The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-09
w. III. Caldwell, "McNeal's Hired
Man," Replies to Herbert.
He Calls Him "Mr. AnthOny's
Hired Man."
THE PRINTING PLANT.
Claims That Work Turned Out
Is Best Possible.
Handicapped by the Meager APP
preparations.
THE PRINTING PLANT.

To the Editor of the State Journal:
AS the old time spirit of chivalry
seems to crop out in this First dis
trict congressional contest = Mr..
Anthony's hired man Herbert sand
Ing for his employer and sin ginS
shining lances into the face OF my
employer, it seems to be up to to
enter the joust and measure sw ords
with the aforesaid Herbert, since it is
unbecoming in Mr.. McNeaI to take up
the gauntlet cast by the employed
man as a challenge to his employer s
antagonist; and right cheerfully 10 l
enter the lists.
AS long as Mr.. Herbert confined his
attacks upon my employer in a
political vein it was not becoming in
me to make even a feint; but when
that person goes outside of the
political phase of the contest and at
tacks Mr.. McNeal upon his official
conduct of the state printing plant 1
am here to cast gage of battle into
the face of Mr.. McNeal's criticizer
and dare him to draw.
Mr.. Herbert does not say it, but in
Inmates that an inferior class of work.
manship is turned out of this plant.
He knew that he dared not say SO in
unequivocal language, because he
knows that every patron of this plant
knows that never before has there
been superior class of work,
geographically, binding and press
work, than has been turned out I'M
der Mr.. McNeals management
Had we ever suspected that any
person would have had the temerity to
insinuate the contrary the letters of
acknowledgment of fine workman
ship written to him by nearly every
official for whom work has beer done
would have been preserved to refute
the innuendo.
Why has this plant used inferior
stock?
Let Mr.. Herbert ask the legislatures
that have cut the appropriations
asked for by Mr.. McNeaI nearly in
two! If better and consequently more
costly stock is demanded how is it to
be provided, when nearly the entire
appropriation is exhausted in buying
what material has been and is being
used? But, 1 deny that inferior stock
has been, or is being used
No other like concern put such
stock into the business as does this
plant, excepting in rare cases when
the patron does not haggie over the
price. No other like concern could
stand it to put in better stock nor
nearly as good as it costs the state
of Kansas Bankruptcy would over
take the concern that would try it in
less thar sixty days
The state of Kansas is getting as
good work and material as it ever did
and at about so per cent less cost
Does Mr.. Herbert deny this? Mr. Nc
Meals hired man makes the figures
and dares Mr.. Anthony's hired man
to deny them.
Why is work delayed?
Well. to begin with, the amount of
work imposed upon the printing depart
ment since the state took charge has
increased almost or quite so per cent,
while the appropriation for doing the
work remains practically the same tina;
1t was the first year of state owner
ship.
. Wages have increased but the num-
Der of employees has not and while with
improved machinery the plant is able
to and does turn out vastly increased
volume of work, it is crowded to the
limit and sometimes jobs that are not
of vast public interests have been de-
1ayed somewhat in order to push out
Jobs of more immediate Importance.
Also, in some cases. the DELAY is due
to the neglect of authors to promptly
return proofs and there have been in
stances where galleys of proofs have
been stacked up for weeks waiting the
pleasure of the author to correct and
return the proofs sent him.
But while in some cases there have
been some unavoidable delays work in