The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-24
POINTS TO OTHER LOOT
Incidental Grabs, He Says,
Swell Loss to Public to
Greater Sum.
URGES GOV. GLYNN TO ACT
Asserts Contractors Have POck.
eted 900 Per Cent. Above
Contract Prices.

THE sun herewith presents a summary
Of the results Of tho investigation into the
so-called printing Ring in Albany made
by John A. Hennessy and two expert
printers under the direction Of Gov. Sui.
ger.
The report itself has been filed with the
OF Efficiency and Economy IN
Albany and the attention OF Gov. Glynn
has been called to It by Mr.. Hennessy.
The full report with many exhibits will
be turned over TO the Sullivan Assembly
committee. which with John X. Clark al
counsel will soon begin an inquiry into
graft In State departments.
The report charges that there is d.
version OF at least $500, 900 a year OF the
States funds and a waste OF much more
in the State printing and the purchase %
supplies for the departments In Albany.
II goes into detail as to the manner In
which different departments pay difreren,
prices for the same articles ana price,
that are much higher than any business
concern would pay for them.
shows Big "ProAts" for Contractor
II gives many and specific instances OF
the methods by which the cost OF printing
OF reports and of bills Is manifolded many
times for the benefit OF the contractors.
II shows how the contract printer IL
enabled to charge In some instances AGO
per cent. more than the contract price FOR
the printing of a bill and It explains tina,
the same tremendous price for printing
az was charged in New York until Mayo
Gaynor made an Investigation and stopped
II Is In force IN Albany.
The report says that as rule stationery
and printing cost the state 800 per cen
more than the regular market price. The
exorbitant prices are said to be due to
the fact that competition has been
eliminated In recent years by an arrange
ment whereby the Argus company OF Al
bany gets the contract for most of the
circulars and blanks and the J. b. Lyon
Company does the legislative printing.
The book printing and the special linos
OF work, Il is shown. are laid out by the
departments at prices settled upon by an
agent OF the Lyon company and clerk
in the Comptroler's ONCE.
The compilations OF the investigators
the report says. point TO an agreement be-
tween the J. X. Lyon Company and the
Argus company that since this agree
ment was entered into the prices OF mnny
articles have been increased to the Stat
II .s pointed out that tho contract Tor
circulars and blanks In many departments
always runs for two years. This would
permit competition were the specification
properly drawn for bidding.
scares Out Competition.
For legislative printing the contrar,
runs for only one year and the condi-
lions are 70 framed that no big printer
would attempt to put a plant in with the
risk OF losing his contract the following
year.
An illustration Of me profit in the print.
ing may be seen from the price list IN IN.
contract running from October l. 1912. "a
October I. 1914, obtained BY tine Argus
company. The prices are from so per cent
10 400 per cent higher than the prices
in the previous two year contract
The previous contract was controlled
by the J. B. Lyon Company Under ,h"l-
contract they would print No. & circulars
and blanks. ltxi7 inches and under. or
J Cranes No. IS bond AZ $50 for the frs
: hundred and 81 for each additional hun.
dred. Under the present Argus contrac
the price Is - for the first hundred and
SO for each additional hundred
, Under the old contract tho Lyon com
, pany would have printed circulars an,
blanks No. I. l7x22 inches or under o.
: Cranes No. % bond at sic5 for tho nrs
hundred and 81 for each additional hun
dred Under the present contrac. the stat,
r pays s. for the first hundred and 81 70
each additional hundred
In tho old contracts, circulars ana
, blanks No. g. SILVIA inches or unier
. would have been printed at 70 cents 10
the first hundred and % cents for tn
second. Under tho new contract the prc
Is $3.50 for the first hundred snd $50 70
each additional hundred.
y Legislative Printing . Gold Mine.
The legislative printing Is. OF course
the real gold mine The investigator
4 charge that exorbitant prices were PAL,
. for printing reports and that reports wer
; reprinted and charged for as new matter
4 There is no agency to pass on the vaiu
I of the binding OF the general worth a
the printers product. The bids on a Ger
e tain lot OF material are tabulated, but Al
: additional work must 60 to the successful
} bidder.
!, A senator who wishes to add TO tn
: printers income may get up, as one Sena
! tor did In March of last year, and NOV
!, to have many thousand copies of a repor
r printed, thus handing over TO tho printe
from $4,000 to 100000 in a resolutio
i unanimously adopted.
= The report points out striking simiisrit
lin the bids Of xhs J. B. Lyon Company an
lths Argus company tor <As printing Z