Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-02-05
IMPORTANT IES;rSLATEoy.

Among tho bills which are, or soon will be,
presented to the Iowa Legislature are the fol.
lowing, which particularly interest the print.
ers Of the State:
A Bill for an Act to provide for the publ
cation, at the expense Of the State, of laws
of general interest, and Of q special local
character, in the various Weekly Newspapers
of the State, at 40 cents per thousand ems.
A Bill for an Act to compel tho Board OF
Supervisors of the various Counties of the
State TO publish report of their proceedings
A Bin for an Act TO increase the price for
publishing the Delinquent Tax List.
II is for the interest Of every citizen in the
State that the two former named bills pass,
while the latter bill appeals more directly to
the sympathy Of the press. We hope that
each one of them will pass, for they are
founded on right and justice. 1t is for the
interest of the State that each citizen be ac-
quainted with the laws that govern him, and
there is 10 way in which this intelligence can
be spread so widely and thoroughly, as by
the manner named. The people will cheer.
fully pay the little additional tax that will be
required for this purpose, for the benefit ac-
crucs directly to them. For the same reason,
County laws enacted by the Boards of Su.
pcrvisors should be also published. AS it
now is, Boards meet and adjourn, and no
one is the wiser for it. Acts affecting every
Township are passed, and nine teuths Of the
people know nothing Of them, until the pro.
visions of the act are enforced. This is not
as it should be. The people choose legislators
to enact laws for the benefit Of the entire
County or State, and not merely for the
knowledge Of The law makers alone, as now
seems to be the case. The people are ex-
pectcd to obey the laws and foot the bills,
and this being so they should be kept posted
as to what those laws are and for what pur
poses appropriations are applied.
As regards the publishing Of Delinquent
Tax Lists, every one at all familiar with the
subject, is well aware that the price paid un-
der the present law regulating the publish
ing, is entirely inadequate to the service per-
formed, and is far below the rates Of ordinary
advertising. There is no State in the Union,
so far as we know, where the press is COMPEL
ed to do this work at So unreasonable price,
as in Iowa. In many States the rate is TWEEN
ty-fye cents description, while in this State
it is but ten cents. The first named price
pays well, while the other does not pay al
all. We think the press would be satisfied
if the rate were increased to twenty cents a
description, and this would be no more than
& fair remuneration. We do not like to see
the disposition manifested by some, which is
to "ew' the press down to the lowest living
figures, and then expect it to be bright and
shining light, an honor and credit to the
State. There is no class Of business men
that render greater and more beneficial ser.
vice to the community than the printers, and
it is equally true that no trade or profession
is so lily paid in proportion to services rem.
dered. Fix what rate you will there is no
danger OF the country press becoming rich.
As it now is, many publishers that have the
will are without the means to bring their pa
pers up to the standard they desire them to
attain, and any surplus they might have over
necessary expenditures, would De applied
to the improvement OF their journals. The
State owes much to its country press, and II
is not good policy to pursue niggardly
course towards it. All it asks is fair COM
pensation, and with that it will render value
received.