The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-01-12
Tax Sale Advertising.

We print elsewhere an article headed 1.-THE
War on the Newspapers" not merely because
our Cedar Key contemporary desires the State
press to copy, but for the purpose Of brief com
meut Other publishers have suggested that the
Florida papers all refuse to publish the tax sale
advertisements under the act of the last Legisla-
ture depriving them of adequate compensation
therefor, and we confess to a strong inclination
to join them in an agreement to such effect for
man certainly has right to just payment for
service rendered. But if the papers should all
pursue this course the result might be somewhat
embarrassing to the State government in its de-
partment of revenue. The unjust law is as fol-
lows:
SECTION A. If the taxes upon any real estate
shall not be paid before the first day of February
of any year, the Collector shall advertise and
sell 10 the manner following: He shall make out
statement of all such real estate, specifying the
amount due on each parcel, together with the
cost of advertising and expense Of sale, in the
same order in which the land was assessed, and
such list shall be published once ia each week
for four successive weeks in some newspaper
published 10 the county, il there be a newspaper
SO published, and if there be no such newspaper
published in the county, then by posting 10 three
public places in the county. one of which shall
be at the courthouse, and the newspaper pub
fishers charge for advertising shall be ten cents
per line. for the four insertions; and the Col
lector shall receive the same for posting at three
public places, but in neither case shall there De
any charge for the head notice.
The advertising and sale of property for non
payment is not only necessary TO closing the tax
account of the Collector with the Comptrollar,
but it is the penalty by which payment of tae
taxes is enforced. Now if there is no advert s.
ing not only will the Collectors accounts be-
come involved, but diminution of revenue m y
be apprehended, for the penalty of advertising
and sale being done away it may reasonably be
expected that many property owners would ne
glect or decline, TO pay their taxes still retaining
their property with unimpaired titles In all the
populsus counties, and from these the bulk of
the States income is derived, there are newspa-
of declining to do the part assigned them by the
Legislature for the carrying out of the Revenue
Act, the consequences would be rather serious.
Ii is better, therefore, that the newspapers act
with their usual liberaity and public spirit,
trusting that il the next Legislature makes a law
in which they are necessary to enforcement it
will also provide payment for their service.
For the information Of the non professional we
explain that the " line" for which ten cents for
four publications is offered under the act is twice
the length Of line proper, the act prescribing
that the advertisement must be double-column
width. Therefore the munfcent rate of pay
ment fixed by the Legislature is one and quarter
cents per line each publication. The regular rate
for advertisements is ten cents per line for the
first, and five cents for each subsequent publca-