The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-02-18
PUBLICATION BY POSTING
rcrr>sr,rdrrs Sets Forth the OAR
xers Of Mr.. Tharker's BILL
RocAe Efa-hssr. Wash. Feb -.

poc>A xsa-Assr. wasa Feb -. fSs
T. tra Editor: IN q recent timely sSii-
toriat on the subject or Senator Runner
proposal requiring the taking OF thS yea
and nay vote in committee o. tle -
Won say very truly that -'TI5licify Is rs
o-fx ultimate. remedy <0r corruption
The aprneSs Of this observation leans ne
20 ask xa1l. Tot alone In the interest o. tfse
newspaper publishers IN all the s4n34isF
counties Of the state, but o. TIE peVtIi7
generally resident n those counties, ~
cali attention 10 the pernicious character
- h,s,sa a;l No. -. entitled AN act %
nroyf6e FOR publication Of notices BY posi-
irr" AMI when was introduced IN the
house on the SIN inst nv Representative
Thacker CYr re4queStl and referred 20 the
judiciary committee. Although confident
iy believing that the good sense o. the
judiciary committee can BE- relied upon %
deal with the proposition as II deserves,
II seems 20 me- that you viii e doing /
distinct service 70 the people X you WEI
call attention TO some % the DUsnoSr!esS
frauds and iniquitIes thai might De rsGolly
perpetrate6 by unserup0lous attorneys
and Others under cover Of this ean II oy
any possibility 10 should De given TIE force
OF law. The bill Is even worse than its
title indicates in thar il is limited IN It's
application 20 counties from the tenth 10
the twenty-ninth class, apparently with
the idea % avoiding the opposition OF the
members from the larger counties and the
great dailies OF the cities II might not
.nappropriateiy ne entitled An act 10
prevent the publication Of newspapers in
counties from the tenth % the twenty
ninth class" for that would undoubtedly
De its effect In many OF the small counties
where the pubiieatczn OF cTed.cahie local
papers is difficult enough even II they are
able TO secure at reasonable rates all the
legal notices n their respective fields So
FAR as public printing is concerned IL is
doubtful II there IS single county IL the
state that paws more for this service than
IL is reasonably worth and in many OF
them newspaper riyalries and enmtues
have reduced the cost below the cost OF
composition alone IL paid for at the low
est rate OF union wages. As 10 private
printing. the same facts hold true as a
general thing. Where there Is one In
stance Of an excessive charge for the pub
ncation OF any notice required BY law
there are dozens OF instances of such pub
locations below q just rate 70 the publish
erS The law may safely enough be left
as IL is without mourning the least risk OF
making plutocrats Of country printers.
But OF far greater general importance
than the effect which such
Wead hax ss0'i Upon The S'' Interests q
country newspapers * the fact that It
would remove one Of the greatest Stun
bling blocks from the pathway OF dishon-
for the preparation Of the grossest frauds
against nonresident property owners and
in the settlement Of estates. AS TO the
latter. the present law Is not. like Gaze
sar's wife above reproach. for IL offers an
opportunity for fraud in that IL dnes not
require newspaper publication Of appiica-
tons for letters OF administration. but
permits notice OF intention 10 apply for
such letters to De given by posting. It is
not long since this loophoie afforded an
opportunity for the preparation of a
most ubiquitous fraud In the settlement OF
the estate OF an old hermit who commit
ted suicide on Camano island, in Island
county, leaving cash and securities esti-
mated at upwards Of s2o.et Imagine the
robberies OF widows and orphans and
other heirs at law that would be COM
mitted by dishonest administrators, In
collision with INSCRIPTIONS attorneys. IL
notices OF probate proceedings could be-
given by posting. Innumerable iniQuities
would be committed under such a law,
and 1t Is difficult 10 see how II can pos
sibly find favor in the eyes OF any person
who does not love the darkness rather
than the light. Publication By posting is
scarcely better than no publication II ALL
o. II. CULVER.