New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-26
AFTER STATE PRINTER.
4RnSTRONG HITS HARD.
offers Bill to Defeat alleged
"Grafing" Plans.

Albany. Jan Ex-senator Armstrong chalr-
man OF the insurance investigating committee
introduced a bill to-day authorizing the com
mittee 10 print FIVE thousand copies Of its report
for distribution 10 legislators, and carrying an
appropriation OF $4,000 FOR that purpose AS
ser,blvman Cox introduced the same bill in the
! Assembly.
/ In urging the speedy passage Of the bill Sena-
tor Armstrong took up the entire fight when
/ the committee has had with the state printers
over the insurance report criticising the conduct
| of the Brandow Printing Company. Of this city
| and charging conditions almost akin to black
mail and conspiracy. He declared that while
his statements were of most astounding char
acter. he could prove them by the testimony of
men he considered absolutely trustworthy
! Practically the only way in which the COM
mittee could get a printed report for distribu-
ton to the legislators the time their bills were
submitted, Senator Armstrong said. was TO have
one printed i'm this way. numberless obstacles
! had been thrown in the way of completing the
printing by the official printers solely that they
might get on the market their own private ed
tion, making from $4,000 to 100000 profit.
1t the boast of this insolent and piratical
printing house." he said. that IL had political
influences st their command which would enable
it TO carry out its design He read state
ment from the Law Reporting Company of No.
81 Wall-st, New-York. which took the testi-
mony at the hearings. telling in detail Of propo-
sitions said to have been made by Mr. Brandow.
head OF the concern, TO them to combine" and
hold up the printing until a private edition had
been put on the market at $50 a set.
Senator Armstrong; denunciation Of the
BRANDON company was like a bombshell The
Senate listened with the closest attention When
Mr.. Armstrong had finished speaking Senator
Bracket said that If his charges We're true
/ they would make necessary the abrOgation Of
! the States contract with the BRANDON com
pauv and an investigation looking 20 punish
| ment. Senator Armstrong replied that Senator
McEwan, chairman Of the Committee on Print
/ ing. already had that under consideration.
| Senator Armstrong presented his bill in the
following speech:
introduced g resolution I'm the Senate on the
! first day Of The session. which was referred to
the Printing Committee That committee has
investigated the situation set forth in that reso-
luton and l have consulted its chairman, VINO IS
! IN entire accord with the Introduction Of the
/ hill, which I have just sent to the desk, and
with the statement l am about 10 make.
j. is the evident desire Of the Public Printer
B 60 prevent the delivery of any further copies of
/ the testimony Of the insurance investigating
committee 10 the legislature, and so prevent
( the testimony being before the legislature when
our report is presented and thus impede the
progress or legislation
( Mr.. Armstrong then read the statement from
| T. W. Allen. secretary of the Law Reporting
/ Company, telling Of the alleged attempt Of the
/ Brandow company TO hold up" the committee
: IL Went on:
4 Now. copyright Of the testimony is probably
tinvalid. but the copyright Of the Law Report
ing Company is a valid copyright. Tor besides
The printing OF its reports OF the testimony
i taken and the exhibits II contains also the
report OF the Prick committee. the reports o: the
/ SO-Called house cleaning committees OF the
different companies and the reports Of the Hen
/ bricks investigation, both the preliminary and
: the final reports. These will make Il copyright
able matter-at least those portions of II. The
insurance investigating committee also copy
righted the testimony taken and II has the
3rst copyright. Mr.. Cox chairman Of the AS
/ sembly Committee on Printing. went personally
10 Washington and obtained that copyright. He
was assured there by the Librarian Of Congress
that the copyright was in form good, and he be
lieved it TO be legally coed. We have informed
the State Printer that have this copyright.
but he has failed TO print our copyright notice.
even IN the portion OF the record which We have
received
i is more than manifest to us and We believe
Il was that II Is, the deliberate purpose of the
state Printer 20 prevent the issue Of any copies
officially semi-OffCially ordered. for the pur-
pose OF marketing his edition at this enormous
price. That opinion is borne out by the fact
{ that only one volume has been delivered and
the Public Printer has boosted that he is not to
make 100000, but $4,000 from this report
that he built the building he is I'm on State-st.
IN the city Of Albany from contracts. and that
he does not intend TO deliver the copies Of this
report 10 the legislature, because the legislative
law ala not specifically authorize a committee
Of the legislature to order such testimony TO be
printed, although he knew and every man Of
experience in such matters knew that in in
designations Of this importance IT is the custom
for the printer 10 assume that. and for the
sumption 70 be met on the part Of the legs-
lature.
am aware of the seriousness of the state
ments I making, and 1 want to the
State Printer, if he is here, that do not claim
immunity I may have by being on the floor
Of the Senate my reasons for making the
statements but that prove these state
ments by men who have my confidence and the
! confidence Of any interested and impartial men.
/ l believe that. unless a special act Of legis-
lature is passed authorizing this committee TO
procure in its discretion copies of this report
| promptly, the legislature will have no copies of
| the report when 10 consider certain
! suggested legislation which will be introduced
! here in the month Of February.
/ The committee is in possession OF a promise
TO print five thousand copies Of this report in
twenty days, and not to exceed the contract
price. This is in the neighborhood OF 80 or &c
cents a volume,
! II may he an extraordinary step. but l trust
the suggestion 10 advance TO a third reading.
with reference 10 the Finance Committee. will
be assented to, especially in the light Of this
boast and this insolent and piratica act Of this
! printing house.