The daily news., 1900-03-08
Publishing thc Laws.

The kissimmee Valley Gazette.
referring TO the strong advocacy of
THE NEWS and other state papers OF
the popular publication of the laws,
states its opposition to the idea thus /:
To begin with, We DO not believe it has
been done in other southern states since
the reconstruction Gays; and IL the people
and papers Cf Georgia ana Alabama and
other pOpuloUs and intelligent states can
get along without i. and keep out OF mis-
chief, We fan to see why our people and
press cannot do so too. Then the demand
foT Il emanates solely from the papers: not
that We thereby Impute unworthy or self
ish motives TO the papers advocating the
proposals; but only To emphasize the sig
uifcant fact that IL H. a press demand and
not a popular demand. II is sad that the
papers cannot b.. expected to publish the
laws for nothing. a. such information J.
aOt legitimate news. IN the same breath il
j. said that the people want to read the
laws in their local ps0er~, and are, there
fore. emitted 10 Lpve that privilege. Ifthl>
be true. then thr local papers ought TO
have enough enterprise and accommoda-
Elun TO publish .h. Laws a. news. Be- id.~
a great many laW- are of "a special charac-
Ger and only OF local or p ivdt- interest.
The general public have li;tle or 70 inter-
es. IN thsIa: II would he an imposition o
require them To- pas tor their publication
such laws as are OF striliug OF novel inter
est are now com U8-a at,d on at length IN the
press a. items of news. so Ihat the public Is
well informed on all important legislation
without special cost. The price OF the laws
IA book form l. hot prob. .5Itive, and anyone
anxious % post himself on the work OF the
Legislature San easily procure a copy; and
the bound statutes are much preferable :Or
study 10 loose copies oi UahGndy and easily
destTGC.ible new suaUer, lacking an index
and other essentials OF a ready reference
work. It would take several issues OF a
small local paper a. print the current stat
u:ss. and by tha time they We're all secured
tie cost would not lv much less than thy
pr.cr 81 tla present bound copies.
Much a. We respect the opinions
Cf the q .zette. We cannCt forbt.,T
the announcement that its argU-
ments are faiiacioUs. and that il
does no; even a;temp. 10 coU:rovert
the many eNc-iitn, reasons ru: f0rtL
by the >ts;c pres ia favor 81 pub
lishin- the law.
T. say that Florida can get
along" without roiicy - urgently
advocated because other states DO
not practice il. J. not argument. 10
attempt TO discrsdit The movement
because only tie newspapers have
advocated il. l. iEsiucere WHO ei-e
should advocate auy Improvement
ia our system CT policy: To urge
that the newspapers should publish
the laws Wi h"ut compensation. l.
strikincly unjust. They already do
all in the public interest that should
be demanded Of them. To object
that many of the laws passed are
purely local in character, or of only
private intesest, Is begging the ques-
tion. No one has advocated
the publication by official authority
of any but general or public laws
To plead the low price of the PAM
phlet laws is a fallacy, since, even
at the low price, only about 1900
copies are printed, more than sup
plying the demand. How shall the
adult male citizens
about I23. coo in number-learn the
provisions Of the laws which are to
govern them?