Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1916-10-19
DECLINES OFFICIAL PAPER PATRONAGE.

Perhaps there is but one instance n record in South Dakota of
. newspaper turning down official county patronage. That honor
belongs to the ArgusIeader of Sioux Falls.
proposed amendments shall be published in the official papers of
each county. 1t also prescrilbesss that the sum paid each newspaper
In the case Of the Argus-Leader, it cannot afford TO run the
thirty-fye columns of space required for the price named Rather
than complicate matters IN its county, 1T tenders its resignation as
But the fact Of its declnation is due to its eleven thousand daily
circulation. Either to set up the type and utilize the space needed,
or to purchase supplements already prepared, would entail upon
it an expense practically double the amount allowed by law.
This circumstance illustrates illustrate the nonsensisal provisions of law
newspaper is concerned, the two hundred dollars will recompense
it several times over for the work performed.
situation, the official papers Of Codngton county with no disrespect
! @e las" would ah d be "ns = "a fair nG price f for sS the 81 spao ." oeeu up@ IN WI any "e one Of
them for SO large al amount. In the case under consideration, the
aaaSpaps'i Two pS hundred n di'dp dollars for the ~ amount r"an of pf~ work. n1 required a ssg" and
the expense entail ed is more than mum n;! in the way o Of eompen-
than paid for the space accorded the referred laws and special
We are not criticing the newspapers, especially-we are simply
calling attention to the inequality Of the provision;
q cheaper medium for circulating the referred laws at its regular
The state would be better served to pay the ArgusLeader one
thousand dollars than to pay the average weekly newspaper one
The state would get better service to pay the ArgusLeader two
thousand dollars than to pay a paper of only three hundred circula-
ton A s5ty 4 aG i ns Disbursement. Of ii. 81 small, circulation !
say this 1t serves It's purpose within it's field of circulation-but
the state is getting but mighty little for the money invested if it
happens to be one of the official newspapers.
The remedy is a revision Of the regulations governing official
eiples why a newspaper ss should get seventy # nse cents a an i ineh3 Column pnn-
wide measurement, for the first insertion and fifty cents an inch
for subsequent insertions Of the same notice, for publishing a notice
of election or a city ordinance, when, as a matter of fact, its open
advertising rate is only fifteen cents an inch, or ten cents. as the case
may be.
Newspapers should get for official patronage only such rate as
they are entitled to under their legitimate circulation, based upon
sound business principles. When they receive for official notices
their ! highest advertising rate they are getting enough:
II newspapers were paid upon a business basis, the official
patronage would not be limited to the few which are willing to
pledge themselves, IN a great many counties, to do the bidding Of
the political bosses who happen for the moment to be the controlling
influence over the boards empowered to do the selecting.
There would be less of the element Of private graft in the
pubic snaps of official" newspaperdom.
BESIDES, Tor the same money expended the public would get the
benent OF a much larger newspaper circulation, for a greater number
q newspapers could share in the official patronage without doing
violence to the principles underlying sound business.
ln Tins connection, we call attention to an article, elsewhere in
this edition. under the caption of Official Printing" etc, from thu
editorial columns Of the Pierre CapitalJournal. 1t is high time the
people of South Dakota proceed to revise, in some respects. the laws
governing official printing.
Nilsson has q law which permits the secretary Of state to revoke
: enauneur 8 Incense after his third act Of violating the regulations
gosernlng automobiles. It seems that in Missouri the driver is also
&Ieenssa' whereas IN South Dakota only the car is lcensed-any
so, ", 9 ymcrow driver may operate it SO long as he can keep it
Al1ning me limitations OF the fence Il either side of the road.
II South Dakota should go dry in November, theresd be work
9 the next legislature in enacting laws to enforce the peoples
ed1ct, Much will depend, SO far IS. enforcement is concerned, upon
= character OF the laws governing enforcement.