EXECUTIVE MANSION, _August 10, 1888_.
_To the House of Representatives_:
I return herewith a joint resolution which originated in the Senate, and
is numbered 17, providing for the printing of additional copies of the
United States map of the edition of 1886, prepared by the Commissioner
of Public Lands.
This resolution directs that 7,500 of these maps shall be printed at a
rate not exceeding $1.35 each; that 2,000 of said maps shall be for the
use of the Senate, 4,000 for the use of the House of Representatives,
500 for the Commissioner of the Land Office, and that 1,000 be mounted
and sold at the price of $1.50 each. The sum of $10,125 is appropriated
to pay the expense of the publication of said maps.
The propriety and expediency of this appropriation, to be applied so
largely by the two branches of Congress, should be left to legislative
discretion.
I believe, however, that through inadvertence the duplication of the
edition of these maps issued in 1886 has been directed by this joint
resolution instead of the edition of 1887.
The map of 1886 was published at a cost of $1.25 per copy.
The map of 1887 will very soon be issued at a cost of $1 per copy, and
the publishers have offered to print an enlarged edition at the rate
of 95 cents for each map. This map will be later, more correct, more
valuable in every way, and cheaper than that issued the previous year.
Upon these facts I return the joint resolution without approval, in the
belief that the Congress will prefer to correct the same by directing
the publication of the latest, best, and cheapest map, and reducing the
amount appropriated therefor.