The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-26
THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING
President Roosevelt Issues Orders for
the Exclusion of Unnecessary Matter
i'm Annual Reports and Careful Prep
aration of All Copy Before Going to
the Printer-Suggests That IN o.
flee is Oyercrowded With Help.

the Printer-Suggests That the OI-
fee is Overcrowded With Help.
Washington. January 21-To do
away with unnecessary printing orig
mating in the departments, and TO I'M !
prove the form of the annual reports
and other department documents, the
President has issued the following n
structions, applicable to Eli the exeea-
tive departments: 1
There shall be appointed by The .
bead of each of the executive derart-
ments an advisory committee op the
subject of printing and publication.
The chairman shall be an assistant
| secretary, or other qualified official.
and at least one member of me COM
mittee shall have had practical ex-
perience. in editing and printing.
1t shall be the duty Of such COM
u5ttee. under direction Of the head OF
tie departmsat to see that unneces-
sary mattre is excluded from reports
end publications; to see that copy Is
tcarefully edited before, and not after,
going 10 1he printing office; TO DO
I away witk the publication OF unneces-
saly matter is excluded from repo1S
cal mattar be published in condensed
and Intelligent form; te supervise tns
prepa ration of blank forms; TO require
the freenent revision of the mailing
lists, TT prevent duplication OF PRINT
ing by different buTeaus; 20 exclhde
unnecessary illustrations from depa~L-
ment documents, ant to prevent d
printing of the maximum EDITION al
lowed by law whe1 - smaller EDITION
uSlI ~x1fice. TO recommend to the head
of 4hc department. for inclusion 1T the
recommendations contained in his an
n,raT reports needed changes II stat
utes governing department plDilca-
l6dss."
The President also has directed that
= tnf following general principals sinai.
hereafter govern the form OF annual
re ports of the various bureaus ana o.
fees of the departments.
First. Annual reports shall be con
1iY ed to concise accounts or sork done
S and expenditures incurred during the
E reriod covered, with recommendations
relating to the future, lnciHllnS pians
flor work to be undertaken.
Z Second. Cumtra buttons to- knowledge
o in the form of scientific tra2tises SNAIL
n not he included in annual reports.
.oThird, Illustrations liz nnuai re
norts shall be excluded, except "a
maps and diagrams Indispensable u
l. the understanding of the text; ID
{ views showing conditions in outlying
possessions of the Unitef States AM
&c relating to work don or recommends
u tons made. -.o,
"Fonrth. Inserted material, writer
Is or compiled by persons connected VII
20 the reDortiDg office, and biographies
{ and eulogistic matter relating 10 III
Sc nast or present personnel OF the ONO
, shall be excluded. :,
"Eifth Reports of officers who u
not report directly to the head OF d
executive department shall not u
he printed in the annual report OIL d ue
partment, but where necessary sAa
he summarized in the reports OF u
IL officials to whom such ofhcers 90 le
port. ;,.orto
IT "Sixth. Tables shall be lnserte
only when verbal summaries ana s'oos
% ments Of totals are on
- complete texts of laws n court u
cisions shall, except IN cases OIL si0'
os importance, be excluded.
ILL., seventh. Detailed descriptions an
iCfC rp1GcllOlko.
n specifications and personnel employs
sbau he omitted except when require
hv their unusual importance or [
RS ny ne
statute. ~.
The President also tl'
IN he Will appointza general committee {
hookmaking. advisory to all the oepaf
ell monts to consist Of the librarian :
20" Con oress as chairman, the pubic pr
~ q commemorative of the Gepaftnle'
vi doing the largest amount OF prlnll'
and two printers, not IN the pupilc Sc
vice of large experience IN mdhil
'ou GOOD books, who are to serve wilho
vi CONDENSATION other than their lla'e
III ;no ~axnenses. This committee is 10
ehl annointed to promote h econon
utility. appropriateness, beauty, oul
ere bilitT and so far as practical, the III
leo formitv of the government pupllc
t,onx This committee is not TO ue
III ri+b the contents OF publications, d
ihs soleIv with their forms, size, style' 4
~ ner. type, makeup and blndlhs:
clC~ This action of the President IS |
"a result of a report made 10 mn! ~ =
ne nublic printing by -tae commlt.ee
idepartment methods, popularly NV !,
las the Keep commission, "niCn = :
ieId heen investigating the supJecC w
direction. This report was nl""o ~
tic today. :, this
ore Various recommendations IN inns s;,
ded mort, relating to the government di'
ina ing Office. also have been apploseu
at the President, and will De slaue =
an subject of a communication lro ~ = =
me-. to h pupiic 49, i IN tho nrinti
ade mmlstratlVe o na NV the comm
nty Office, nmnnrjng. .sThe install
,ers tee, are me 1oaan;ne system in
ton OF d - Heat;ne of7ce and the e
led. government arnart assistance in
site ploysfehl y, irs+on,. the keeping
stScieaev records of the work OF e
elnvss and the use of such records
pross a~+ competen persons; n
"0 aor paid at