guarantee of honest accounting.
The state printing office is target
of attack without just reason. The
heavy cost of printing in past years
has been chiefly due TO the large num-
Der of copies printed. This has been
reduced by law, and the price now
paid by the state for most of the pub
tic printing is not above that charged
by the printing firms OF Portland, and
some of it is considerably less. For
some classes of work, especially where
a large number of copies ar required
to be printed the price should be re-
duced somewhat.
/ have given this subject careful
study. and believe there are two meth
ods by which the cost of printing
could be kept down to minimum.
One is to limit the volume of printing
and revise the schedule of prices upon
an up to-dste basis, the same as that
OF commercial printing generally. The
other is for the state to own and oper-
ate its own printing plant and to pay
the state printer a reasonable fiat, fixed
salary. Either of these plans, or sim
liar plans along these lines, which the
Legislature mi ght adopt for the better
ment of the sevrice, would meet my
hearty support.
My republicanism will be attested by
the people of Linn county, where
formerly edited the Daily and Week
ly Herali or twenty years.
AS a native Oregonian and printer
of twenty-five years experience, have
endeavored TO conduct the state print
ing Office in clean, business-like man
Der, and as a candidate for second
term. am willing to stand upon my
record. The books Of the Office are
open for inspection.
Y WHITNEY