Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 62, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 November 1917 — PUBLICITY [ARTICLE]

PUBLICITY

While the matter of publicity or no publicity in the affairs of government relating to the war, is engaging the attention of many, and various views are held, there is one side of the publicity question that should not be lost sight of—the financial side of local public affairs. It is an unfortunate fact that the laws of the various states are very incomplete in this vital mater. Also it is unfortunate that what statutes are in existence are in many instances dead letters. The very essence of popular government is that the ultimate power of such government rests in the people. Public officials are in truth but servants, and responsible directly to the people who place them in office, hence the public is entitled to and should have a full knowledge of their every public action.

But this knowledge can not be had without an efficient system of publicity. Mere access to public records, or knowledge gained by “word of mouth, will not answer. Nothing like a correct knowledge of the financial condition of any public office can be gained by these means. There are but two causes that contribute to dereliction in public office—ignorance and crookedness. Sometimes these are hard to distinguish one from the other. In Cither case, however, publicity is the only agency that will effectually, protect the public. This the ignorant but honest official will welcome, It is only the crook who IL state i'n the union should adequate publicity laws. There-

is no valid reason why any honest legislator should oppose placing these laws on the statute books. Every public official who handles a dollar of public funds should be required to render perlodiqal accounting. Many an honest but ignorant official has become inextricably involved, when publicity at the right time would have saved him from a charge of crookedness and the public treasury from loss. There can be but one reason urged against a thorough system of publicity of all public financial affairs, and that is the matter of expense. To this we will answer that, if all the losses to the public through the ignorance or crookedness of public officials could be compiled, the total would without doubt be found to far outweigh the cost of publicity. Every honest public official should not only welcome, but insist on. the fullest publicity of his acts. Every citizen who has the slightest regard for the interests of his state and community should insistently demand it. And every community should unite to see that this publicity is given.