The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1877-02-15
THE RIGHTS OF COUNTRY PUB

The editorial article in HE TIMES about
a week ago under the above caption, meets
with the almoet universal appreciation OF
the press of the State, and there is a gener- |
al expression in favor OF the passage by the
Legislature of such law as was therein |
ortIined-a measure to protect the pub |
fishers of bona f3e newspapers against the |
competition OF irresponsible tramps. The
fees at present allowed TO newspapers Tor !
publishing legal notices-sherifs' sales, |
delinquent-tax lists, &c.-are satisfac-
tory to publi=hers-they are just about /
enough to allow the printer fair living
wages for his work-though be ought to
have a little more than this, to allow him
interest for the money invested in his Office;
but, as we have said, the publishers are
willing to accept The present prices, provi-
ded the law will protect them in the receipt
of the came sgainst the competition OF part
les who have no interest in the country, no
money invested, and expect to publish their
papers only long enough to do the legal
advertising. II q newspaper il OF benefit to
q community, it ought to be given liberal
support, and, as we have said before, what
ever the community has TO give in the way
Of public patronage should be given to
such paper, at rates such as will allow the
printer fair living wages for his work.
We notice by our reports from Topeka
that there is bill before the House, which
has been reported favorably from the judic-
iary, reducing the fees Of printers for all
kinds OF legal advertising fifty per cent,
making the rates to be charged for all kinds
of legal notices just one-half as much as the
law at present allows This is bill that
ought not to pass. ii may be, and doubt
less is, desired by the lawyers il the Legis-
lature, 10 get their notices published at ss
low price as possible, but they should re-
member that it is their duty as Legislators
10 cons ider the interests OF the whole peo-
PIE OF the State, ami not TO work exclusive
" for their own interests. II is not fair
il is not right-to take advantage OF the
necessities Of men to compel them to do
work at IS than it is worth. This is
measure that effects the country press. al
most exclusively the city papers are gen.
orally able to make their own rates, and ii
attorneys, or other people, don't want 10
pay the price, they have the other alter
native; but the country printer who is
trueglipg TO keep a paper alive IN
some little town Ia town which, without lis
paper, would never be heard of is frequent
ly compelled to do work for less than hall
as much as day lsborer ought TO receive
for his time; he knows that the price allow
ed him is lar too little, bat his poverty
compels him to accept it. An individual
who takes advantage of his neighbours ne
cessities to "drive sharp bargain" is gen.
orally considered "shylOck," and We sub
NIT that it would not be honorable or
creditable to the State oil Kansas to put it
self in this class. The State has the power
to fix the price it will pay for labor as low
as il pleases, but it has no moral right to
ask its citizens to accept less Tor their labor
Than such labor is worth. Those gentle
men in the Legislature who believe in ''fair
play" and think the country
printer should have chance
to live. should put themselves on record
against the bill referred to, and should sup
port, instead, measure such as We referred
to a few days ago requiring the County
Commissioners to designate some paper in |
which the legal advertising Of the county |
shah be done at the prices fixed by law,
and thus enable the country editor 10 get
reasonable pay for his work.