Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-17

Its prompt work during the revision Of
the tariff last year was fully as remark
able as these performances.
With It's hundreds Of compoSitOrS and
proofreaders, there would be wide di-
versity Of style were 1t not for the adop-
ton Of a manual Of style, to which strict
adherence il required. This style book
Is said to be the most complete in the
United States. although 1t is very differ
ent from the styles used in the newspaper
offices Of the country.
Congress makes the heaviest demand
upon the government printing Office. It's
100000. The Congressional Record and
the printing of hearings. committee re-
ports and bills demand the major portion
OF this amount; Next to Congress Is the
patent Office. The Patent Office Gazette
Is large weekly volume dealing with
patents issued and giving the specif1ca-
tons Of each one Of the thousands of pat
ents granted. 1t is this publication which
gives the patent Office second place among
the different organizations Of the world
in the consumption Of printers ink. The
Department of Agriculture ranks third as
user OF printers ink. II requires 1885,
600 year to pay the printing bill of that
department. Its most important publica-
ton is the yearbook, Of which half mil
lion copies are issued annually.
Nothing is too exacting for the govern
ment printing Office to undertake. The
Rebellion
Rebellion Records Records,
Greatest Undertaking. r ,sa me,',r,o IN
and requiring a Loop index. perhaps
for generations will remain the worlds
greatest single undertaking in the print
ing line. These records contain more
than 100000 pages Of printed matter, re-
quirins In their publica ton $1,000 reams
of white paper and more than three
billion ems Of type. The whole edition
comprises about a million and a half
volumes. When the United States want
ed to publish history of the Capitol
1t demanded that the completed volume
should be one Of the finest examples Of
the printers art to be found Although
sold at bare coast Of production, exclusive
OF the cost OF the plates, the price Of this
work is 80.
In order that every citizen may have
full opportunity to possess himself Of as
many OF the government publications as
he desires. the office of superintendent
OF documents has been established. This
official Is furnished with supply of all
valuable publications. and is expected to
use such means of advertising as will
bring them to the attention of the public
generally. They are sold at the bare cost
OF the material used in printing and the
labor involved. In figuring this cost the
government does not make any charge
for composition.
* i;
The superintendent of documents has
serious competition to meet Nearly every
publication he
Public Has Learned has for sale
to Get Books Free. h nas .s he Obtained
man or woman through his or her con-
gresham. The majority OF people are
aware Of this fact. and write directly to
their representative in Congress for the
public documents they desire. The gov
eminent also distributes, free of charge.
to such public libraries as desire them
copies Of all important government pub
locations. The majority Of those who have
occasion to refer to these publications go
to the library to consult them
1t Is the opinion of many NEWSPAPER
men that the governments printing hill
might be cut in two il proper system of
ecltlng We're IN vogue. In the recent
printing investigation 1t was stated bv nm
authority that two out OF three of the
public documents issued by the govern
ment could be boiled down to half their
present size without the omission OF any
material facts. The agitation which led
already to diminish the size OF hundreds
OF the annual reports of the different bu-
reaus and divisions OF the government.
iOmoffow-TAe Government ut Work.
observation-disclosures Federal Or
Eanisations.