The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-12-22
THE wATCHMAN AND soUrHRoN, DECEMBER g. 1897
Probate, OF other county officers, {

toOosOs "a OsuSA NSNuty SAuVSlop VI
of officers Of court, or of executors,
administrators, or other persons act
ing in 6duciary capacity. in any
newspaper, 10 now required by law.
shall not exceed one dollar for every
hundred words for tie first insertion,
and fifty cents for each insertion
aftervards. y
This Was not we'll considered leg.
islation It is obvious that the Act
afforded to the venal publisher and
the corrupt officer opportunity for
collusion and fraud. Multiplicity OF
words. unnecessary; small type and
inadequate display could have af
forded large excess over fair work.
such as an honorable man would do.
The Act was violation of the print.
er's rnle Of measurement, and en-.
couraged continuance in tho very
dishonest practices it was intended
to correct. Probably such consider
ations brought about the change
made by Chapter XCVII. Section
2424, of the General Statutes, which
provided as follows:
S 1.-The charging for advertising the
notices Of Sheriffs, Judges Of Probate,
or other county officers. or Of officers Of
Courts, or Of executors, administrators,
or other persons acting in fduciary
capacity. iu any newspaper, as now re-
qaired by Law, shall not exceed one
dollar per equare for the first insertion
and City Gently cents for each subse-
queos insertion !; Provided. That in
case che usual charge for private iodi-
viduala advertisements occupying the
same space ard for like time, be less
than she rates aforesaid, it shall not be
lawful to charge higher rates thsu SO
charged Co private individuals .
I have quoted SO much Of Section
2424 as bears npon the rate and terms
for advertising legal notices. The por-
tion Of the Act quoted is the expression
of careful consideration. fair, just. aud
wholesome in lie provisions, showing
tho handivork of an intelligent idea
and the appreciation Of the printing
business. aud / dare say the author Of
that Act vas aetuated BY high bosi-
meas sense and conscientious discharge
Of duty compensation was 70 be la
lowed the publisher for public notices
ct . fair price, or on the same basis and
terms be VAS wiling to contract for
sith private individuals This Act
placed the publisher 10 fair relation
10 those charged With the dnty Of pub--
;ishiag legal notice. and with sense Of
Justice to himself sud to the public.
and in oil self respect be could do suoh
work.
Every eDserprising publisher of
properly desires to afford to
tis patrons ell information to be dariv-
from the publication of legal notices.
Every selt.respecsiog publisher will
adhere 20 sneh conditions of
advertisements as sill up
hold high character fer his work, both
ss to lis execution and It's fairness
The 40. los: above quoted is we'll
suited to secure the best results and
protect eli invoiv.d io such
pubiicssions. This hover. does no.
seem to have been so regarded By our
present Law makers. The General As
sembly Of 1894 re.snacted the provis-
ions for compensation for advertise
1,ents Of public notices which the Act
Of 1875 confined. adding the provis-
ion ..Thas the cap.ion 70 notices shall
be ut the rate Of Eve cents per word "
The last scs VAS not approved by the
and became Law wishous bis
uoder the provisions of S.c-
.ion 20 Of Article III Of The Conssiso
sion Of 1868, aod Seosion % Of Arti
Gle lV Of she Constitution Of 1926
This las. 40. is open to objection,
ss reasonable as that bad aga,Dss the
Acs of 1875, and is even more ohjec-
tioeable, 10 that the last clause pre-
seuss to the weak temptation TO make
money at the expense Of integrity aud
fair dealing. The dishonest are afford
ed az opportunity to make caption.
so that at Eve cents a word money
could be realized tbas an honess man
would not have, while the honeat
Publisher must do fair work. for which
he cannot obtain just compensation
Legislation tending towards eucourag
ing or opening the way for unsorupo-
lous conduct is wrong 10 principle, vic.
ioua, aud destructive to the interests
most to be guarded and fos.ered. It
may be argued By sone in support Of
THE last ACT shat it is not obligatory
upon the Publisher Of newspaper to
advertise public notices. Such. bow
ever, would be the meress sophis.ry.
Il is net from legal sense obligatory,
but from business and professional
sense it is obligatory upon the publisher