[ No. 29. ] MINORITY REPORT of the Committee on Printing: The undersigned, a member of the Committee on Printing, begs leave to submit the following report: But few matters have been referred to such committee, and few as they are, save in a single instance--the translation of the Governor's message into French, German and Holland-he has not been advised as to the doings of the committee. This avowal will apply to the compiling and publishing of the legislative manual referred to such committee, and to the publication of any and all other documents ordered by this Senate. The undersigned feels, however, that there are a few things pertaining to the printing department of the State government which should be made known to the Senate and to the people of the State. And, first, he will endeavor to answer the following resolution, offered on the 10th of January, by the Senator from the 25th, Canfield, which he believes has not been responded to by your committee. "Resolved, That the Committee on Printing be directed to inquire what number of copies of the School Law, and of the Superintendent of Public Instruction's Report for the years 1855, 1856 and 1857, have been published, and provided to be published; whether the same are sufficient for the public interest, and any other information relating thereto, which, in the judgment of the committee, may be necessary to the proper understanding of the subject by the Senate, and that they report as early as practicable." Should the Senate be disposed to inquire whether this report is submitted "as early as practicable," the undersigned has only to say that he has awaited the action of the majority of the committee, and even at this late day he is fearful that this Senate will, as on another occasion, decide that his report is premature, and cannot be received until the majority shall see fit to report. The undersigned has, however, made diligent inquiry, and finds that of the School Law an edition of twenty thousand copies has been printed, and of the Superintendent's Report an edition of twelve thousand-certainly, so far as numbers are concerned, "sufficient for the public interest." The volume of reports, the undersigned is quite certain, is of the same value to this Senate and to the public as a last year's alma nac; its entire contents, by the laws of the State, should have been placed before the public-in pamphlet form, only-one, two and three years ago, and it is now issued in its present form without the warrant of law. These reports are required to be issued yearly, and if not so issued, they are utterly valueless to the State, and have been issued simply to tickle the vanity of the late Super· intendent. It may not be amiss to state in brief the cost of this work. The recent report of the Board of State Auditors show allowances on this work as follows: Composition,.. Press work,... Dry-pressing sheets, $ 373 97 443 07 288 00 3,000 00 550 reams paper,.. Add allowances to Clerk,. 2,750 00 255 06, $8,110 10 The undersigned also finds that the printer's bills, as charged, and as allowed by the Board of Auditors, are made upon the contract terms of twenty-seven cents per token for the press work, but that the allowance is really. at fifty-four cents per token, making an allowance upon this single document, for constructive printing, of $240 00 -a direct violation of the Constitution, which, in provid ing for the State printing being contracted to the lowest bidder, "prohibits all charges for constructive labor." The undersigned further finds by reference to the said Auditor's Report, that the bills of the State printer for the publication of the Compiled Laws, the Session Laws, the Journals of the two Houses, the Reports of the various Departments, and all other documents printed for the State in sheets of sixteen pages, have been invariably presented and allowed at the same constructive rates, thus appropri ating from the Treasury, in violation of the Constitution, thousands of dollars annually. The undersigned submits that the Legislature should enact a law prohibiting such "constructive" drains of the Treasury. The undersigned also finds constructive allowances for composition, equally illegal, and of large amounts. The undersigned will not further enlarge upon the valueless volume of stale Reports, the parting gift of the late Superintendent. Of the volume of School Laws of which information has also been asked by the resolution quoted, the undersigned has already said that an edition of twenty thousand has been printed. The only section of the Statutes authorizing the Superintendent to publish the School Laws of the State, will be found on page 708 of the Compiled Laws. Section four of the act cited, found on same page, expressly provides that "School laws, forms, regulations and in |