New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-19
GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING.
THE PRACTICE OF rwENrY-FOUR YEARS OF PAYING
FAIR PRICES ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS oF PUBLISH
ERs AND DEPARTMENT OFFICERS.


FAIR PRICES Observation-Disclosures oF PUBLISH
ERs AND DEPARTMENT OFFICERS.
IBY rzLslRAP To TBS rRIBUSE.l
WAsHINGToN, July 1S.-Ihe late opinion OF
Acknowledgement Deyens reihrmng that given IN 1876
tv Announcement Taft that the Executive Delat
aen,s OF the Government are authorized 10 pay only
r cents ner hundred words FOR tue fl It insertion OF
nary advertIsements and twenty cents per hunlred
ords for subsequent Insertions mas caused nnum raoe
letters TO be written by newspaper publishers TO the hes
OF Dep lrtmcnts asking xpianauon. Tue law wnchl
is now decided still IN force passed IN 1923 pa
OF 4 ind cla tee BILL and provided that the rates alrefd'
named should be paid publishing any notice OF order
reau.red by law the lawful order OF amy CourS De
partment Bureau or other person, in any newspaper
etc" Wi nm a weeks after the passage OF thls act
The State Department requested the Attorney -Geherai
then Mr. Cushing to give opinion as to the appAoA
bltv Of this law 70 the publication Of the laws, ueafeS
etc Mr. Cushing decd that the act IN question only
referred ~ judicial printing and did Apply to tne
ordinary advertising OF the Executive Departments For
fourteen years the act passed. therefore, ana
while il was in force the advertising Of the Departments
was paid for al reasonable commercial rates.
In 1867 an act was passed., winch was embodied IN the
revised in the fol owing language; "An adVe-
sements notices aud proposals Tor contracts for all the
Executive ID parsmen,s of tIe Government ana the
law, PASSED b. Congress and Executive prOcama'iona
aud treaties % be published in the District Of Columbia
MARYLAND AID Virginia, shall hereafter be advertised Dl
publ ,alon III the daily papers published IN ule
District OF COum ia having the largest cliculatioh'
The charges publication snail moi De niger IMAM
.ucb - are Id by individuals for advertising In such
MIXERS troUided further, that this section shah
not be construed TO allow greater c0mpen
sation for the publication OF tie laws passed by
Congress, and Executive PrOcamdtOns ana Io a,ies
in the papers oil the District OF Columbia tlan Is
provided by law for publications IN othef papers,
After This passed no chance was male III the
es paid TO newspapers printing Government adveI-
lis, nj nos In 1873 clause was inserted III Che Post
Office Appro ration Bill repeating all portions of The sec
ti,,n last quoted which referred To advertising in
n,wspaprr Tne natural effect Of sucn repea. Won
be to leave the Departments with just the
same authority which they had before 1857
and at liberty to pay tho same rates for adyertsi
ich they paid before act OF that year was passed
Such rates were indeed paid by all the Departments
from the Ash 81 March, 1870 when the repeal went INTO
effect To the lf.h Of August, 1876 On tie latter date,
slcitorGouerd Phillips seems to have discovered tne
O law Of 1888 which had been decided by an
Genell not 10 be applicable To ordinary Gov
rument ADVERTISING but only to Court printing, ana
,ye an opinion that il did apply 10 such Advertising III
newspapers As was done for the Interior d parment
This opinion is the one affirmed By Attorney General
D.v,us ard made apply to advertising Of every KIND
" nc t,e Government M ~ have occasion 20 do.
Prominent OH OF the Departments, VINO nave hiu
ong experience IN the transaction OF G"yernment pus
.ss - the OBJ Mon this decision has aDout ~
nch sense IN 10 ~ another given by oiGencral
PM lips quite recently tie effect taat II IL not lawfuI
for e Government Of the District OF Columbia 10 ayer-
risa in sunday newspaper cause al old Maryland law.
passed the Constitution OF he Uned states was
ed forbade all kuds Of work 10 be done on sunday,
n jsed line 10 be paid in tobacco upon every MN
ister who failed to read the act 10 Ills Orporiton
liyen number OF times Sacn year -
circular Inst issued by she Chef Clerk or the war
Deptrlmcut c1nta rs the following notice: Publishers
~ uersDapers recrvin advert scIncns from TIE war
anar nrnt or fr officers az the Army, and declining 10
minis the slms at rates men Toned llO cents Tor the
AZ ina rton OF 100 words and 20 cent? Tor each sub
an MT user. on) requested 70 return the advertise
mems 10 The Osic from whom they were received,
stating their objections"