(Witness: Post.) what we have. There is an expense right there that is almost useless. Perhaps the amount of good material that we will cull from this vast accumulation will more than compensate for the labor employed; but unless something is done to relieve us of the surplus it will need rehandling all the time in order to move it from one place to another, as storage facilities are necessarily increased. The CHAIRMAN. Could you make an approximate estimate of what it has already cost the Government to handle this material over there within the last three or four years? Mr. POST. I could not, offhand. The CHAIRMAN. Will you please make an estimate and submit it? Mr. PosT. I will. $10,000 a year storage; 6 laborers, at $626 each. or $3,756 for labor in handling; or $13,756 a year for three years. Mr. SAMUEL. Mr. Chairman, why not have him make an estimate. of the entire cost of the accumulation, approximately? The CHAIRMAN. Do you mean the original cost? Mr. SAMUEL. No: everything outside of the valuable material. Mr. SAMUEL. There may be some other little costs connected with it besides those two that have been mentioned, handling and storing. The CHAIRMAN. Yes. I will ask you to submit, then, with the estimate, the entire cost, with the larger items separated, of holding this great accumulation of material. Mr. SAMUEL. So as to give us an idea of what could be saved if you did not have that accumulation to store. The CHAIRMAN. Yes; that is, how much better off the Government would have been. Mr. SAMUEL. Yes. Mr. POST. When I appeared before the committee the other day, the figures which I gave as representing stock value I may not have made plain in my statement. I meant to bring out the fact that the stock value-that is, the value for salable publications-was a certain amount and the value as waste paper was another amount. The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. Posт. Of course the majority of this stuff is only valuable to us now as waste paper, and figuring it as valuable as books is a poor basis. The CHAIRMAN. What did it cost the Government to print this material, approximately? You estimated the other day about a million and a quarter of dollars. Mr. Posт. I think that is about correct. The CHAIRMAN. That includes material and composition and presswork and binding? Mr. POST. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. About a million and a quarter. Mr. PosT. I do not believe there is anything that could be done in the line of aid to libraries that would be more greatly appreciated than to relieve them of the reception of a lot of this material that is of no use to them. Mr. SAMUEL. The reception, you mean to say, that is being forced? The CHAIRMAN. We will ask you to give us, then, a full list of that material, and what it is now costing the Government to publish it. That covers the whole thing. (Witness: Post.) Mr. Posт. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. And that you can submit; your testimony will be submitted to you, and you can have that prepared and put right into it. Mr. POST. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. I think that covers all there is to ask you. OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, Washington, February 9, 1907. DEAR SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a list of annual and serial publications regularly furnished to designated depository libraries." It should be borne in mind that this list does not include any special publications of the various publishing offices, for, with the exception of the Library of Congress, all such special publications printed for distribution are regularly forwarded. In the case of the Library of Congress, the Librarian has specially requested that only those publications herein listed, or such as he may specially direct, are to be sent out under the law. In relation to the question asked at the hearing as to the class of books returned from depository libraries, the information for which I stated I would furnish, I find upon investigation that it is impossible to do so, and I would therefore request that the question be stricken from the records. I trust that the delay in compiling this list has not embarrassed the committee, and will be glad to furnish any other information which it may desire. I inclose also a statement of the approximate actual cost of the publications forwarded to a designated depository library during a Congress. The statistics of this office show only the cost, exclusive of composition, so that the figures, including composition, are purely guess work. Very truly, yours, Hon. CHAS. E. LITTLEFIELD, House of Representatives. WILLIAM L. POST, Superintendent of Documents. Inclosures. Statement of actual cost (approximately) of books forwarded to a designated depository library during a Congress. Miscellaneous publications of the various Executive Departments and other publishing offices__ Congressional bound reserve.. Total, including composition. Total amount expended in furnishing books for 500 State and Territorial and designated depository Ibraries, including cost of composition.--. Total amount expended in furnishing books for 500 State and Territorial and designated depository libraries, exclusive of composition - $1,004. 15 2, 184. 70 3, 188. 85 1,594, 425. 00 Submitted but not printed on account of its great length. 