STATE PRINTING.
Mr. GIFFORD, from the Committee on Ways and Means, returned Mr. Heffren's bill [17] to regulate the State Printing by contract, with a report in writing-setting forth that the Committee being doubtful whether any good could result from any change of the manner of doing the public priniing ; and remembering that the State had once tried and abandoned the plan of letting it out to the lowest bidder, and that other States had tried the same plan, with no good result; and considering that, with regard to the prices paid, the Committee (none of its members being acquainted with the art) had been informed that they yield no more than a fair rernuneratioa to the printer,and that eny cutting down would oppress the craft more than the State Printer,-they thereupon reported a motion that the bill be laid on the table.
Mr. GRESHAM said the correct course is to let out the work, and moved that the bill and report be referred to the Select Committee of Five on Public Printing.
Mr. SMITH, of Bartholomew, did not see any necessity for delaying action on the report.
Mr. BUNDY concurred in this view. No good can come from delay by recommitment. We might as well make it a special order next Wednesday.
Mr. McLEAN hoped it would be made a special order. Mr. Heffren, who was interested in this bill, was absent, and courtesy required that we should wait till he returns.
Mr. FRASIER said the special committee was the best to investigate the matter.
Mr. STOTSENBERG. There was a select committee on this subject. He came here to carry out retrenchment and reform.
page: 198[View Page 198]Mr. FISHER said he held the same opinion as the member from Floyd. He supposed that the report and bill would be recommited to the select committee.
Mr. SMITH, of Bartholomew, suggested that journeymen in the Journal and Sentinel offices should be brought before the committee to state what the work was worth. He concurred with Mr. Bundy in desiring a test vote of the House, whether they would abolish the office or not.
Mr. GRESHAM withdrew his proposition to refer, remembering that the select committee was divided. This bill was well guarded. It was the same that was introduced by Mr. Stevens, and matured in the Senate at the last session. He was willing to make it the special order for Friday.
Mr. BUNDY. When it should be made the special order and the time fixed, he hoped to be able to make up his own mind whether it was best to abolish the office or not.
Mr. CAMERON thought a new committee on printing ought to be raised-a committee of men who understood the business-and let them investigate and report on the whole matter. There were men in the House besides himself who might claim to know something about the printing business.
The bill was made the special order for Friday.
On motion by Mr. GRESHAM, it was ordered that the report lie on the table, and that 200 copies of the bill be printed.
Mr. FISHER, from the Committee on Ways and Means, returned the resolution for amendment of chapter 5, section 137, of the Revised Statutes, so as to dispense with filing the county treasurer's receipts for taxes with the county auditor, and equalizing the compensation of these officers-reporting against the former change, and that further action on the latter was inexpedient. The report was concurred in.
Mr. CRAIN, from the same committee, returned Mr. Roberts' bill [89] to amend the 9th section of the general banking act, so as to make the State Auditor's certificate sufficient cause of action and prima facia evidence against the banks, recommending its passage.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed.
He also returned Mr. Hayes's bill [111] to amend the 6th section of the general banking act of March 13, 1855, with a motion that it lie on the table; which was concurred in.
Mr. NEWMAN, from the Committee on the Organization of Courts, returned the bill for the election of Sheriff of the Supreme Court, with the opinion that legislation thereon is unnecessary; which was concurred in.
