The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-03-17

Charles A. Stlllnss. who became Public
Printer in November. 1905. yesterday
stepped out. Stillings gave his resigna-
ton to President Roosevelt. and it was
Immediately accepted.
No announcement has been made as 10
who viii be appointed permanently as
Public Printer. but 1t will not be any
person who has ever worked in the Gov
ernment Printing once.
Until Public Printer is appointed by
the President, Deputy Public Printer
Brian. who has acted as Public Printer
since stllings was suspended early in
February, viii continue to so act. Will
lam S. Rossiter, the man who has con
Quoted the investigation for President
Roosevelt, the results of which were
made public last night. has finished his
heaSy task. reported to his chief. and is
now content TO Guit the printing office,
his work we'll done
Report Leads to Resignation.
stillings resigned. no doubt. because
there could be no question, after a thor
oush look into the Rossiter report, that
ne could not again hold the position at
which he has had such a fair show. and
Of 7shieh. IF that report is not mistaken.
he mas made a very sorry botch.
This report made after slightly less
than six weeks of painstaking investiga-
ton, shows conelusiveIy that while per
haps sullings was guilty of no moral
turpitude. his administration was faulty
and lacking in ability.
The Audit System. which was put in
the Government Printing Office to install
and instruct In cost, audit and inventory
system. is scored much more than Still
ings. and there is but little doubt that
its relations with the Government Print
ing Office in the matter Of supplies. is
held by Mr.. Rossiter to have verged most
closely upon the indictable offenses.
Big Deficit Found.
The deficit of more than 100000 which
The Washington Herald predicted would
face the Government Printing Office be-
fore July 1.-The end of the present fiscal
year-is set forth in bold figures in the
Rossiter report-only it is made 8 little
closer 10 $4,000
The fact that II is necessary that Con-
gress shall in some manner safeguard the
millions Of dollars which yearly pass
through the hands of the Public Printer.
is mentioned in the report and It is more
than possible that some legislation will be
proposed along this line in the near
future.
The useless red tape which The Wash
ingtOn Herald has maintained bound the
Government Printing Office hand and foot
through the odd ministrations of The
Audit System is shown in the report To
have existed plainly and where all could
see II.
The high-salaried executive officers. the
chiefs. the subchiefs the heads of grand
divisions. &C. are there in all the glory
of their friendship with Willet NJ. Raw
nor. manager of The Audit System. and
with Sullings
RaynOr Practically Boss.
Raynor. representing The Audit Sys-
tenn, it is shown. as this paper has always
believed, and as it has stated, was prac-
tically the boss of the Government Print
ing Office. In fact it has shown that
in some instances Stillings directed in
quiries to RaynOr.
The queer transactions in which The
Audit System bid on supplies for bind
ers. loose leaves. &c, are set forth as
The Washington Herald set them forth
several weeks ago. In hundreds Of cases
It is shown that there was no eompeti
tlon at all.
II is shown that The Audit System had
already secured. in supplies from the
Government Printing Office. many thou
sands OF dollars. and that it seemed 10
have as its real aim not the perfection
Of an accounting system, but the selling
of supplies.
Relations Are Unique.
The relations between The Audit Svs-
TEN and the Government Printing Office
are, in fact. as Chairman Landis said.
the most unique in the history of gov
ernment contracts.
Stillinss has made a lengthy reply 10 |
the Rossiter report. which Is embodied in
the same volume as the latter. He den,as
most of the premises. and practically all i
OF the conclusions. ana finds many ex-
,uses for any apparent lack Of ability on
his own part
The Printing Investigation Comm,zsio,,
which really started the Inquiry late -
January. VIII probably begin work again
after few days The members Of the
Green Carnations, zoe Each
AT Krsmer's. the Florist. ssG F ct nv,