354, 675.00 Witness: Post. OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, DEAR SIR: In compliance with your telephone request of several days ago, I am sending you herewith copies of the various provisions of the printing law of January 12, 1895, with amendments thereto, governing the supply of books to the superintendent of documents. By reference to the schedule you will notice that I have attempted to provide you with the legislation covering the several divisions, but in this connection some explanation is necessary. The paragraphs quoted are the warrant for supplying the larger amounts on the schedule, while the smaller amounts are provided in various other sections and amendments of the printing law not herein listed, but which can be easily found by reference to that law. The large majority of the accumulation of public documents now in my charge have been received under the provisions of section 54, “Reserve, unbound," and section 67, "Surplus," and section 68, Remainders." Under the provisions of public resolution No. 14, approved March 30, 1906, which gives the authority for the preparation of the schedule, the objectionable features of section 68 are done away with and we only get our "remainders" on such publications as we desire for distribution or sale. The resolution referred to reads as follows: "Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Joint Committee on Printing is hereby authorized and directed to establish rules and regulations from time to time, which shall be observed by the Public Printer, whereby public documents and reports printed for Congress, or either House thereof, may be printed in two or more editions instead of one to meet the public requirements: Provided, That in no case shall the aggregate of said editions exceed the number of copies now authorized or which may hereafter be authorized: And provided further, That the number of copies of any public document or report now authorized to be printed or which may hereafter be authorized to be printed for any of the Executive Departments or bureaus or branches thereof or independent offices of the Government may be supplied in two or more editions instead of one, upon a requisition on the Public Printer by the official head of such Department or independent office, but in no case shall the aggregate of said editions exceed the number of copies now authorized or which may hereafter be authorized: Provided further, That nothing herein shall operate to obstruct the printing of the full number of any document or report or the allotment of the full quota to Senators and Representatives, as now authorized, or which may hereafter be authorized when a legitimate demand for the full complement is known to exist. "Approved March 30, 1906." In further compliance with your request. I transmit also herewith a draft of a resolution recently prepared and forwarded to the Joint Committee on Printing, providing for the condemnation and sale of the accumulation of worthless material which is, under the law, stored in the old Government Printing Office, and occupying valuable space. If some such resolution could be adopted, it would greatly simplify the problem in this office, provided that the resolution was broad enough to give authority for the condemnation of “dead stock," which, under the law, might be received from time to time from the various public bureaus. After many years of association with the printing and distribution of public documents and the careful study of the existing laws on the subject, I am thoroughly convinced that nothing short of a carefully compiled substitute for the present printing law will prevent the useless waste and provide a means for the better distribution and sale of Government publications. I inclose herewith a copy of my last annual report, which I feel will be of interest to you, and would assure you that any further information which I can supply will be cheerfully presented. Very truly, yours, Hon. CHARLES E. LITTLEFIELD, House of Representatives. WILLIAM L. POST, Superintendent of Documents. Witness: Post. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress assembled, That the superintendent of documents shall report to the Public Printer from time to time for condemnation any accumulation of public documents for which there is no demand, or which he is unable to distribute to libraries under the law, and the Public Printer is hereby authorized and directed to appoint a board, composed of the superintendent of documents and two other experts who shall submit written recommendations upon which the Public Printer shall order the condemnation of the publications and their sale as waste paper under contract. Provisions of the printing law of January 12, 1895, with amendments thereto, governing the supply of books to the superintendent of documents. SEC. 54. Whenever any document or report shall be ordered printed by Congress, such order to print shall signify the "usual number" of copies for binding and distribution among those entitled to receive them. No greater number shall be printed unless ordered by either House, or as hereinafter provided. When a specified number of a document or report is ordered printed, the usual number shall also be printed, unless already ordered. The usual number of documents and reports shall be one thousand six hundred and eighty-two copies, which shall be distributed as follows: Of the House documents and reports, unbound.-To the Senate document room, one hundred and fifty copies; to the office of the Secretary of the Senate, ten copies; to the House document room, four hundred and twenty copies; to the Clerk's office of the House, twenty copies. Of the Senate documents and reports, unbound.-To the Senate document room, two hundred and twenty copies; office of the Secretary of the Senate, ten copies; to the House document room, three hundred and sixty copies; to the Clerk's office of the House, ten copies. That of the number printed the Public Printer shall bind one thousand and eighty-two copies, which shall be distributed as follows: Of the House documents and reports, bound.