Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-13
TA9ASuAY DEPARTMENT MAY
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF RULING
REGARDING PRINTING.
powER PagssEs TO suPPLAhr
SLOW HAND MACHINES
Unisn Labor Has Insisted That Law
Compelled Government 70 Print Pa
psr Money by Hand Powsr-oppor.
tunity For Democrats and Republic
cans TO Show Promisss Are Sincere.
Especial correspondence

+U. tst - |
Especial Correspondence.1
Washington, Oct. 13.-The treasury
department has an opportunity to save
the government almost $500, 900 a year
II It's officials have the nerve to stand
on . recent ruling Of the comptroller
Of the treasury and order power
presses installed for the printing Of
currency. This chance comes about by
indirectio1, but it is there and requires
only courage n . good fighting
equipment to be used. Labor unions
within the bureau OF engraving and
printing and outside OF 1t have sue
ceeded for thirteen years in defeating
any change in the law that would en-
able the government to do away with
the old hand presses and install cleo
trtcity. A saving OF some 100000 a
year has been estimated IL all currency
and bonds, notes and checks could be
printed on power presses. as all inter-
nal revenue stamps now are, but the
unions, with the American federation
OF labor behind them, have stubborn
~, II not stupidity, insisted on hand
work.
Unions Obdurate.
The treasury department some
months ago virtually made a PROPOSE
ton guaranteeing that no n should
lose his place thru the change n h q
wages would be increased, bu the
unions remained obdurate. They al
leged-what the director OF the bureau
ana the treasury officials deny-that
the character Of the work would suffer
If power presses We're used. In fact,
this has been about their only argu-
ment, for the change not only would
save the government money ana give
the printers better pay b It would re-
move all danger Of physical strain
from which so nan Of the operators
(about is per cent? suffer.
The unions have held their ground
on the law Of July ]. 1898. which pro-
videe that all bonds. notes and checks
snail oe printed On hand roller presses.
This is not . direct legislative enact
mont. except that II holds water as
law. but 10 . little clause in the sundry
civil appropriation bill which aims to
restrict the appropriation to only such
work as Is done by hand. The Phil
ippine government recently desired to
issue sons silver certificates and Gen.
eral Clarence r. Edwards; chief OF the
bureau OF insular affairs. wrote to d.
rector Joseph E. Ralph Of the bureau Of
engraving a printing, asking for an
estimats Of the cost and inquiring
whether any method Of printing more
economical than another could be en-.
ployed. II was calculated by the di-
rector that he could save some seven
or eight thousand dollars on the job
II power presses were used but appar-
emily they could not be, so the question
wa referred to the secretary OF the
treasury. Secretary Macveagh, in
turn, passed the inquiry to Comptroller
Of the Treasury Tracewell and that
official returned an answer which has
caused floods OF letters to pour into
the offices Of members Of congress-.
Judge Tracewell pointed out that the
act Of July /, 1898. specifies only "bonds.
notes and checks" The comptroller
was Of the opinion. he said. h a the
proviso In the law refers only to notes
issued by the United States prope and
does not apply to Philippine silver GER
t~iacates.
This unexpected ruling Of course
cleared the way for the use of power
presses on the Philippine job. Had the
comptroller said no more. there might
not now be all the excitement which
the labor unions are showing owe his
decision. But the comptroller con-
tinued: 1.-The act is a restrictive act
and consequently should not be en-
larged by construction so as to m
brace objects or classes Of printing
not mentioned therein. Congress in
the act set out the class of printing
which should be accomplished on
hand roller presses. Certificates are
not mentioned and hence the director.
under his general authority. is not con-
fined to hand roller presses for the
printing Of certificates"
a Sweeping Ruling.
This was Q sweeping decision. 1t
not only disposed of the Philippine
question but It informed the treasury
department that the law contained no
restriction upon the printing of gold
or silver certificates on power presses.
AS - per cent of the total issue Of
United States currency is certificates
and they constitute IS per cent of the
total currency output of The bureau OF
engraving and printing. including
banknotes, the importance Of h comp
troller's opinion may readily be seen.
The question now lS WNAcSAicA AoS
the treasury department will AXE ad-
vantage Of the opportunity thus az
forded to make an immense saving In
the printing Of currency or will con-
tinue the. old system. Heretofore 1t
has been Impossible for the government
20 change the law because it Is much
harder to secure an amendment to
the law than to let the law stand as
written. The labor unions have been
able, therefore. to block every move
ment to amend the law, as congress
was more willing to sit still than to
move. The shoe is now on the. other
foot for, under Comptroller Tracewelrs
decision, the law is satisfactory to the
treasury department as 1t stands and
the professional friends Of labor would
have - DO al the work and secure a
vote n congress backing them up in
order Z restore former conditions. The
democrats and everybody else are out
Tor economy to save $4,000 a year by
merely sitting tight-provided Secre-
tAry Macyeagh gives the word to go
a1ead and buy power presses.
"A Plsssant eurpriss
follows the hfst dose Of DR.. Kings
Nav Eify Pills: the painless regulators
that straa3k3hSH y1p. Gnatanteed. sc.
lke11r5de& VIM ttfuS ca |