The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-10-09

IS the growing mania on the part OF
of all parties for per-
,onal publicity which is responsible
for distribution of non-essential in
formation.
Some idea of the enormous waste
may be cleaned from official reports
Of the Public Printer which show that
approximately 46,000,00O publica-
tions were sent out on free mailing
lists as ordered by Federal depart
ments last year. The average citi-
zen has little or no use for the doc
uments which pour into his mail box
from congressman and government
1t is prerogative
which congressman refuses to sur
render, but like seeds, may be finally
A conservative estimate
by the Public Printer gives the cost
of the present free distribution of
publications at $1,000
900 per year, "most all of which are
wasted.". No doubt the vanity, which
often overpowers dignity, of con-
gressmen to see their names in print
must be gratifed but the expense of
this glorifcation is appalling. A re-
port made by the Joint Committee on
Printing showed that the Hous fold
in room had to dispose of an accumu-
lation of more than 100000 obso-
lete and useless publications which
members had failed to send to their
constituents. The Senate folding
room likewise had to get rid of nearly
100000 documents, more than SO
tons of which were sold as waste pa
per. Thus in eight years more than
100000 publications that had never
been taken out of their wrappers in
the Congressional folding rooms, nor
opened by a single reader since the
day they came from the Government
presses were disposed Of as waste pa
per to make room for the incoming
millions of documents doomed to a
similar fate, says the Public Printer,
candidly.
Criticism has been made that some
congressman abuse their printing
privileges without rhyme or reason.
1t is officially reported that 100000
was appropriated by the last Congress
for reprinting two time-honored pub
locations telling how to treat diseases
of horses and cattle and ordered for
free public distribution despite the
fact that there are now in storage at
the Capitol $4,000 copies of the war;
ious editions of the horse and cattle
books, some of which were printed
more than rs years ago." The Sup
erintendent of Documents had on
hand at the Government Printing
store rooms at the close of the fiscal
year 1923 more than 30,000,000 cop
les of Government publications. For
obvious reasons congressman and
Government departments do not call
attention of the public to the facts
reported by the Public Printer. This
frank and daring official says mot
withstanding the enormous free DIS
tribution of departmental publica-
tions the Superintendent of Docu-
ments has had to sell as waste paper
14,O62,247 copies of obsolete and
useless publications in the last 10
years because they were not distrib-
uted by the departments while timely
or did not arouse sufficient interest to
request copies even when obtainable
for nothing. There will be added to
these 100000 wasted copies I'M
doubtedly half of the present co.
100000 publications which are be-
coming obsolete and of no value
either for free distribution or sale to
an unappreciative public. 1t seems
fair to assume that the total waste in
publications printed for free distribu-
ton by the departments in the last
10 years will be fully 25,000,000
COPIES" It would appear that econ
omy is something to talk about and
allow others to practice.
Another factor which is purposcly
overlooked is the mailing costs which
the taxpayers are obliged to pay in
directly. Last year nearly 100000
900 pieces of mail were franked by
members of Congress and the FEEDER
al Departments which cost the Post
Office Department $12,000,000 to
transport. Of the 902,229,137
pounds sent out without payment
ga, 394,812 pounds were mailed free
by congressman. There is an old
English proverb which is particularly
apt. "When nothing is enjoyed, can
there be greater waste.
Occasionally the Government De-
partments produce some interesting
facts worthy of distribution. AS an
example the Department of Agricul-
ture issued report this week show
ing that farmers enjoy continued
prosperity. 1t is stated that there is
a possibility that agriculture will
stand at some disparity for a consid-
cradle period with urban industry,
but for the moment agriculture is
swinging toward par and the read
justment is a healthy one. This de-
partment also issued a Year Book
recently which contains some valu-
able information for farmers. In an
analysis of farm ownership and ten
ancy they have discovered that the
of the farm homes rented
is only about two-thirds as large as
the proportion of city and village
homes rented. The proportion of
farm homes free of mortgage encum-
brance and occupied by the owners is
also larger than in the case of other
homes. More than half of the farms
in this country are operated by full
owners. Although tenants who rent
all the land they operate constitute
over 38 per cent Of all farmers, they
operate less than % per cent Of the
farm land.
The Federal Reserve Board has is
sued some data on business condi-
tions from time to time and it is con-
sidered valuable. There are a few