The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-02-01

people commercially righteous by
statutes NJ own belief Is that legis-
lation should be the last. instead OF the
first reliance OF those VINO look Tor
better order OF things socially or IN
dusirially.
We should exhaust every other re-
source we should dc our level best by
example and precept TO make adVer-
Using universally ethical ana belleVaDle
before putting another law upon the
statute-books, there TO stand AS
token OF our lethargy or cowardice.
Laws TO be effective must represent
the collective Will OF the people ana
this collective viii must be continually
expressed by free press Such emil
nent men. indeed. az Edmund Burke
and Thomas Jefferson, have given
newspapers place above all other
forces OF government In imparting sta
bility to democratic institutions.
What hope is there OF enacting a
federal advertising law that VIII De
effective until the newspapers, so seri-
ous1y affected by such legislation, are
convinced OF the wisdom and indispen-
stability Of the proposed legislation?
Until they have been touched by a
deep sense of responsibility for the Inn
position upon their readers through
interruptions advertising. IL Is not con-
ceivable that they Will rally enthusiasts
tically for measure aimed directly at
their revenues
There Is nothing either In the courts
delays c'Justicc travels with n leaden
heel') or in the discussion now wag-
| ing as TO whether existing business
laws should be enforced-after long
period OF slumbering--to encourage an
appeal 10 interstate regulation for the
correction OF advertising ills.
IL statute such as Printers Ink
recommends should be enacted and then
be permitted to lapse into passlVity
until the predatory tendencies OF ad-
vertisers prod some executive into
reviving IT, forthwith there would arise
a wall that he was destroying pros
perity and influential advertisers
would solemnly aver that they couldn
tell whether they were obeyng or vio-
lating the law-thus encoura ging some
statesman to declare that there were
good advertisers and bad advertisers
and to propose "A commission 10 sepa-
rate the sheep from the goats
It's only after every other solution
fails that we should rush in where
angels fear TO tread. IL was blunt
disciple OF Blackstone who wllled MS
fortune TO fools and knaves. deposing
and saying, from such l got IL ana
10 such / give It,"
/ prefer the late Russell Sage's sys-
tenn Of connseing with lawyer. ~
is related that he laid case In detail
before high priced attorney ana was
assured by that worthy that he had a
sure case-he Just couldn't lose. II
thank YOU very much" said Mr.. sage.
81 gave you the other fellows SIDE or
It. You have saved me some costly
litigation"
attended recently a reception given
10 the supreme court OF Michigan at
the Lawyers club in Detroit, and l eN-
planned that my relations with that
august tribunal had been most salts
factory because / had never had any
relations with IL. l reaffirmed my be-
lief I'm the Scriptures, where IL is writ
zen If any man take away thy coat give
him thy cloak. also---it is cheaper than
giving the case 10 a lawyer. And who
soever shall compel thee to go a mile,
go with him twain--it is preferable TO
going to the supreme court
This is one reason why / dissented
from the proposal of Printers Ink that
n Uniform statute against dishonest
advertising be enacted.
The other was a matter OF profess
sional pride and professional expert
ence. ! did not want IT to come TO pass
that the fourth estate was made honest
by statutory enactment know from
experience that a daily newspaper can
keep Itself unspotted from advertising
fraud II II wants TO.
II is just matter OF exercising the
same care In protecting the health and