The Forrest City times., 1914-07-17
Publicity an Etectiue Pdnacea
 For Many Euils In Public Affairs


FuDIlclty Act as IL is being initiated, the newspapers are held to a price fifty per cent lower than the regular statutory rate for legal notices. In other words, the newspapers are will ing to concede reduction of fifty per cent (which is exactly one-half, mind you), in the price of such notices as come within the provisions of the Pub lictty Act in order to secure it's adop- Iion. This is a concession which few other established institutions of purely business nature would care to make.
 Only Half Legal Rate Is Provided
 The motives actuating the newspa- pers in conceding this reduction may be purely patriotic, or they may be due to a realization of the fact that 10 make the full statutory charge for the various publications provided for in the Publicity Act would endanger it's adoption at the polls; but what ever be their motives, the fact re- mains that all such notices as may be published under the act will take the half rate instead of the full rate The fees allowed public officials for pre- pairing these notices, or reports, are also fixed in the act, and they are not in such amounts that their payment will entail a hardship upon the tax payers.
 The nominal expense to which the public would be subjected under this measure would be offset by the saving due directly to wholesome publicity Among public officials there would be a retrenehing here, a looping off there and an economy wonder, all for the purpose of making a good showing at the time os publishing their reports and the saving in these respects alone would more than compensate for pub fishing the reports in the newspapers The elimination of graft, providing that 1t now exists, would be the means of another saving, and carelessness in the use of public funds would become a thinS of the past, or so rare as to become neglible quantity in the fi-
 
 would be saving, and the excellent feature of the whole matter would be that the people themselves-wh pay the bills and furnish the snews of war-would know to the last penny where their money goes after it leaves their pockets and drops into the pub lie till.
 In thus keeping an accurate tab on the financial end of the situation, the most important function of the Pub licity Act would be discharged but there are other matters which would also be affected by it's application There are many abuses in public of flee which do not involve the hand ling or the misuse of money. There are official acts, wholly apart from money. which would suffer no harm from reasonable amount of whole some publicity. Section Ca. VI of the proposed act furnishes a good ex- ample of this.
 Boiling the matter down to brass tacks, the proposed measure demands that the public generally shall be kept informed on the condition of public affairs, the conduct of public officials and the state of the public finances. It puts the public business on the ba- sis ot a bank; the officials are en. trusted with the management of the bank. but they must make full reports to the stockholders so that the latter may know at all times just what the bank is doing. In the case here dis cussed the public treasury may be designated as the bank. and the peo- ] plc constitute the stockholders there of Their officials should be required ! Co make reports 10 the stockholders SO that confidence will be maintained ! lt is lust plain business proposition. and as such it ought to appeal to ev- 1 cry man who Is able 10 think for him self
 ! However. certain gentlemen Cnow in ! office. by the way). are alleged to have expressed the opinion that Act No 8 0he Publicity AcU. is objec- touahle because it contains some worry bad fcaures.' Let us see. even af the risk of thc readers impatience. what the 8ct itself has to say. Let us anaHfg it and sne for ourselves ! If there arc any bad features" in it when viewed from the standpoint of the people
 There i- nothing wrong in acquaint- ne Inc people twenty days in advance With The nature ot a measure upon which they are expected Co pass judg meut at tho polls So section must . he tree from bad features
 ! t is reht and proper that the peo. ' ple should know something about the laws made for thrir benefit and which tney are required to observe. lt is an o.d leeal aNom that ignorance of the lev eNcast- no one. but tho aN. iou. tu these daNa when law has pro. ertsstl beyond the confines of com uon srHse. is ro longer applicable tc tne case Then Ter gs le fair with thc people aad acqmilt them with all ,aWs to to enacted hereafter SO that