Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-10-11
HARRIS AND HIS LAW"


We print in this issue, for the sat
isfaction of Expert" Harris, his let
ter concerning The Observers editor
ial comment on the proposed Nat
salary law for the state printer.
The writer has not been in Oregon
long enough to have had n hand in
the solution of this veXatious problem
on former occasions, but we have
taken the liberty, during various
times in the last two months, to say
what we could against the fiat salary
law as advocated by Mr.. Harris, be-
cause we know, from many years eX-
perience in the printing business,
that, under its proposed provisions,
the pathway would be opened for
much greater graft and thieVery than
can possibly obtain under the present
plan. Personally, The Observer cares
nothing for the scrap between Mr..
Duniway the present printer, or Mr..
Harris, the expert, and it Is immater-
ial to us whether they win or lose,
but as a private citizen and a tax
payer, we are interested only in Sc
curing satisfactory law governing
the work and the cost of the states
printing
From the best information obtain
able, we learn that the demand for
a fiat salary for the state printer
came, along with a demand for fiat
salaries for other officers The state
printing graft had been the subject
for much contention from candidates
for the legislature but the objections
were generally not well understood,
and those who made them had no
general knowledge of the printing
business, Previously, the state print
er had succeeded in hoodwinking
them or bulldozing them into silence,
and no legislation to remedy defects
in the practice, was undertaken.
Mr. Duniway was elected to office
on reform platform and has car
ried out his pledge faithfully, and has
saved the state many thousands of
dollars for which he is entitled to
great credit. But the waste in the
state printing expenditures, and that
there Is waste, no one fully advised
in the matter will deny, comes from
improper schedules made years ago
which have no application to modern
prices. Any printer under the pres
ent schedule will make large profits
on some jobs and will lose on 9TH
ers.
An attempt was made to revise the
schedule of prices and to change the
system of state printing by the legis-
lature in 1902 but 1t failed for the |
reason that those who made the at
tempt were not familiar with the |
technical work of printing, or with |
just and equitable prices for such
work and, further, because the state
printer. more than the system, was
the object of the attack In 1911 the
Governor forced the passage of the
fiat salary law. to take effect in 1915,
simply as an eXpedient to correct
abuses or conditions. The Observer
believes that the Governor was hon
est In trying to remedy a fault but
his remedy is as faulty as the system
he tried to correct We pointed out
recently in these columns, remedy
for the defects i'm the present system,
and wish to state here and now that,
IL law was passed providing for
the appointment of a comm ission of
printer-employers and foremen to re-
wise the schedule of prices, the state
would be the winner,
We oppose the proposed fiat salary
law for the reason that II provides
opportunity for more fragrant abuses
and graft than now exist There is
absolutely no question regarding this
Even Mr.. Harris. him
self. will not deny t. We oppose It
for the further reason that we do not
believe that the state has right to
embark In a business which it is not
TO direct Under a FIAT
salary law, to make the state printer
responsible, Il would be necessary to
make his office an appointive one;
hut the fiat salary law is wrong i'm
principle. from an economical stand
point, and tho only plan that viii
work out to the financial benefit of
the state. is a revision Of schedules
with each department of the state
paving for its printing from its own
appropriation.
Firmly belioveing In the strength Of
our position. and haslng our ohjee-
lions on actual observations and eN-
nerience which has been gained dur
Ing more than % years spent IN the
printing business, we shall continue
10 oppose the so-called fat salary
measure. and shall advise the voters
10 vote "329 y No" Ia the hope that
he next legislature viii repeal the
existing ilat-salary law and enact a
that win forever eliminate
ihe waste In the state printing de-
nartment
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