The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1908-02-06
MR.. STILLNGS
IS SUSPENDED
Roosevelt Gusts the Pub
lie Printer.
WIN. S. RossIETER In CHARGE
Great IrreguIafity Discovered IN
Printing Departments
consress WIN Now Fully investigate
The Affair And Makes Its
Detailed Report to Ths
President.

.
Roosevelt today temporarily suspend
ed as public printer, Charles A. Still
ings. and appointed William 8. Rossi-
ter temporarily to I'LL the duties OF
that office. The action; as explained
officially. is to facilitate the investiga-
ton now being made of the govern
ment printing office by Congress. Mr..
Rossiter now. is chief clerk OF the
census office.
The following correspondence reia-
tive to the change In the government
printing office today was made public
by the President. the first letter ad-
dressed to Chairman lands. of the
House Committee on Printing, signed
by the President:
THE Information you have given
me this morning IL so important that
/ deem 1t best that there should be
written record thereof had
already begun some weeks ago, an In
yestigation into the government print
ing office under Mr.. Stiflings; this In
yestigation originating because of In
formation which reached me as to the
increased cost of printing to the de-
partments accordingly directed Mr..
Hayenner. OF the Department OF Conn
merce and Labor. to investigate and
report upon this matter. His report
on Its face was severely condemnatory
OF Mr.. stiIiings. FURNISHED Mr.. Still
ings with a copy and requested an
answer from him. which l haze not
yet received.
II enclose you q copy of Mr.. Haven
ner's report and ae soon as receive
the answer. shall also forward that
to you for your information, and will
let you know what action have taken
on the report.
ssGreat TrregulaFify.r
You now inform me that your COM
mittee has discoyered circumstances in
connection with the printing office.
notably In connection with expendt-
lures for furniture In the printing of
flee and In the purchase OF supplies
which makes you feel that there 10
great trregularity therein You else
| Intern me that you believe that
present audit system Of the printing
bureau serves to shield these irFesn-
iarlties and that the persons IN charge
OF this system exert an undue and
improper influence. not merely on the
purchase Of supplies for the govern
ment printing, but In the management
OF the office Itself. You also say that
the subcommittee feels that 1t cannot
make satisfactory Investigation OF
persons in charge Of the audit system
are sin the office. and request that l
suspend Mr.. Stillings, pending investi-
CATION and also suspend the execution
OF the contract made under the audit
system.
Il have accordingly temporarily sus-
pended Mr.. Stillings and shall put Mr..
Rossieter in his place, directing him
to cooperate In every way with your
committee and further more, to make
an exhaustive report to me on eondi-
lions in the office"
The letter to Mr.. Stillings from the
President reads:
'"The enclosed copy Of letters to
CONGRESSMAN lands and Mr.. Rossieter
explain themselves. In accordance
Herewith, pending the investigation, !
the office. and have appointed Mr.
william s. Rossieter temporarily to
fiji the duties thereof.
The letter to Mr.. Roosevelt reads:
"The enclosed copy letter to Con-
gresham lands explains itself. In
accordance Herewith you will assume
immediate charge Of the government
printing office. Please place yourself
in communication with Congressman
Lands and afford him every facility
for obtaining the information his COM
mittee desires in their investigation
You will also report to me in full as
practicable on the condition of affairs
of the office as you have them"
Chairman Lands, OF the sub-commit-
tee investigating the printing ONCE,
stated today that Mr.. Stillings's sus-
pension had been ordered upon the re-
commendation of the committee. but
added II was only temporary and q
statement issued by the Congressional
printing investigating committee asks
that the public withhold judgment un-
til the inquiry IL completed.
Statement IL Issued.
Mr. Lands made the following
statement In which Senator Whyte and
Mr.. Perkins concurredi
There was referred by the joint
Committee on Printing TO the sub
committee of the Printing InVestiga.
tion Commission authorized to inquire
into the general matter Of printing and
binding. composed Of Senator Whyte.
Judge Perkins and myself. a proposal
submitted to the joint committee by the
Suffolk Distributing Company of New
York with theSrequest to report on the
question of any relations which might
exist between the said company and
the Audit System, q corporation en-
ployed in the Government printing of
nee to install a cost. audit and in
ventory system.
The subcommittee called before It
Mr.. Raynor the vice-president and
general manager INC GyD-
tenn; Mr.. J. r. Handy. also an oflcer
OF the Audit System and president Of
the Suffolk Distributing Company,
whose bid was under consideration;
Mr.. Frederick Alfred, an ohicer of the
Audit Symtem, and OF the Audit System
and supply Company, and Mr.. Root,
the Washington agent of the Audit
System Supply Company.
THE committee had also been reli-
ably Informed that the Audit System
and it's auxiliary company. the Audit
System Supply Company. not only ex-
erted what seemed to the committee
an undue and improper influence in~the
Government printing ONCE. but were
also interested In the purchase of sup
plies for the Government printing Of
fice.
1.-THE subcommittee after the exam
nation of these witnesses. felt that
the testimony given by them in con-
nection with other representations made
to the members of the committee, JUS
tined a recommendation that in fair
ness 10 Mr. Stiilings as well as to the
committee, to the Government and 20