The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-06
Public Printer Al Washington
Is Suspended
INVESTIGATION IS ON FOOT
Congressman Lands Is Pushing the
Inquiry Into Conditions In the
Printing Office, Backed Up
BY the President

Washington. February 5.-President
Roosevelt today temporarily suspended as
public printer Chas. A. Stillings, and ap-
pointed VIM. S. Rossiter temporarily to
fill the duties of that office. The action,
as explained officially, is to facilitate the
investigation now being made of the gov
ernment printing office. Mr. Rossiter is
now chief clerk of the census office.
The following correspondence relative to
the change in the government printing
office today was made public by the
President the first letter addressed to
Chairman Lands of the House commit
tee on printing, signed by the President:
THE information you have given me
this morning is so important that | think
it best that there should be a written rec
ord thereof | had already begun some
weeks ago an investigation into the gov
ernment printing office under Mr.. Still
ings, this investigation originating because
of information which reached me as to
the increased cost of printing to the de-
partments. / accordingly directed Mr..
Havener of the department of commerce
and labor to investigate and report upon
this matter. His report on its face was
severely eondemnatory of Mr.. Stillings.
l furnished Mr.. Stillings with copy and
requested an answer from him. which /
have not yet received.
1T enclose you a copy of Mr.. Havener's
report, and as soon as l receive the an
swer | shall also forward that to you for
your information, and will let you know
what action | have taken on the report
You now inform me that your COM
mittee has discovered circumstances in
| connection with the printing office, nota-
hly in connection with expenditures for
| furniture in the printing office and in the
| purchase of supplies which makes you
| feel that there is great irregularity there
in. You also inform me that you believe
that the present audit system of the
printing bureau serves to SHE'D these ir-
regularitieH and that the persons in
charge of this system exert an undue
and improper influence In not merely the
purchase of supplies for the government
printing office but In the management of
the office itself You also say that the
subcommittee feels that it cannot make
q satisfactory investigation of the office
while Mr. Stilings and the persons in
charge of the audit system are in the
office, and request that l suspend MI.
Stillings pending investigation, and also
suspend the execution of the contract
made under the audit system.
stittings Suspended.
"I have accordingly temporarily sus-
pended Mr.. Stillings and shall put Mr..
Rossiter in his place, directing him to
cooperate in every way with your COM
mittee and Furthermore to make an ex-
haustive report to me on conditions in
the Office
The letter to Mr. Stillings from the
President reads:
1.-THE enclosed copies of letters to Con-
gressman Lands and Mr.. Rossiter ex-
plain themselves. In accordance there
with pending the investigation. ! here
by temporarily suspend you from the
duties of your office, and have appoint
ed Mr.. William s. Rossiter temporarily
to fill the duties thereof"
The letter to Mr.. Rossiter reads:
1.-The enclosed copy of letter to Con-
gressman Lands explains itself. In ac-
cordance Herewith you will assume i'm
mediate charge of the government print
ing office. Please place yourself in COM
munication with Congressman Landis and
afford him every facility for obtaining
the information his committee desires in
their investigation. You will also re-
port to In full as soon as practical
on the condition of affairs in the office
as you have found them
Temporary Action.
Chairman Landis of the sub-commit-
tee investigating the printing office, stat
ed today that Mr. Stlings' suspension
had been ordered upon the recommended
tion of the committee, but added 1t was
only temporary and a statement issued
by the congressional printing nvestiga-
tion committee asked that the public
withhold Judgment until the inquiry is
completed.
Mr.. Landis made the following state
ment, in which Senator Whyte and Mr..
Perkins concurred;
There was referred to the joint COM
ftnA ffat 10 Ii
of the printing investigation commits
sion, authorized to inquire into the gen
eral matter of printing and binding. COM
posed of Senator Whyte. Judge Perkins
and myself. proposal submitted to the
joint committee by the Suffolk Distribu-
ting company of New York, with re-
quest to report on the question of which
any relations which might exist between
the said company and the audit sys-
tenn, corporation employed in the gov
ernment printing office to install a cost,
audit and inventory system
The sub committee called before 1T
Mr.. Raynor, the vice president and
general manager of the audit system;
Mr.. j. f. Handy, also an officer of the
audit system and president of the Suf-
folk Distributing company. whose bid
was under consideration; Mr.. Frederick
Alfred, an officer of the audit system
and of the Audit System Supply COM
pany, and Mr.. Root, the Washington
agent of the Audit System Supply com
pany.
Too Many Irons.
The committee had also been reliably
informed that the Audit system and its
auxiliary company, the Audit System
Supply company, not only exerted what
seemed to the committee an undue and
improper influence in the government
printing office, but were also inter
ested in the purchase of supplies for
the government printing office.
'The sub committee, after the exam
nation of these witnesses. felt that the
testimony investigation by them in
connection wit hother representations
made to the members of the committee
| justified request that, in fairness to
Mr.. Stillings. as we'll as to the commit