The Glenwood post., 1924-10-23
ADVOCATES OF
AMENDMENT ONE
SHOWN llSlVCERE
Who Told Canvassers to Make
Statement Tanner Denies
In Denver Speech?

- SAvSA SPSVSAs
voters should vote against Amendment
No. Is that its advocates make
claims for 1t which they either know
to be untrue or are unable to back up
with figures. demonstrating their In
sincerity.
Tanner Disputes His canvasssrs
Canvassers are visiting Colorado
homes and telling the residents that
the bill means free texts for all chill
dren. Yet, Mr.. w. A. Tanner, who
fathered the measure, made this state
ment in an address to members Of the
Denver Chamber of Commerce on Oct.
o: Amendment No. makes no pro-
vision whatever for free text books.
The charge Is made that we are pro-
posing free text books. would like
to see that in the proposition. but 1t is
not there"
Who, then, Instructed the field rep
resentatives of the printing plant or
ganization to make this admittedly un-
true claim?
Educators Refused Figures
The Colorado Education Association,
Foremost in Colorado educational work
for fifty years, asked Kansas author
tiles months ago for figures on text
book costs, and has thus far not been,
able to get reply. If the figures
proved the claims of proponents of the
amendment to be true, would this data
be denied to an organization Of this
sort?
In the speech mentioned, Mr.. Tanner
objected to charging the entire tax
levy up to the printing plant on the
ground that only S325OO0 would be
used in erecting a building and equip
ping it. Yet, the sum to be raised by
taxation must all be raised by the tax
payers, whether it is used to buy print
Ing machinery or gold inkwells for the
desks of the building commissioners.
Construction Estimate Inadequate
But let us see how adequate an esti-
mate of 1925, 600 is for the construc-
ton of a building and equipping it to
do "any printing and binding of pub
lie nature" which the amendment says
shall be done by the public printer"
In the case Of the general election
ballot, which Is sufficient to show the
measure to be ridiculous and impos-
sible Of operation, the election laws are
such that 1t is seldom, If ever, possible
to begin the press run on the ballots
longer than four days before election.
The law also requires the ballots to
be in the hands of the judges at least
"a hours prior to the opening of an
election. That leaves three days. As
Stunning that copy might reach the state
printer from any point Of the state in
one day (this is not possible, as many
places are more than one day by mail
from Denver) and that the ballots
might be returned in day, that would
leave "a hours for the actual printing.
less press makeready and composition.
But give the measure every advantage.
Assume that way Is figured to pro-
vide an extra day besides, time to set
the matter and get the presses ready,
thus allowing 4S hours for the press
runs.
AS matter of fact, 4s hours is just
the time required to run the ballots
In Weld county on one press The time
required In each of the other counties
will certainly not average less than
half that required in Weld, so the en-
tire job would require at least 80 times
as long as in Weld. Then 80 times as
much press equipment and 80 times as
many men would be required for the
state as for the Weld county job.
$4,000 for Presses for Ballots Alone
Now 80 cylinder presses suitable to
print ballots upon could not be pur-
chased for less than $500 each, or
$4,000 just for presses on which to
get an election ballot out in compliance
with the law. Most of these machines
would be idle between elections, so
allowing low percentage of 5 per
cent each for interest and depreciation
the public would pay $1,000 a year
lust to maintain presses to be used not
over once year.
Ballots cannot be printed on presses
using plates as the forms frequently
change ut intervals of from 30 impress
sions up, four or five times In voting
precinct, to insert names OF justices
constables and other minor officials
and numbering machines can not Dt
used on such presses.
Is II reasonable to suppose that, hav
ing spent $112;6O0 for this battery o.
presses alone, twice as much more
would suffice to buy linotypes, inter
types, monotypes, Ludlow type casters
cutters, perfecting presses for bool
work, platens and feeders for other jol
work. punching machines, stitchers
nerforators, folders, cases, display type
case racks, numbering machines
stones, chases, Quoins, spacing ma
terial metal by the carload and tn
thousand and one little Items whic
90 to make up printing plant, an
leave funds enough to erect a buildin
large enough to house such an estai
lishment7
II 10 Not Done In Kansas
1svou snace a hundred such e,