The Nevada County picayune., 1914-06-26


 Tn presenting Act No. 3, the news papers are not asking the state to make publications simply to provide revenue for the Press. but they are asking the state 10 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 to fl..ht and result In an enormous saving to the taxpayers of Arkansas hy diverting thousands of dollars an. nual'y into the treasury of the people from the hands of thieves and plunder- CTS and other uuholy channels of no benefit 10 the state.
 Ignorance vs. Publicity.
 Ignorance and darkness make the 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 ihe consideration Of Act No 3 Is THE %EED AND VALUE OF PUBLICITY. If the people are 10 continue manifest ing an interest in public affairs, THERE MUST BE PUBLICITY. If they seem dsinterested 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 peaceful and stable Govern ment.
 Publicity Is the foun tain of eco nomy: 1t Is the surest cure for extra yagance. Publicity checks and eventu, ally destroys graft: it preserves unto the end of time the peace and honor of the state
 The Value Of It.
 "If Act No. is adopted by the peo- ple. the State of Arkansas will 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 stu,isaGnt and a good wholesome interest in public affairs.
 In this connection. the brief points out that the opposed law fixes the rate of publication at one-half the legal rate. Full legal rates are authorized k- h. r1r LA AsIa 'ons-half' could have been easily omit ted from the bill. But the newspapers could, As a rule, handle such publica- tions at half the legal rate and this is absut their eustoMAry advertising rate. It wasn't question of graft for the uswspapsrs. the brief points out. but . question of making 1t possible and profitable fer tho state to furnish the informant the people demand. Speak ing of the duty of the Press b such nstters. the brief says
 One of the very best rsAsons why the nswsp~psrs 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 10 human, and he may have his friends now and then 10 protect for personal or other good reasons. His best advertiser may be involved in 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 off'cial. in which all the people are interested, that absolute accuracy be guaranteed, and the best assurance is in off cial publication. by order of the state, coun. ty or city officials, as the case may be.
 The Free Education of the People. The people of Arkansas have seen fit to make liberal appropria tions NNNAN year tpi kHt maintenance dnu upbuilding of her public schools. The country school. the city school. the high school, the agricultural schools the state normals. the university and other like institutions are liberally provided for by every session of the Legislature. The people approve, be- cause they believe in the cause Of education, and they know the state is reAping abundant returns from this in vestment. Act No. : is carrying the same principle . little further. It provides for the constant education of the people on their public affairs, in which, as tax payers and loyal citi- gems. they are vitally interested. Act No. 3 will cost a trif'e annually. in comparison with the expense of free schools. yet 1t is doubtful If fres schools are very much more i'm. portant to the welfare and future of the common Aalth than tho th0rouuh