Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1891-10-29

port, leaving the matter in the discre-
ton of the register. In all cases the
rulings require that the paper shall be
of general circulation and "perma-
nently established" A ruling made by
Acting Secretary Joslyn. giving instruc-
tions to registers, reads: "You are not
to give the publication to papers that
are no reputable newspapers of gen.
eral circulation" The Democrat can
hardly be called a reputable news
paper. 1t is hard to find a Democrat,
even, who will give it a certificate of
character, while its circulation will not
meet the requirements. The register,
therefore, is complying strictly with
the rulings of the land department
under past administrations. But a
ruling has been made recently which
will take precedence over all others.
The Express, the paper established at
Pony, Madison county, in reply to a
letter, is in receipt of the following de-
cision from the assistant commissioner
of the general and office:
In reply to your letter of September 81.
1891, you are advised that the publication
OF the various kinds OF notices of final
proof, ETC., must be made in the newspaper
published nearest the land, provided such
paper is a reputable per OF general
circulation. Where two or more news
papers are published in the same town,
nearest the land. the local officers are in
structed to select the one which will best
subserve the purpose of the law and the
| general interests of the public.
Very respectfully,
| W. NJ. STONE, Asst. Com.
Here it occurs again: "a reputable
newspaper of general circulation" But
it says more. Registers "are instructed
to select the one which will best sub
serve the purpose of the law" Who is
to be the judge of this matter? The
register, of course.
Now, as to the price charged for the
publication of proofs. The price is as
near the statute rates for all legal
printing in the state as it can be made
-sometimes proofs will run a little
more or less, so the ARGUS adopted a
uniform rate. The charge that it is an
extortion is a bald lie reiterated to
arouse prejudice against the ARGUS
and the register of the land office,
The price for this same work in Kan
sas is So. Is there any one in Montana
doing business on a Kansas basis2 Car
a newspaper be run as cheaply here
as in Kansas? Not long since the
editor of the Democrat unwittingly
stated that journeymen printers were
paid 81 n week in Kansas. The ARGUS
pays owe three times this figure. But
if the editor of the Democrat was paid
81 per week he probably received al
his services were worth. We are il
receipt of a letter from Il party travel
ing in Kansas, in which he says
''There is plenty of work at 81 a day
or from Sl5 to SIS per month" Blu
there is no necessity for making com
parison between Montana and kansa
for compensation in any line.
The proprietors of the Democrat d.
not expect to get any of the land bust
ness. Their only object is to try ant
beat down the price to an unreasonable
figure, and thus injure the publisher o
the ARGUS. 1t is in keeping with thei
vile and INSCRIPTIONS methods. The.
are newspaper pirates and blackmailer
who have no standing with the press c
Montana, which aims to maintain liz
ing rates, and cooperate for the we.
fare of the profession.