The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-07
TO DROP TEN men
Cut in State Printing Office
Force VIII Be Made.,
Deal for Typesetting Machines
Is Closed Today.
END OF LONG WRANGLE
Question Was What Kind Should
Be Used.
Finally Decided That Linotypes
Will Be Installed.

After a fight lasting for more than
year, the linotype machines have won
the victory over the monotypes and will
be installed in the new printing plant
established by the state of Kansas
State Printer T. A. McNeaI has plactBi
the order for two double-decker limo
types, of the latest model which will
under the contract be installed prior to
August 10. and which will cost the state
an annual rental of 1928 each, this
money to be applied on the purchase
price in case the state desires to buy
the machines at some future time.
The two mnotypes will displace ten
men who have up to this time been EN-
ployed at the printing plant at hand
composition Under the old law, it was
more profitable for the state printer to
do the work by hand composition than
with machines. Consequently, the type
setting machines have never been used
on state work. The state ownership
plan, however. makes it necessary for
the state to do its work on the most
+ economical basis possible.
For over year the fight has been
raging between the linotype and the
well as the profit, of equipping the state
plant with typesetting machinery. It is
q. big advertisement for a firm manu-
featuring typesetting machinery to place
tl6lI IldCHlHeS III d pubic printing
establishment of this kind. Consequent
ly every effort has been put forth by
each side to influence a decision favor
able to itself.
The law gave the state printing COM
mission the duty of building the print
ing plant, and buying the equipment It
was supposed that this included the
purchase of typesetting machinery, and
hardly had Charles S. Gleed George z.
Tucker and Ed Harris been appointed
on the commission when the linotype
and monotype people came down on
them. The commissioners went to Chi
cago and Kansas City and got facts and
! figures about the relative merits of each
machine. Some favored one kind and
some the other The result of the in
vestigation was a deadlock. Tucker
! was strongly in f,.vor of the linotypes.
4 Harris favored the monotypes. and
,Ileed chung to the fence with great de-
/ termination. That was the way the mat
4 ter was hung up for month after month.
I Finally Gleed discovered way out. He
I figured that the state did not have
enough money left to buy the typeset-
ting machinery outright and that it was
! therefore not within the province of the
printing commission to settle the con-
| troversys He further came to the con-
clusion that the state printer himself
was authorized under the law to rent
equipment for the plant.
The state printer thereupon got busy,
TOE he was very anxious 10 get the new
machines into operation. He called upon
Attorney General Coleman for an opin-
ion, and Mr.. Coleman sustained the po-
sition taken by Mr. Gleed. He held
that the state printer could use his
contingent fund for renting typesetting
machinery
Mr.. McNeaI at once entered into con-
tract with the linotype manufac turers.
It is expected that the next legisla-
ture will make an appropriation of suf-
ficient size to purchase typesetting ma
chimes outright. but now that the limo
types have gained a foothold in the es-
adjustment, and the state is paying
part Of the purchase price in the form
of rental. it is practically certain that
the linotypes are IN to stay. especially
if Mr.. McNeal is reelected state print
e.
We will not dispose of all the type
and cases which we have on hand -
said Mr.. McNeal today. 1T will be
kept as a reserve supply. We need q
great deal of body type in our work.
( Our work is so heavy that we would
have found it necessary to purchase
more new type and employ more men
at once, had we not bought the ma
mates that the new machines will do
the work of ten OF the men who have
worked at the cases. OF course there
viii still be q great deal of work which
can not be done on machines. We viii
continue to employ about Is men in the
various departments Of the printing
plant, in addition to the linotype men.
I'VE figure that by running the ma
chimes day and night, we can handle
the rush work during the next session
Of the legislature without much diff