The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-12-26
Flom the Washington Star.

| coveriess in science, reports of the
= developments in trade and COM
meIce, descriptions of the imp ovements
in agriculture, and lot Of various other
reading matter to the folks back home is
one of the means by which Uncle Sam s
lawmakers acknowledge the compliments
| of the votes that sent them to Washing
! ton. Also 1t is somewhat of a privilege
to many, because they are able to send
speeches that they make, and speeches
that they do not make in neatly printed
form, for perusal just before the next
| campaign comes around.
Ordinarily the output of the folding
rooms of the Senate and House of Rep
resentatiwes runs along from year to year
az an annual output of 100000 volumes,
and one glance inside those great ware
houses of printed and bound knowledge
would convince one that they rival some
OF the great publishing houses. There
are piles upon piles of books that have
| grown from year to year. Back as far as
1875 it used to be nearly impossible to
get a government publicatio 1t was in
that year the government first began it's
own printing, and that printing has in
creased with the growth of the nation.
In the last 10 years it has grown three
| times faster than in the years prior
| thereto.
/ What the folding rooms of Congress
| look after mainly is to see that each
member of the national Legislature gets
his share and no more. Congress has pro-
vided that they shall each receive a cer-
tain allotment, and the offices of these
| departments are, therefore, like big banks.
Like the banks they keep a debit and
credit account. For instance. when the
publications are ready for distribution
amount placed to his credit, and he is
supplied with long, slim book that
looks like a check book.
| When he proceeds with his distribution
he writes the order for so many publica-
tons, together with the address to which
they are to be sent, tears Off the slip,
and enters the equivalent amount on the
stub. When it passes through the office
| IL is entered on the debit side of the
ledger before it goes to the mailing room.
The publications that so from the fold
1
heads. There is what is known as the
regular list, which constitutes the reports
of all the departments of the government
Some of them originated long before 1873,
but the serial volumes, most of them
great. bulky affairs, form a continuous
: set from that year. The regular list
totals about 60.
| But 1t is the special list which some
times worries the members of Congress in
its distribution. Its composition depends
on what Uncle Sam is doing. and there
are years when it contains lot OF very
interesting reading matter and much use
| full information. For instance shortly
after the Spanish-American was there ap-
peared small volume, entitled Spanish
American War Notes. 1t wss greatly
sought after by veterans Of that war, citi-
zens throughout the states ami historians,
because 1t contained data of the amount
and movement of troops and ME dates
ard accounts of battles. Right after that
came the account of the Schley court of
inquiry.
just about that time also came an ac-
count of the progress in wireless telegra-
ply and the fight agains the alcoholic
liquor traffic and the army canteen cues
tions. Sometimes there are historical
pamphlets issued, such as the statement
of tho abolition of the African slave
trade and scientific reports that tell of
recent discoveries. One of the most noted
anu sought after of these special publi-
cations was that which contained Me-
1 a ST AT DIFF
position.
| Perhaps the most persistent of special
publications which Uncle sam produces
annually are the reports Of the hearings
on woman suffrage. They have appeared
res ulary since 1894. In a notification LET
ter sent to one of the members the list
of special publications placed to his
credit numbered from five to &c. The
last on the list capped them all 1t was
the report of the hearings on woman
suffrage, and there were $50 copies placed
| to his credit. Some Of those account
books also show that many of the mem
bers have sent these reports conscien-
| ticusly to their constituents since they
first appeared
! The special list has developed decided
advantage. both to the reader and the
government. Thus the geological survey
| reports used to be issued annuaiy-great
| heavy books through which .cne would
| have to search for hours IN order to find
what one wanted. Now they are issued
! in pamphlet form, describing the work of
the survey by subjects AMI states, and
when an applicant now applies for any
particular report he gets what he wants
and no more.
When these publications are ready for