The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-04-04
Concerning the Rates OF s4es<sa
Advertising.
HOLLY SPRINGS. Mss, April ls7

HOLLY SPRINGS, MISS A piii 1919
EDrFoRs CLARION: | desiresto invite at
tentton to the amendment To the frlntln9
Law. which has recently passed the Senate
add which is now pending in the House
The amendment provides for the strikl ing
ont of so much of the law, as it now STANDS,
which relates to publishers fees ana tfte
insertion instead, "that publishers fees lof
legal advertisements shall be one cent per
word for the first insertion and 0ne-hdg a
cent per word for subsequent insertions"
The clause stricken out allows Stcty cents
ner square. of twelve lines. for the first IN
sertion. and thirty cents per square Tor
each subsequent insertion. This law was
passed by the late Republican Legislature
At A time when it was frantic to show me
paople some steps towards reform. II dis
covered. however, when it was too late.
that a fatal blow had been given is press.
which lived entirely on public bounty.
Auv practical publisher will bear me out
In the assertion that the te : as fixed by the
present law is below the cost OF publishers
work The amendment n0w pending IN
fhe House is but little more favorable
to the publisher than the present law,
the difference being twenty-tour cents
per square in favor of the Amendment,
which is barely more than cost to tue
publisher. In the Revised Code of 1857,
the publishers fees We're fixed at sixty
cf nts per square for the first insertion. and
forty cents per square for each subsequent
insertion. There was such an cutlery made
by the press of the State against this low
rate that the Legislature in is next session
made haste to amend the law, so that it al
! lowed one dollar per square for the first in
| snrtiOn, and fifty cents per square for sub
| saOuent insertions. This change gave sat-
isfaction to the press of the State. and met
the approval of the people At that time
| the finances of the country We're settled on
a specie basis, values were reduced. and liv-
| ing was comparatively cheap. Every arti
| Gle used by the publisher was one third
| cheaper then than now, and, of course he
could afford TO publish advertisements ut
rate one-third less than he could in these
| DAYS OF advanced prices. In view of these
facts. why is it that the Legislature would
! fix publishers fees at almost one-thrd less
| than they were prior TO the war? WHY
| would it discriminate against the press in
| the manner proposed? There ia no wisdom
in it; there is no policy but blind one II.
! it, Then why do it? The press of the
| State have. in common with other pro-
| fessions and cllsses. entrusted its in-
! terest and welfare to the Legislature.
In common with these # asks, and
| believes it will receive, IFS rights. IN a call
! Convention at the capital of the State, the
| press, without a dissenting voice. appealed
to the Legislature to relieve it of the bur
| den of uni ust laws passed by Repu 1lcan
| law makers. and place it on a free and in
| depend mt footing with the other interest
| OF the State. VIII the Legislaturo-can t.
| turn deaf ear to that appeal? If the Re-
| publican Legislature, in its self-deStructve
policy of reform, passed a law fixing pub
| lishers' fees at Il rate below the cost OF per
| forming the work, and thereby bankrurtel
| its press, will the d Democratic Legi lature
| for far of partisan criticism, fail to do
its duty and to do justice in this
matter? viii 1t wait until it's next
session before it will consent To allow
publishers fair ard equitable rat" for Ia
hor rendered? If it will be RIGHT hen is II
| not light now? We believe the publisher
| If Mississippi only want what justly Re
long to thplr; we believe thew would k
no more; and we believe. further, that the
Legislature is wiling TO accord that when
| rhcv understand what it is. Believing this
| will here suggest a rate for publishers
| fees, which think If adopted, would put
the Legislature in proper light be-
| fore the people and give satisfaction
to- publishers throughout the State I pro
pose to strike out in the amendment, zone
| cent per wOrl," ana insert zone aud one
half cents per word" for first insertion, AMI
| to strike out {" hafof a cent word" and
insert ''three-fourths of cent word" for
| subsequent insertions. In doing this, the
| Legislature will have fixed publishers fees
at fair and equitable rate. about the same
as it was prior to the war, and when it has
| lone this it will have done right; and not
only will the people, but its own self-ap-
prevail, will Vindcate its action Then let
partiSans clamor and strive to manufacture
political capital ont fit; let them assail the
Legislature and appeal to the people What
if they do? My answer would be. look at
your leGions! once so invincble. now
scattered and gone-look at your power |,
once the, law of the land, now departed
forever-look at your pressl once so
naughty and fearless, now silent in tho
gulf of bankruptcy. In behalf of the press
Of the State | hope the Legislature will
shield its constituency, itself and the press
from such 6 fate.
am, sir, very respectfully, yours truly,
WI. L. HOLLAND
of the Holly Springs Reporter