Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-02-06
PUBLIC PRINTER SUSPENDED
President Roosevelt Temporarily Re-
ieves Stilhngs of Place.
INVESTIGATION TO GO SWIFTLY
Change that Fullest Opportunity
May BE Given TO Look IntO
Conduct of Depart
ment.


william s. Rossiter temporarily to f1l the
duties Of that office. The action. as ex-
planned officially is 10 facilitate the in
vestigation now being made Of the govern
ment printing office by congress
Mr.. Rossiter is now chief clerk Of the
census office
The following correspondence relative to
/ the change in the government printing Of
fico today was made public by the presi-
| dent. the first letter being addressed to
| Chairman lands Of the house committee
on printing.
The information you have given me this
morning is so impotant that I deem best
/ that there should be a written record
thereof. / had already begun some weeks
ago an investigation into the printing Of
fice under Mr.. Stilltngs; this investigation
originated because OF information which
reached me as to the increased cost Of
printing to the departments. I accordingly
directed Mr.. Havenner OF the Department
OF Commerce and Labor TO investigate and
report upon this matter. His report on It's
Stillings. I furnished Mr. Stillings with
copy and requested an answer from him,
which / have not yet received. ! enclose
you copy Of Mr.. Havenners report, and
as soon as 7 receive the answer I 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 COMMITTEES
has discovered circumstances i'm connection
ton with the expenditures for furniture in
the printing office and in the purchase of
supplies, which makes YOU feel that there
Is great irregularity therein.
You also inform me that you believe that
the present audit system of the printing
bureau serves to shield these irregiilarities
and that the persons in charge Of this sys-
tenn exert an undue and improper infIu-
ence. not merely on the purchase OF sup
plies for the government printing office
but in the management of the office itself.
You also say that the subcommittee feels
that it cannot make a satisfactory investi-
CATION or the office while Mr.. Stillings and
the person in charge of the audit system
are in the office. and request that I sus-
pend Mr. Stiilings pending investigation,
contract made under the audit system.
/ have accordingly temporarily suspended
in his place directing him to co-operate In
every way with your committee. and. fur
thermore make an exhaustive report to
me on conditions in the office.
Letter to stiIIInEs.
The letter to Mr.. Stillings from the pres
ident:
The enclosed COPY Of letters to Congress
man Lands and Mr. Rossiter explain them
selves. In accordance Herewith. pending
the Investigation. | hereby temporarily
flee. and have appointed Mr. william s.
Rossiter temporarily to fill the duties
thereof.
The letter to Mr.. Rossiter reads
n
gressman Lands explains itself In accord
ance 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 informa-
ton his committee desires in the investt-
CATION. You will also report TO me in full
as soon as practicable in regard to the
condition of affairs at the office as you
have found them.
Congressman Lands stated today that
II
porary. and a statement issued by the con-
gressional printing investigation committee
asks the public TO withhold Judgment until
the inquiry is completed.
Statement by Committee.
Mr.. Lands made the following statement,
in which Senator Whyte and Representa-
tive Perkins concurred:
There was referred by the Joint commit
tee on printing TO the subcommittee OF the
printing investigation committee authorized
10 inquire into the general matter of print
ing and binding, composed of Senator
Nnyte, Judge Perkins and myself a pro-
posal submitted TO the joint committed BY
the SUFFOLK Distributing company of New
York, with the request to report on the
question OF any relations which might exist
between the said company and the Audit
Sytem, a corporation employed in the gov
ernment printing office to install an ac-
count, audit and inventory system.
The subcommittee called before IL Mr.
Raynor, vice president and general manager
OF the Audit System; Mr.. J. F. Handy also
officer of the Audit system and Dresi-
dent of the Suffolk Distributing COMPANY.
whose bid was under consideration: Mr.
Frederick Alfred, an officer of the Audit
system and the Audit System Supply COM
pany, and Mr.. Root, the Washington agent
OF the Audit System Supply company
The committee had also been reliably in
formed that the Audit System and its aux
hiaTy company. the Audit System Supply
company, not only exert what seemed to
the committee an undue and improper in
tluenCa in the EOVRrnmanT UFiuffna Of
but were also interested In the purchase of
supplies for the government printing office.
The subcommittee, after the examination
OF these witnesses, felt that the testimony
given by them in connection with other
representations made TO the members OF the
committee, Justified a request that, I'm
fairness 10 Mr., Stillings as well as to the
committee and TO the government and to
all concerned, the public printer be tenpor-
arily suspended pending the result Of in
quiry. The committee is especially desir-
Gus that this action be not construed as
preJudicial 70 the public printer. and sin
cerely trusts that the public will withhold
judgment until the completion Of the in
quiry.
Just as the presidents action in suspend
ing Mr.. sullings was being announced a
committee OF labor leaders OF this city, ac-
companied by Representative Cary OF Wis
consin, called at the White House and pre-
sented to the president resolutions adopted
by the Central Labor union here on Janu-
airy % last charging Mr.. Stillings with vio-
lations OF the eight-hour law in the gov
ernment printing office.
The president informed the committee OF
the action he had already taken in the
case.
Resolutions by the numerous labor organ
izations in various cities charging viola
ton in the government printing office of
the eight-hOur law, discrimination against
veteran soldiers and the widows OF sol
diers, and violation Of the civil service law
have been submitted TO congress and the
president
Mr.. Stillings is from Boston and was ap-
pointed public printer in 1906 He had been
general manager Of his fathers printing
firm in New York and at various times
manager Of the Printers Board OF Trade
~ this city and OF New York.
Mr.. ROssiter also came from Massachu-
setts and had business connections IN New
York and Washington before assuming Of
flee IN the census bureau in 1880