The Prescott daily news., 1914-06-22
existence.

It asks the state to incur no expense that should not be incurred It coun- sels the closest economy, and advises no publicity at public expense that the state should not have, and that its constituents are not entitled to. It is asking that the state recognize the newspapers by having such publca- tions, as it requires, made in the news papers of Arkansas, rather than through other mediums which may result in poor service to the people.
 Tn presenting Act No. 8, the news papers are not asking the state to make publications simply to provide revenue for the Press. but they are asking the state to publish in the newspapers the information which the people should have, and which the people want; information which often escapes newspaper comment because it is shielded from the public for va rious and ofttimes mysterious reasons; information which will put the grafter 10 flight and result in an enormous saving to the taxpayers of Arkansas by diverting thousands of dollars an nually into the treasury of the people from the hands of thieves and plunder- CTS and other unholy channels of no benefit to the state.
 Ignorance vs. Publicity.
 bTCnnropro opd do rlrpocc y,,oEo ho path of the plunderer easy and wide. Publicity and enlightenment make the public official, who would be crooked in the darkness, tread the straight and narrow path of honesty to his con stituents. The paramount issue In the consideration of Act No 3 is THE NEED AND VALUE OF PUBLICITY. If the people are to continue manifest ing an interest in public affairs. THERE MUST BE PUBLICITY. If they seem disinterested now, THERE ISN'T ENOUGH PUBLICITY. And when the people lose interest in pub lie affairs taxes increase. plunderers prosper. revolutions rage and anarchy replaces a peaceful and stable Govern ment
 Publicity is the fountain of eco nomy; it is the surest cure for extra vagance. Publicity checks and eventu- ally destroys graft: 1t preserves unto the end of time the peace and honor of the state.
 The Value ot it.
 If Act No. is adopted by the peo- pie. the State of Arkansas wDl save each year from graft and extravaganza far more than the expense of publicity and the state will reap an abundant harvest in the education of her peo- pie, in the enlightenment of those who do the voting and in the creation of good, healthy sentiment and a good wholesome interest in public affairs ."
 In this connection. the brief points out that the prposed law fixes the rate of publication at one-half the legal rate. Full legal rates are authorized by the Constitution, and the words "one-half' could have been easily omit ted from the bill, But the newspapers could, as a rule, handle such pubica- tions at half the legal rate and this is about their customary advertising rate It wasn't a question of graft for the newspapers, the brief points out, but a question of making 1t possible and profitable for the state to furnish the information the people demand. Speak ing of the duty of the Press in such matters, the brief says:
 One of the very best reasons why the newspapers should be paid for this service is that it might be possible for designing individuals to suppress pub lications that. were not ordered and paid for by the state, county. or city An editor is human, and he may have his friends now and then 10 protect for personal or other good reasons His best advertiser may be involved fin the list of fraudulent tax assess ments, and the temptation might be strong to omit mention of the fact and thereby enable the fraud to continue. whereas, if the law required the publi- cation and the editor was properly paid for the service. his publication of the matter would not be constructed as breach of personal or business friendship. Newspapers will. however, continue to publish the news. but their reporters are all human and liable to err. It Is important in matters official fin which all the people are interested. that absolute accuracy he guaranteed. and the best assurance is In official publication, by order of the state, coun- ty or city officials, as the case may be.
 The Free Education of the People.