The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-14

l
amended or repealed by tho Act of
1873, private rights being protected
for almost the entire period and pub
lie interest advanced.
| Tho warbotwocn tho States brought
great changes 10 this old State. The
venal, the unscrupulous, the vicious,
and the ignorant desccratod her sac
rcd affairs, and for tho first time in
the history of journalism in this State
came crooked practices aud dishonest
management in matters of public
printing. Tho State was not repre-
sentod by hor loyal sons, nor did the
sons of other States who came to
South Carolina with honorable pur-
poso have Il voico, nor was the press
in charge Of those who respected
themselves and took delight in hon
orable action. Such was tho evil
which had como to the public, that
IN effort was made to correct it by
an Act Of the General Assembly, on
titled: "An act to limit tho charge
for advertising certain notices." ap.
proved December %, 1875. This
Act provided as follows:
"That the charge for advertising
the notices OF Shcrilfs, Judges Of
Probate, or other county oC:cers, or
of officers Of court, or Of executors
administrators, or other persons act
ing in Il tiduciary capacity, in any
newspaper, as now required by law,
shall not exceed ono dollar for every
hundred words for the first insertion,
and fifty cents for each insertion
afterwards"
This was not we'll considered leg
islation. 1t is obvious that the Act
afforded to the venal publisher and
tho corrupt officer opportunity for
collusion and fraud. Multiplicity of
words, unnecessary; small type and
inadequate display could have
afforded largo excess ovor fair work,
such as an honorable man would do.
The Act was Il violation of tho prin-
tors rule Of measurement, and on
couraged continuance in tho worry
dishonest practices it was intonded
to correct. Probably such consid-
eratlons brought about tho change
mado by Chapter XCVIT, Section
2i24, of tho General Statutes, which
provided as follows:
"The charging for advertising the
notices of Sherifis, Judges Of Pro
bate, or other county officers, or of
officers Of Courts, or Of executors,
administrators, or other persons act
ing in tiduciary capacity, in any
newspaper, as now required by law,
shall not exceed ono dollar per square
for the first insertion and fifty cents
for each subsequent insertion; Pro
vidcd, That in case the usual charge
for publishing for private individ-
uals advertisements occupying tho
same space and for like time, be less
than the rates aforesaid, it shall not
bo lawful to charge higher ratos than
SO charged to private individuals"
L have quoted so much of Section
2124 rs bears upon tho rate and
terms for advertising legal notices.
Tho portion Of the Act quoted is tho
expression of careful consideration,
fair, Just, and wholesome in it's pro
visions, showing the handiwork of
an intelligent idea and the apprecia.
tion of th printing business, and |
dare say tho author Of that Act was
actnated by u high business sense
and CONSCIENTIOUS discharge of
duty compensation was to be al
lowed the publisher for public
notices at a fair price, or on the
same basis and terms he was willing
to contract for with private individu-
ais. This Act placed the publisher
in n fair relation to those charged
with the duty Of publishing legal
notices, and with sense Of Justice
to himself and to tho public, and in
all self respect he could do such
| work.
Every cnterprising publisher of Il
newspaper properly desires to afford
to his patrons all information to be
derived from the publication of lognl
notices. Every solf-respocting pub
Usher will strcnuously adhere to
such conditions of publishing advcr,
| tiSomonts as will uphold bioh char.