The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-06-28
LICENSING EDITORS.

The following comments. from the
st. Tammany Farmer. are SO common
sense aud to the point that we adopt
them as our own, and commend them
to the attention of Legislators. The
payment Of the license is a small az
fair. bat the principle involved is
great, and should not be allowed to
cast reflection upon the State Among
all the commonwealth Louisiana is
probably the only one that imposes
a tax upon the exercise of brains.
The ST. Tammany Farmer says:
In the License Bill, Section 6 of
the old act is amended to read as
follows:
That every individual or individuals
carrying on the business or profession of
editor, photographer, agency for publica-
tons, freight ticket, claims, patent rights,
and all other business not herein provid-
ed for, shall be graded the same as above
set forth, (meaning the old act) but the
license shall be one-half of those estab-
lished by this section, provided that no
license shall be issued hereunder for less
than IS %.
BY what manner of reasoning edi-
tors are classified with photographers,
ticket agents, etc, We are unable to
comprehend. So far as compelling
editors ESPECIALLY country editors)
to pay license. we think it is de-
cidediy narrow minded and impecu-
nions policy. The newspaper, as
much AS the school teacher land in
many important respects more SOY is
pnblic educator; it deals with all
matters of vital interest to society
and the public generally; the wealth,
prosperity aud growth of the State
and its cities and towns is greatly
due to the efforts of the editor; bis
laLors are for the public good;
throughout the prescribed sphere Of
it's usefulness, the country paper ex-
erts u benthcent influence. The
most intelligent. prosperous aud law
abiding communities are those in
which newspapt rs are published. In
stead Of compelling editors to pay
license, IT would be more in reason
for the State to grant them pension,
in Recognition of their great public
services Besides, the country edi-
tor, sirickly speaking, is not al edi-
tor-he is mere properly a skilled
mechanic. He generally does nil the
Office work. One day he is busy get
til g Up copy; the next day he is set
ting Tyre or working tue press, or
peifprm ny some other arduous la
boz Connected with the busintss. So
far as his receipts are concerned,
there IL not carpenter, bricklayer,
shoemaker, tailor or blacksmith, in
the country parishes, who does not
take In more money in the course OF
a ye han the country editor, and
We ib.rcfore think it is unjnst 10 dis
crimiuaie against us and make MS
pay II licens. FIR the empty honor of
being IAN editor" Every year We
do u large amount of work for The
State, and our bills are either atty
reduced. or we are paid in deprec-
ated Ma,rabis, not TO mention The
work We do for the State for nothing.
Hence we hope the clause in the gen.
erai License Bill, above quoted, will
be am. nded by striking out the word
"editor, and we call the attention OF
our Senator aud Representative to
this matter, hoping they will give it
ii cir earnest attention., in order that
il may not be snid of Lonisiana that
"sl,e taxes her newspapers" but
rather places them on an equality
with her churches and schools.