THE GOVERNMENT BOYCOTT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 492, 27 April 1909, Page 4

THE GOVERNMENT BOYCOTT.

Sir, —Your readers will not be likely either' to forget'or forgive the slight put upon them by thq action of tho Government in refusing ' to.iinsort its public advertisements ; in* your ; columns,"-white supplying thenv to another paper, with less than half your circulation j nor will they fail to thank you for your liber- ; ality in counteracting this apparently mean : action of the Government by a gratis 'insertion. '■■'■By.-'what motives is" this, action of the Government dictated?-" Is,it by'consideration for. tho interests of the public, or. for those of tho party in power, or, for those of the shareholders of tho favoured paparp " • , How can it bo for the best interests of tho public that Government advertisements . should bo inserted in- papers with a_ small circulation in preference^to those;.with- :-a .largo'..ono? -Yet' this is just what has now been 'done I' Could it be called a'justifiable action"'to use public money .to further , the. interests of -any political , party Which, might i for; the moment, be in control of tho purso strings?: Would ..it not also strike a deadly blow, at the sacred principle of tho liberty of tho' press if a paper wero penalised becauso' it/has honestly, and .'fairly, criticised 'the, actions, of tho. party in power? Yet it ivould appear' .that these, wrongs.have 'now'' been, dpno 'by tho Government.iH'; . The'so iniquities, however, unless, checked, might go even a step further and' develop into a . system. under which public money could, be so distributed as''to . : increaso...tho' value of the /shifes "or -) property ■ owned by the-' distributors.. Such' a. system would "be too horriblo to contemplate ; "and charity must forbid us'.to even' suspect its; existence., -..-''•'••Tho' problem then 'remains: r ;"What 'motive has inspired•:the Government to this: apparently, mean action?" ' Whatsis tho solution?. Is .'it fear, the source and origin of.mcst meanness ?—I am, etc., ■' • -' ' -M: ' ■ ' ' '' CENSOR. ■•'. April 26. . . ■ '