--To the Senate library, fifteen copies; to the Library of Congress, two copies, and fifty additional copies for foreign exchanges; to the House library, fifteen copies; to the superintendent of documents, five hundred copies, for distribution to the State and Territorial libraries and designated depositories. Of the Senate documents and reports, bound. To the Senate library, fifteen copies; to the Library of Congress, two copies, and fifty copies additional for foreign exchanges; to the House library, fifteen copies; to the superintendent of documents, five hundred copies, for distribution to the State and Territorial libraries and designated depositories. These documents shall be bound in full sheep, and in binding documents the Public Printer shall give precedence to those that are to be distributed to libraries and to designated depositories: Provided. That any State or Territorial library or designated depository entitled to documents that may prefer to have its documents in unbound form may do so by notifying the superintendent of documents to that effect prior to the convening of each Congress. The remainder of said documents and reports shall be reserved by the Public Printer in unstitched form, and shall be held subject to be bound in the number provided by law upon orders from the Vice-President, Senators, Representatives, Delegates, Secretary of the Senate, and Clerk of the House, in such binding as they shall select, except full morocco or calf; and when not called for and delivered within two years after printing shall be delivered in unbound form to the superintendent of documents for distribution. All of the "usual number' shall be printed at one time. (No. 36.) JOINT RESOLUTION Providing for the binding and distribution of public documents held in the custody of the superintendent of documents, unbound, upon orders of Senators, Representatives, Delegates, and officers of Congress, when such documents are not called for within two years after printing. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That hereafter the documents reserved for binding upon orders of Senators, Representatives, Delegates, and officers of Congress, as provided in paragraph six, section fifty-four, of an act approved Witness: Post. January twelfth, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, providing for the public printing and binding and the distribution of public documents, if not called for and delivered within two years after printing shall be bound in first grades of cloth and delivered to the superintendent of documents for distribution to libraries; and the Public Printer is hereby authorized and directed to bind in cloth all such documents heretofore delivered to the superintendent of documents for like distribution. Approved, June 30, 1902. AN ACT to amend the act relating to the printing and distribution of public documents, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the act entitled "An act providing for the public printing and binding and distribution of public documents,” approved January twelfth, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, be amended as follows: That section fifty-four of said act is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof as follows: That hereafter the usual number of reports on private bills, concurrent or simple resolutions, shall not be printed. In lieu thereof there shall be printed of each Senate report on a private bill, simple or concurrent resolution, three hundred and forty-five copies, which shall be distributed as follows: To the Senate document room, two hundred and twenty copies; to the Secretary of the Senate, fifteen copies; to the House document room, one hundred copies; to the superintendent of documents, ten copies; and of each House report on a private bill, simple or concurrent resolution, two hundred and sixty copies, which shall be distributed as follows: To the Senate document room, one hundred and thirty-five copies; to the Secretary of the Senate, fifteen copies; to the House document room, one hundred copies; to the superintendent of documents, ten copies: Provided. That nothing contained in this act shall be construed to prevent the binding of all Senate and House reports in the reserve volumes bound for and delivered to the Senate and House libraries: Provided, That not less than twelve copies of each report on bills for the payment or adjudication of claims against the Government shall be kept on file in the Senate document room. * * SEC. 58. Whenever printing not bearing a Congressional number shall be done for any Department or officer of the Government, except confidential matter, blank forms, and circular letters not of a public character, or shall be done for use of Congressional committees, not of a confidential character, two copies shall be sent, unless withheld by order of the committee, by the Public Printer to the Senate and House libraries, respectively, and one copy each to the document rooms of the Senate and House, for reference; and these copies shall not be removed; and of all publications of the Executive Departments not intended for their especial use, but made for distribution, five hundred copies shall be at once delivered to the superintendent of documents for distribution to designated depositories and State and Territorial libraries. SEC. 61. The Public Printer shall appoint a competent person to act as super intendent of documents, and shall fix his salary. The superintendent of documents so designated and appointed is hereby authorized to sell at cost any public document in his charge, the distribution of which is not herein specifically directed, said cost to be estimated by the Public Printer and based upon printing from stereotyped plates; but only one copy of any document shall be sold to the same person, excepting libraries or schools by which additional copies are desired for separate departments thereof, and Members of Congress; and whenever any officer of the Government having in his charge documents published for sale shall desire to be relieved of the same he is hereby authorized to turn them over to the superintendent of documents, who shall receive and sell them under the provisions of this section. All moneys received from the sale of documents shall be returned to the Public Printer on the first day of each month and be by him covered into the Treasury monthly, and the superintendent of documents shall report annually the number of copies of each and every document sold |