The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-12-01

The following psper resd before the
State Press Association st Nevberry by
the Editor of the Manning Times shows
the injustice done the Press OF the
State by the Legislature IN reducing
the price ri al Official s6vertl,ino:
Mr. President and Members Of the
South Carolina .StGte Press -lss0
cation:
I am honored greatly and ABOVE
merit in having been charged with the
duty of setting before you the relstlva
obligations OF those entrusted with the
interest of the individual, and the
public welfare, SIS effected by the pub
Usher of newspaper.
It msy be well considered that the
publisher of s newspap per, whether 8
daily, semi weekly, or weekly, enters
upon such an enterprise with high
purpose to subserve the bes. interests
OF the State, the people at large, and
the community's interest effected ey
its columns The re 1spapsr failing to
meet the favor of the public must fail.
Any newspaper falling 10 give infor
ma,ion of matters affecting the inter
est of the community where it IS pub
lished should fail. TIE publisher un-
der the conditions and demands no Y
prevailing, must provide for the pat
rons Of his paper the current news OF
the day, select With csre from ex.
changes, secure responoents and
contributors, look carefully after 10.
Gals Of interest, and bave well digest
ed editorials upon subjects interesting
and educating. The publishers work
does not stop with these ar6uous d2-
ties, but he must, with great care,
look after all advertisements. that
each may appear to the best advan-
tage he can present, and display same
to catch and please the eye OF the
reader. l. is not the quantity Of mat
ter in an advertisement which secures
best results, but rather the care and
judgment exercised in the style and
method.
Great strides have been made within
the past few years By newspaper pub
fishers in sending out pspars OF such
merit as to become household necessl-
ties It is manifest that assiduous toll,
careful thought, exscting LABOR, is the
lot Of the publisher, and to all OF this
add a grave responsibility, greater
than that OF any other Of the commU
nifty, tina! he so publish as to uphold
and build up the tone and character OF
the people, and ins.ill healthy sc.ion
in all things pertaining to the mate
rial welfare of the community. This
glimpse at the position of the duties,
the labors of the successful publisher
OF newspaper, places him with more
influence than any other citizen, IN
closer contact with the people thar
any dozen citizens combined. His
teaching is seen and felt every where,
and his paper b comes household
necessity; it is through his paper that
information or publications will reach
q larger number OF the people than
any other method or medium CT a8-
vertising will afford.
This seems to have been recognized
over century ago. The law makers
of this commonwealth, by Ac! Of the
General Assembly of 1881, provided
for the fulless advertisement which
could be secured in the county, dis
trict, or State in all matters OF public
interests, or which affected Individual
rights in property. Ths tax collector,
the sheriff, ana all officers OF the
courts, by mandatory acts, were re
quired to publish or advertise IN what
was then donominated ''gszsttes,
now known as newspapers, ali mat
tiers affecting public or private inter
ests, such as time and pllce for pay
ment Of taxes, assessments, judicial
sales, election notices, citations, anG
all legal notices. The purpose Of toe
Act Of 1871 was evident; the la = ma
kers of that day wisely sa n tbs neces
sity of advertising, sought to secure
the widest publicity to matters OF
legal notices and public affairs, con-
side, alton being had for these inter
ests without even an expression as to
the cost. The Act of 1871 continued
in force until amended or repealed by
the Act of 1875, private rights being
protected for almost the entire period
and public interests advanced.
The war between the States brought
great changes to this old State. The
vepal, the unscrupulous, the vicious,
and the ignorant desecrated her sac
red altars, and for the first time in the
history of journalism in this State
came crooked practices and disnoncs
management in matters Of public prin
ting. The State was not represented
by her loyal sons, nor did the sons o
other Ststes VINO came to South Caro-
lima with honorable purpose have s
voice, nor was the press IN charge o.
those who respected themselves anc
took delight N honorable action
Such was the evil which had come Il
the public, tnas an effort was made tt
correct il by sn Act of the Genera
Assem- bly,, entitled: IA Act to liml
the cbars for advertising ca.sain 10
tices," spproved D<cenber %, 1875
This Act provided as follows:
that the caaree for adver;iSinI
the notices of Sner.fs, judges of Pro
bate, or other county officers, Or .
officers Of Court, CT OF executors, ad
ministrators, or other persons acting
in 6duclars capacity, IN any news
paper, as nGw req t,red by IAw, Shal
not exceed one u.llas FOR every hua
dred words for the fist Insertion, ant
fifty cents for esch Insertion alter
wsrcs."
This was not well considered leg;sla
ton. Il is OBVIOUS that the Ac5 81
forded IL the venai publisher and tb
corrupt officer opportunity fer coliu
rs, y
unnecessary; smsN type and made
quate dlspiay could nave afforded
larse excess ever tair work, such 3
an honorable msu 1orlG 60. Tt
Act was vlulxl,uD Of TIE printel
rule Of measurement, and enc uras. {
continuance II tie very dIshoueS
practices IT Was luttnCeu TO correc;
ProDa bl y socn Considerations 5rCusG
abOut the cisange u.S6e oy Gaap.
XCVIl, S, ciio.. 2324, f tae Ganera