The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1908-05-15

Government Will help them to spend
it, writes the Washington CORE
spondent of the New York Tribune.
That Uncle Sam wants to convert his
official documents into cash is proved
by number of remarkable adver-
tisements which have been inserted in
various current publications through
out the United States within the last
few weeks, and that the lads" are
catching the dollars is proved by the
fact that Uncle Sans book business
is booming.
According to the advertisements,
all the lore of the ages is on tap at
the Office of the superintendent of
Documents, here in Washington, and
may be obtained at regular giveaway
rates. Indeed, the "ads" remind the
reader of the prospectus of a get
rich-quick promoter or the announce
ment of an after holiday bargain sale
at department store.
when you want to know all that
is known on any particular subject, +"
the glowing advertisement reads,
"tind out what the Government has
published regarding it. Any Of the
Government publications may be OBJ
tanned for the cost of printing"
Then the "ad" cites as especial
bargains "The Records of the Vir-
ginia Company of London" in two
volumes, which is dirt cheap for 81
Of any ones money, and "The Life
and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, y
commonly known as "The Jefferson
Bible" which is to be sacrificed SO
long as they last at $3.50, which was
actual cost.
When you can gather in bargains
like that what's the use of spending
large quantities Of real money with
the book dealer around the corner?
If for five or ten cents you can write
to Uncle Sam and receive by return
mail "all that is known on any par
ticular subject" would it not be al
most criminal to let the precious mo-
ments glide without acting?
Many of those who have noticed
the alluring advertisements of the
Superintendent of Documents thought
possibly that it was another catch
penny bid of some sort, another dol
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. affair, and
hesitated about biting" Few per-
sons outside of Washington know
that their Uncle Sam is engaged in
selling books and pamphlets; certain
ly those who are on the mailing lists
of Senators and Congressman need
not care, for they can get almost any
of the Government publications for
the asking and without postage
charges. But he is in that business,
nevertheless, and is doing pretty well
at it, thank you.
Last Saturday his receipts for the
sale of books amounted to $500, and
on Monday, which is usually dull
day with the Government book man,
he sold various printed documents
and volumes to the amount of $475-
and got the money During the year
1907 his sales reached a total of $780,
172.S8. This is a respectable show
ing, as every one will admit, espe-
cially when one is told that the first
year the Government book store was
in business, 1896, the receipts
amounted to only $SS9.90. From the
way the sales are growing the Super
intendent hopes to see the grand to-
tai Of 1908 pretty close to the $780,
600 mark.
All Sales Velvet"
The chief beauty Of the business at
the Government book store is the
fact that it is all "velvet, or profit.
The stock costs nothing, if you look
at it from the point of view of the
Superintendent of Documents, for it
is continually accommodating, and
would accumulate anyway, whether
the book store was running or not.
IN 4 L. n. ~