South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-08-20
PRINTING
BILL IS CALENDARED
18th District Congressman Be-
gins Fight to Restrict
Franking Privileges.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2O.-The most
! important legislative work of his Off
cial career was commenced in congress
yesterday, when Rep. Henry A. Barn
harts bill to revise the printing laws
and restrict the Thanking privileges
was given right of way for considera-
ton on each Wednesday. In opening
consideration of the bill Mr.. Barnhart
made a speech in which he outlined
the provisions of the bill and argued
earnestly for its early enactment. In
brief he said
The government has public print
ing office, the building and equipment
Of which are invoiced So, 500, 900, the
annual expenditure for the operation
of the establishment is approximately
$1,000, 600. and the output must be
the mental and mechanical product
of the best and most accurate skill in
the printers art
THE impression is abroad that
members Of congress - in both
branches-are following long esrab-
lished customs of grab-bag methods in
printing and Thanking privileges not
creditable to those big enough TO make
laws for our national welfare. 1t is
doubtful whether this impression is
justified. all things considered, but that
there is a tremendous waste in our
method of printing and distributing
public documents there is not a doubt,
as the official report accompanying
this bill will readily show you. You
would be amazed if / were to tell you
that I'm public document procedure
alone we surely waste a half million
dollars a year; and add to this the
wrapping. Thanking, envelopes, leave
to print and other excuses which this
bill aims to correct and il will
I nil Hr1-
lars a year that is absolutely wasted,
except to those who profit by the pro-
ductiOn.
Distribution by Allotment.
Not only is our present method of
printing and distributing eXtravagant-
ly wasteful but it does not give men,
bers of congress their allotment of the
kind Of publications that are most
helpful TO the people they represent.
For instance a member in a purely
agricultural district has little use for
a publication useful in cities now al
lOted TO him. and the member repre-
Senting the city has little or no use
for much of the agricultural literature
and so forth allotted to him. AS 1t is
now representatives from forestand
prairie. from Seacoast and interior,
from cotton belt and wheat fields,
from shop and live stock ranch, and
from city and country, are all given
the same kind of documents for their
constituents and, of course. much OF II
is useless because it has no relation to
conditions in the locality TO which 1t
is allotted.
Hereafter each member will be al
lotted $500 worth Of public docU-
mentS for his district each year, and
each senator $4,000 worth each year.
and nothing else will be printed
/ Members car then order what they
want and nothing else will be printed
and wasted for them, and there
will be no excess printing of unwanted
documents. as is always done where
members are given the same allotment
/ of various documents.
The FTanldng Privilege.
The ranking privilege Is much
abused at much cost and without
profit TO any considerable number.
/ True this is a function of legislation
not generally within the province Of
the committee on printing, but we can
/ heIp by the regulation Of frank slips
and document envelopes, so that the
possibility OF wholesale ranking shall
/ be limited. But l would not be under
stood TO oppose the legitimate use OF
\ the Thanking privilege. The people
/ have a right TO know the nature Of
/ bills. what is being said about them,
and what is being done by their con-
! gress and by heads Of their govern
ment. They, too. have right TO gov
. eminent helps in suggestions Of eX-
perts in health, comfort, industry and
vocational endeavor. This is a peoples
( government and they have a right TO
be literally advised through free
/ postage privilege what IS being done
I for them or TO them. 50 they may in
diligently direct the future by their
/ votes.
/ Features OF the Bill
THE principal features of the bill
/ are the valuation plan OF distributing
| documents TO members 50 that they
may have what their constituents need