conditions which have brought forth criticism of existing laws. Under the heading "Departmental printing and binding and distribution of public documents," the various systems in operation in the several departments for handling their printing allotments are reviewed. More than six pages of this section of the report is devoted to the Department of Commerce and Labor. The organization of the Division of Publications, its cost-keeping system, and the regulations adopted by the Department to govern its printing and binding are subjects which the Commission went into very thoroughly, and much satisfaction is derived from its statement that the results accomplished abundantly justify the organization of the Division and commend the system adopted by it for the control of expenditures for printing and publication work. The Commission also does not hesitate to say that its investigation in this Department disclosed many marked examples of economy by processes of revision, elimination, consolidation, and rejection of manuscripts, and while it did not attempt to particularize these examples, which it states extend to nearly every publication issued by the Department, it inserted in its report a table of expenditures for printing originating in the Department since its organization, on July 1, 1903, to June 30, 1909, which, it was believed, would convey a fair idea of what has been done.

The Commission makes several recommendations, which, if enacted into law, will but very slightly affect this Department. It believes that there ought to be created by law in each department a division of publications; that the supervision of the printing and binding and distribution of public documents in each department should be centralized; that all printing for the Government should be done at the Government Printing Office; and that the Public Printer should be prohibited from using any paper for printing and binding except that purchased by him, due consideration being given, in the purchase of paper, to recommendations of departments. Except that a small amount of paper on which to print declarations of intention, petitions for naturalization, and letter heads is furnished, these conditions already virtually obtain in the Department of Commerce and Labor, and favorable action by Congress on the recommendations will cause the Department no very serious inconvenience.

CONCLUSION.

In conclusion, I desire to express my appreciation of the loyalty' efficiency, and conscientious devotion to duty of the employees under my supervision.

Respectfully,

To Hon. CHARLES NAGEL,

GEO. C. HAVENNER, Chief, Division of Publications.

Secretary of Commerce and Labor.