Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-12-02
Publication Of the Laws.

II luWAlCSttIO11 OA taaC A/ds " Ss
The Republican, in a reply to an item
of ours relative to the publication of the
laws in the different papers throughout the
.>,a.s, thinks that such law would be
unjust. burthening one portion of the peo-
pie for the support of another--tllat the
benefits derived would not be equal to the
expense incurred, DC. in the short arti-
Gle which we published. recommending
the enactment of such law we did not
attcmp, to state any particular provisions
which il should contain, but merely ac-
qu;esced in the suggestion of q cotempo-
rary, that such law would be beneficial
We do not think that the RePudttcon's ar
gnment against such an enactment are con-
vincing of any impropriety or inexpedien
cy in the enactment N such a law. Its
objections to having them published in the
papers belonging to The party in power,
could Be removed by having them psblis-
ed in the papers having the largest circu-
lation. The expense Of their publication
would be but little more than the cost OF
lawsuits growing out of ignorance Of the
requirements IF the laws. The RepuUic-
an seems to think that the laws are made
only for officers and lawyers. We think
differently They are for the governmet
and protection Of tie Peop e. and they have
Alright to know their requirements, in or
der 10 obey and enforce them.
There is probably not town Corpora
ton In the State that does not publish its
ordinances in some news paper, that the
people may know the laws under which
they live. We have never heard any com
plaint against the propriety of expending
money for this purpose, not even Matt
ingly, with all the economy and fair deal
ing which he praises himself for. COM
plains of taxing Democrats 70 pay him for
publishing the ordinances OF this town.
The expense of publishing the ordinance
is a. much for each citizen of the corpor-
alton, as the expense of publishing the
laws would be for each citizen Of the State.
Our State laws impose a fine OH all per
sons Tor gathering Cranberres on public
lands prior to a date specified in the law;
yst not one fourth Of our people have any
opportunity of knowing this. except thro'
the newspaper. The assertion that it is
the duty of elito" ish such laws
free, as M. ..s ilimsy argu-
KS DANCE AN-
A'"'' 70 -~-a,,"r'
i, would certainly be very loose mode Of
doing business to expect the citizens To
turn out and arrest violators of the laws,
and spend their time and money, without
any remuneration. merely because few leg
isia,ors thought it was thei. duty. Instead
Of depending on such uncertainties, the
laws authorize the 'otion of officers
whose duty il is to atter. to such matters
and who are paid r Services. We
think it is the duty OF the Legislature to
pass an enactment authorizing the publica-
Of the laws, instead of depending on edit
ors to 90 it voluntary. gratis.
We did not recommend the passasge o
q law Of this kind. above specified, because
We thought it would be taxing the people
for the support of newspapers; but because
tho't it would be advantageous TO the
people. it being the cheapest method o
hringing the laws to the doors Of the mill
ION.