The Harrison times., 1917-02-03
PRESS ASSOCIATION
ISSUES STATEMENT.
viii Not Oppose Repeal Of Publicity
Act, But Hints al a New
Law

The usual assaults are being made
upon Act No. 3, the publicity act,
which was initiated and adopted by
the people. and not by the legislature
in 1913. II was measure proposed
and promoted by the people who in.
sisted that there should be a system
OF effective publicity for matters per-
tanning to the expenditure of the peo-
pies money, and business vitality af-
fecting their interests. But there are
members of the legislature who are
fighting il, and at the meeting of the
Arkansas Press Association last week
the following statement was prepared
to define definitely the attitude of the
press of Arkansas on the subject:
Law Passed by Voters.
"In view of the fact that another
bill to repeal Act No. 3, the publicity
measure, has been introduced in the
legislature, and in view of the fact
that bill to repeal this measure was
defeated in the legislature OF 1915, the
members of the Arkansas Press Asso-
citation desire to make this statement
to the members of the Arkansas leg
islature and to the people of Arkansas:
"The publicity bill was initiated and
passed by the voters of Arkansas by
30 rtf Of A
the Arkansas Press Association know
that the theory of the publicity act is
proper theory, and know that pub
licity is the most potent weapon
against petty graft and irregularities
in government, but the members of the
Press Association resent the attitude
of those Legislators who would put the
publishers of the state in the attitude
of favoring the publicity law merely
because it produces revenue for the
newspaper and refuse to allow the
publishers to be put in such attitude.
"The members of this association
desire to state most emphatically to
the people and to the legislators that
the revenue produced by this law is
unimportant to the newspapers, and
they desire to call to the attention of
the people and the legislators that
publications of initiated and referred
measures under the initiative and ref
erendum amendment to the constitu-
ton cannot be handled by some Of the
larger newspapers of the state because
the rate of pay provided therein is
too low to make such publications
remunerative to such newspapers.
Will Increase Rate.
"The Press Association desires to
state further that it will make no op-
position to any effort to repeal the
publicity law which came from the
people and not from the legislature.
The members of the association be-
lieve a demand will be made by the
people of the state for a re-enactment
of this measure if it is repealed. If
this demand comes from the people,
the publishers of Arkansas will de-
mand that the rate of publication be
made the full legal rate instead OF
half the legal rate as is now provided.
"The publicity law has every right
to remain in the statutes of Arkansas.
1t was passed by the people, and the
people have seen the benefits Of it.
But the newspapers of Arkansas will
resort to no 'pussyfooting' methods to
perpetuate the law, and choose, rather,
to make the plain statement to the
General Assembly relying wholly on
its patriotism and fairness in the mat
ter. The association desires to an
nounce its intention to publish this
statement in every newspaper allied
with this association. This publica-
tion will be made whether the act is
repealed or not, for the publishers
deem it wise that the people of the
state should know their attitude in
this matter
(Signed) Arkansas Press Associa-
ton, c. A. Berry, President; Erwin
Funk, Secretary"