The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-04-14
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL IL, 1875.
THE MISSION OF THE PRESS,
Legal Printing-Its Uses and Abus.
es-Ohicial Printer.

In regard to legal printing, by law
made compulsory, and the evils natur-
ally growing out OF the present sys-
TEN, we have a few suggestions TO
make, in the nature of a proposed re-
form, that we believe will much pro-
mote the public good. The primal
idea we aim at is A FREE AND UN-
TRAMMEI.ED PRESS, and there arc
also some beneficial secondary results
that will be reached.
We also invite the attention of our
brethren of the press to our views,
and if they meet their approval, we
suggest they also give theirs. and at
the Editors Convention tins spring,
let us take such united action as will
secure the passage of suitable laws.
Can the press be said to be free in
the true, proper and noble sense of
the word, so long as its most valuable
source of support is at the pleasure
of the officc-holding and oflce-scck-
ing class,-the class OF all others most
likely to corrupt and pervcrt? We
do not think it can. We have often
thought that the press, though fifty
compared to n Waterman guarding
the interests and liberties of the
people, is SO warped from its line of
duty by dependence on attorneys and
county officials for patronage, as to
seriously impair its usefulness and in
tcgrity. That the true mission of the
press is one of benclicence to the pco-
pie, and that it has accomplished
much in this regard, cannot be ques-
toned; but that this dependence is a
most serious drawback to its useful
ness, is a painful truth that much re-
Election OH the subject only the more
firmly ~imprcsses. Many an editor
has realized the effects Of mourning
the displeasure ofsomc county Off
ciai, and had his business almost ru-
ined, for the simple performance of
his duty in pursuing a policy his
Judgment sanctioned as correct. The
legal printing at the disposal of a
corrupt or designing official, is a
powerful lever for securing friend
ship or covering up official short-com-
ings, or to aid in his reelection.
And how is it with attorneys? AL
ready, in our Judgment, their power
and influence is too great, and per-
meatcs III too many directions. for
the good of the people. They fill the
halls of Congress, and Of the Lcgisla-
ture; they make the laws, and then
their execution INT within the line
of their business. They study the
effect of the laws, and know how to
frame them to increase their own
business and influence, at the expense
of the people. BY means of their lc-
gal printing, they are enabled, TO a
great degree, to hold the press sub
scrvient, and use it as an ally. Year
by year the laws seem to be getting
more intricate, and justice more dis
tant and expensive; and that which
most concerns the people is almost
entirely withdrawn from public dis
cussion, criticism and remedy.
We are for scvcring the ligamcnt
that binds the press to the county
officials and attorneys. We are for a
free press in the true sense of the
word. Our mode of ~remcdying the
evils of which we have spoken is for
the Legislature to pass a law reg
u~!ating all public printing, to fix a
just and uniform price for the same,
to create the Office Of official printer
i'll each county, and make him cleo
Hce by the people. We would have
the vote of counties taken by town.
ships, so that where there arc two or
more papers in a county, the prefer
eaces of the people could be the bet
ter consulted, and each editor become
the official printer for as many town.
ships as he could carry. There are
good reasons for such a law, indepen-
dent of the main idea of securing the
freedom of the press. The costs of