Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-14
MAY FOLLOW EXAMPLE


It Is understood that several Of the heads
OF the executive departments contemplate
taking up the matter Of establishing IN
their bailiwicks inspection divisions similar
to that recently introduced In the govern
ment once by Mr.. Charles A. Stillings. the
public printer. A number Of Inquiries have
recently been made a. to ths working OF
the division at the printery with that END
In view.
Whsn the inspection division was flrst In
stitutsd by Mr.. stiiiinss many persons
construed It into . sort OF detective agency.
They evidently had In mind the inspection
service Of the Post once Department,
which has been termed ''the eyes. ears and
fingers Of the Postmaster General" from
the nature Of its work In detecting and
bringing to Justice those who steal from
the mails or use Uncle Sans carrier serv-
ice for the furtherance Of fraudulent
schemes OF the get-rich-Quick order.
But the public printer says that he had
other matters in mind when he created the
ONCE OF chief inspector. One OF the prin-
cfpal purposes was to put the executive
head In touch with every branch OF the
printery and each employee thereof; also to
give the public printer an opportunity to
direct the movements OF the big force and
the vast output without being hampered by
the matter OF detail, which IL left largely
to the inspection division
The first step after deciding to create the
division was to find man who would make
a suitable chief inspector. In selecting Mr..
Charles 8. Brown for the position Mr. Still
ings was not guided by personal acquaint-
ance or influence, but by q knowledge OF
Mr.. Browns experience and record, and he
learned that he possessed the peculiar re-
qufrements necessary for proper conduct
years In the commercial world buying and
selling all kinds of printing Office supplies.
besides being practical printer, with
knowledge of bookbinding and the kindred
Industries.
Veritable Clearing House.
Having determined to create the inspec-
ton division and to appoint Mr. Brown as
the first chief inspector, the new depart
ment was launched and has become the
veritable clearing house OF the biggest print
ing establishment in the world. With the
assistant inspectors on duty It radiates into
every division of the Office and to the sew
eral branches. and thus keeps the public
printer in immediate touch with all. Every
detail OF the prfntery goes through the in
spection division. In 1t are made estimates
for the purchase Of materials and machin-
cry. thus eliminating, 1t Is claimed, much Of
the danger of scandal which has attached
to such purchases by government depart
ments and agents in other directions.
While discussing the new departure with
" y
system has been instituted by him by which
he can at q moments notice give the price
Of any material that may be needed, from
q font of Quads and spaces to one OF the
great modern perfecting presses costing
many thousands of dollars. Also by the
same process he can tell how many given
letters of nonpareil or great primer type
are In q square inch or q square yard Of
the type In question.
Some of the methods employed are those
that have been tested by the printers board
OF trade, with which Mr.. Stillings was con-
nected for number OF years before he be-
came public official
Cleaning Out Gambling Schemes.
While the inspection division is not strict
ly a detective or secret service, yet 1t takes
up some work Of that character. For In
stance. Chief Inspector Brown has Just
ended a campaign which Is said to have
resulted in cleaning out of the establish
ment the last yestige of a number of semi
gambling schemes including the making of
books on the races. He has also closed out
the synposiums and the so-called credit as
sociations which were complained about
by leading business men as causing unfair
discrimination, In addition to encouraging
many of the employees to go into useless
debt In order that the agents of the asso-
Citations might reap their percentages. The
conduct OF private business in the printing
Office has, too been put under the ban.
The inspection division is also called upon
to investigate complaints against employees
who are alleged to be unfit persons to hold
their positions for various reasons. Some