The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-02-18
THE PUBLIC ADVERTISING BILL

III seems tnht we vera sOnltWhhl nasty III
the Interpretation of telegram from Austin
on the newspaper advertising bill" 1t seems
that the committee did report favorsbly on
the sherif's sales bill, though unfayorsbly on
the executors and administrators bill, but
this latter report was because they had first
incorporated the two bills into one. Now
what will the house do? We have shown
the merits of such a bill in the interest Of
the people--will the peoples representatives
90 back on them from selfish motives, old
fogy, ox-cart ideas of the days of mauling
rails, or are they up to the notions OF
these progressive timos! The press
of the state IN convention assembled at
Houston last May, appointed a committee TO
carry this out and to watch them with argus
eyes. 1t has said nothing so far, but stands
ready for action. The people of this day
and time are enlightened and well informed.
They think for themselves. They read the
newspapers and use them as the vehicles OF
public opinion, and through the press TO-
day the people say to tho Legislature that this
posting on trees, fences and walls is an old
fogy idea, belonging to the days when news
papers we're not or were no such mediums o
information as now an idea that
smacks too much f the times when
the stage coach, instead Of railroads, car
ried the mail, and men carried their grist
to tub mills to be ground, the grist in one
end of a sack md a rock in the other to bal
annce it, and those who cling to such Gus
tom will be left behind in the race. The
people are right, us they always are, for men
with such ideas, ba they legislators or NOT
belong to tho stage coach, tub mill, OK carl
era, if they arc indeed sincere in their oppo'
sition to newspaper advertising; if not SIN
cero, then they belong to something worse
Ia either event, it is time such Il class were
laid upon tho shelf Legislators are elected
to serve the people, and III their Legislative
capacity, to protect tho best interests of the
people. If they are go blind, so far be-
hind the age as not to be able TO perceive
and comprehend what they ought to do, or
perceiving and understanding ere inditler'
emit why the people will remember them in
the future, and will not through the press
support them We have taken the time tc
sound n great persons on this question, gon.
temen Of intelligence, who read and think
and weigh all matters Of any concern; gen.
tleman in all tho ranks and ayocation5 Of
life, and we have found only one class who
hesltated in promptly and emphaticalIy de-
caring that the bills under discussion ought
to pass tho legislature without dissenting
voice. Those who hesitated were law
yers. They were quick TO admit
that publication in the newspapers
insured greater publicity than posting
and that twenty-five men would know of the
sale days by this means where one would
know of them from posted notices, and that
there would be twenty times as many peo-
pie present at the sales if they were adver-
tised in the newspapers rs there would be
under the present system, but they were
afraid of the cost to their clients, who might
lose their cases. They always wanted fec
bills against their clients to be as small as
possible, and there was no charge for post
ING notice, of sale under execution. Now,
did anybody ever hear tlimeier, to use
no harsher term, objection than
that? The fact that notice OF
sale published in Il newspaper
would attract a larger crowd than if posted
up, and that the larger the crowd the more
tho property sold, reasonably, would bring,
is promptly admitted, but the fear that s
client might think his bill of costs rather
high, although the increase in cost bill would
make his property bring better price,
causes hesitation in tho approval of the
measure. This looks like the lawyer was
consulting hi. own interest TO the detrimont
of the interests of his clients. Lawyers il
the legislature, of course, rise above consid.
eratons of this nature, and we have only
made mention of the single objection We
have heard, to show how frivolous it is. The
good sense of the house will surely prevail il
behalf of the passage of these bills for the
good of the people.