Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1918-03-15
FRIDAY, MAR. IS, 1918.
GOVERNMENT NERVE

/ ~ lHeSe JiHIeS VI StlcSS diiN ~
is not the province of good citizens to haggle
over trifes Sacrifices are required of all of us,
and each citizen must be willing to do his or her
part to aid the government in winning the great
war. But nevertheless there certain abuses
that cannot always go unchalenged. The govern
ment for many years past has been one of the
greatest imposers upon the country press, and it's
influence along this line-its lack of recognition
and appreciation of the service which the country
papers give--has had demorilazing effect upon
the business.
An example is afforded by q communication
received from the Civil Service Department,
through the post Office at Modena this week, en-
closing a notice in relation to an examination to
be held for fourth class postmasters, in order to
obtain an official for the Modena office. The full
text of the notice will be found elsewhere in this
issue. The notice is accompanied by letter from
the Department asking chat the postmaster have
same inserted in his local paper but stating that
there is no appropriation available for the pay
ment of this service
This is not war emergency measure or ex-
pedent of any kind but is practice that has been
in vogue for number of years and is in line with
the attitude of the government and the majority
of its departments towards the country press
Following is the text Of this letter:
United States Civil Service Commission,
Washington D. c. Editor The Commission
submits below announcement of evamina-
ton for ourth-class postmaster with the request
that you insert it in your paper. The Commission
has no appropriation out of which to pay for adj
vertisng, but it is believed that this matter will
be OF sufficient interest to your readers to Justify
you in publishing II as an item of news.
By direction of the Commission.
In other words, the Government is IN need Of
an employee to act postmaster at Mcdena, and
wishes to advertise for one and is very solictous
that the ertsement aDpear the lncal naDer
but has no more respect for the sense of the pub
Usher than to believe that it can impose upon him
to the extent Of making him think that in the case
Of the Government such a notice is news while in
the case of any individu it would be advertise
ment, pure and simple. At the same time the
Commission acknowledges that it is advertising.
but excuses itself by saying that it has no appro-
priation available from which to pay for it. And
why hasn't the Commission an appropriation for
advertising? Simply because it has never thought
1t necessary to ask for one, and it never will as
long as the country press can be imposed upon 70
the extent of giving its services free.
Who of you, dear readers, desiring house girl,
clerk, or an employee Of any kind, would thinf
of sending the notice to the newspaper and re-
questing that it be published as an item of news
Not any, we are sure. Then why should the Gov
eminent do so? We will tell you: Because the
country papers place such low estimate upon
themselves and their commodity that i is not re-
garded as of any consequence by Others and par
ticularly by government and state officials
This may be talking shop" but it is high tine
that the publishers of the country raised their
voices against this sort of high handed presump
ton, and served notice upon national state and
other officials that we have a valuable commodity
"a necessary and important commodity--in the
form of a vehicle for publicity and that we do not
propose to extend free ride privileges any longer
longer.
The railroads are prohibited from giving free
passes over their lines, and also from accepting
advertising in exchange for transportation: An
other slam at the newspapers equivalent to as
sorting that advertising is not commodity of val
ne. The newspapers should also be prohibited by