Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1907-02-01
PUBLIC PRINTING.

The legislative councils prompt
unanimous and contemptuous DISPOSE
ton of that printing proposal yester-
day will naturally increase the esteem
which it has earned in the first ten
days OF the session. The council COULD
have done nothing else and nothing
else could have been expected Of such
a council.
Any other course would have beer
a blot on the handsome page now
adorned by the anti-gambling bill,
the bill excluding women from saloons
and other healthful legislation already
enacted or under way.
All previous councils have not been
able 10 Withstand these biennial at
tacks upon the treasury under the pre-
text of letting the people know, though
the real purpose of them has been
graft. so time honored as to seem
almost legitimate. The councils
action yesterday We believe will
amount to the turning over OF a new
legislative leaf and there will hence
forth be less OF this particular waste
of the public funds.
There has always been an honest
difference OF opinion as TO whether the
printing of the proceedings OF the leg
islature is of any benefit to taxpayers.
In the form which it has been done, a
mere reproduction Of the clerks min
utes they are unintelligible except TO
those who follow them closely and
daily. But whether or not the publica-
ton Of the proceedings is ever worth
while, the beginning of the publications
of the proceedings at this time when
One-sixth Of the session has been
passed, is certainly not worth while.
At any rate and in all cases. the
legislature should regard this public
printing as a public business, the bene-
ficiaries of it to be the people Of the
territory and the printers the instru-
ments employed at fair and reasonable
prices. In this connection we may say
that II viii be universally conceded
that hot air" blown upon the leglsla-
ture can be of no possible benefit to
taxpayers and citizens.
In presenting this view of the case
We are not unfaithful TO the newspaper
guild. We believe that If it should be
acted upon the newspapers themselves
Will be benefited. At any rate they will
have a greater measure of SELF respect
which not graft large or small can buy.
There has been altogether too much
public printing in Arizona as in most
states and territories, under the stress
of printers opportunities.
There is some necessary public print
ing and there is other public printing
which may be classified as more or less
advisable. Under the latter class may
be ranged the departmental reports.
They are intended first for the informa-
ton of the governor. next for that of
the legislature and lastly for a com
paratively small number of citizens,
for the larger number take little inter
est in the details Of the department.
It would have been well if these re-
ports could have been printed at the
beginning Of the session. Even now
members OF the legislature may find
printed copies so useful and convenient
as to warrant the Sbst Of their print
ing. If the legislature should so de-
eide il would be proper to secure theil
preparation at a reasonable cost. by
the process advertising and awarding
the constact to the lowest and best
bidder.
But it is apparently unnecessary Il
ebtrude our own views upon this legis-
lature. L has so far demonstrated thai
it has some very decided and correct
ones of its own.