The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-05-06
D. j. FLETCHER
UNEARTHS BOOK
BROKERS GAME
SHOWS HOW UNSUSPLCTING
PERSONS GIVE UP GOOD
COIN TO SHARPERS.
Florida Senator VIII Use His Influ.
ence to Have Stop Put to
Operations.

Washington, May Ga clover
scheme whereby q clevercr lot Of
book brokers in Washington have
been gouSlnS unsuspectlnS persons
and reaping a rich harvest at the
expense OF the government, has been
uncovered by Senator Fletcher, Of
Florida, chairman OF the joint print
ing committee of Congress. An ef-
fort will be male to check the abuse
by means of an amendment to the
general printing laws.
The brokers have taken advantage
OF the law which requires the gov
eminent printing Office to sell at
cost all of the publications issued by
the government. This list OF pub
lications covers a wide range of sub
jccts, and many valuable books are
issued at remarkable small cost.
Among other things, scores OF legal
works relating to federal court
practices, dealing with federal laws.
opinions of the federal courts AMI
constitutional questions, are pub
lished at the big government prin-
terry. They are bound in paper, and
the most expensive work rarely costs
over 20 cents.
The general public is not familiar
with the law requiring that these
government publications shall be
distributed at cost, and, singularly
enough, comparatively few lawyers
throughout the country are aware Of
this provision.
The book brokers have capitalized
tho ignorance Of the public, more es-
recially the lawyers, who are anx-
icus to stock their law libraries with
the latest works issued by the gov
ernment.
The brokers secure from the gov
ernment printing Office bulletins Of
tho late publications. Then they
circularize the country with their
bargains" in books. For the sum
o. one dollar. they will send to any
address, postpaid, the United States
bankruptcy laws, or the official edi-
tion of the New Rules of Practice
the Courts of Equity of the United
States, as promulgated blythe UnitcI
States Supreme Court; for fifty cents
they will send an indeXed pocket
edition Of the United States consti-
tuition, or for 81 they will send that
most valuable publication-thc In
dian Hand Book. an encyclopedia Of
Indian affairs.
The prices seem allurng to the
persons wanting the books. They
jump at the bargains" and they
set what they pay for, and get 1t
without delay. Few Of the buyers
ever discover that they have been
"stung," and more often than not
they have boosted the game of the
Washington book brokers.
The extent of the brokers' profits
Will be appreciated when 1t Is un-
derstooi that the United States
Bankruptcy Laws may be purchased.
postpaid, directly from the govern
ment printing Office for 20 cents;
that the New Rules of Practice in
the Courts Of Equityof the United
States may be had at the printing
Office for 10 cents, and that for
like amount the pocket edition Of the
irdexed constitution may be OBJ
taino1.
The book brokers, however, are
not content with the enormous prof
its, and actually pay no postage on
the wares they sell. They frank the
books to the purchasers, and ace
guilty Of no crime under the law.
All publications issued by the gov
cfnment are frankable as "govern-
Eent documents. The stamp OF tie
printing office suiIices to carry them
through the mail.
AS the books arc published at the
printing Office they are wrapped Sc
curely for mailing. The brokers'
deal directly with the printing Of
flee. Every day they visit the print
cry with the names anil addresses
Of persons who have purchased
government publications from them.
They give this list of names to the
superintendent, pay him the cost
price of the books, pocket the diff
ference, and the purchaser gets his
"bai gain" In due course OF time.
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