Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-01-29
JOURNALISM-S LAIEE?S
PROPOSED MEASURE.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES LAIEE'S
PROPOSED MEASURE.
An impulse occasionally seizes the av-
erage American law maker to follow the
precedent established by another country
or set by another State. Such was the
case when the country went half wild on
railroad questions, and because one State
took the lead in extreme anti-rairoad
legislation, other States felt duty bonnd
to follow the example set without waiting
10 see what would be the result Of the
change. California tried TO initiate Wis
consin by the passage Of an act similar in
il, features to the celebrated Potter
Law" but was checked by few men in
the Senate who had not been elected by
trucking to the excitement of the hour,
and were consequently prepared to act
with coolness and deliberation on meas
ures of an exciting character. We are
h wing little touch Of the initiative spir-
it in the present Legislature, and If we
b
this country, it will be for the reason
that some Of the progressive ones will be
"headcd of"
Senator Laine proposes to do away with
"impersonal journalism" In other words
he proposes, if we correctly understand
the objects Of his bill, to have the author
ship of every newspaper or magazine ar
ticie so marked, that it can readily be as
certained by any one sufficiently interest
el to inquire. Every article in a public
journal must be signed with the initials
Of the writer, or else his name must APP
pear. Generally speaking public writers
1 who have "A reputation as such establish
ed, rather court publicity than otherwise.
Tyros in writing, giving their first pro-
/ duct TO the press and watching for IFS
appearance with anxious expectancy, ale
the only ones likely to be deferred from
authorship by the publicity necessarily
gwen by the passage Of such law. Old
Wi e's would Therefore care but little for
It's passage, and would as lief be recog
nized by the reading public by name as
by the style Of their writings. The Sen
ator's idea, however, is not original with
hint comes from France and can
hardly be set down as one of the fruits Of
his inventive genius. What purpose he
expects TO serve by it has not appoa ed,
but we are charitable enough to believe
that it is not intended to establ sh a CEN
sorship Of the pres, such as obtains in the
Old country, And unless the Senator
can disclose some good objec. to be
achieved by the proposed measure, we
recommend him to leave we'll enough
alone. So far as responsibility is con-
cerned, that is ample at present-for ev-
erything Objectionable that is published,
there are those who, il they do not ayow
its authorship, do not hesitate to assume
the possibility. Every leading paper
employs corps Of writers, one or more
for each department. 1t is not what one
Of these writer's has said that excites com
ment--but what the paper has said, while
lllt PA litultt WIlLtI NDDSt tilON9llbS Hlt
given remains unknown. Thus we do
not give credit to the actual writer's as Il
general rule, but the publication in which
their w'iling, first appear.
Mr.. Laine's bill would take away the
individuality newspaper has, and have
the credit, attaching to whatever appear
ed in its columns distributed among its
editors and correspondents. And Laine's
measur is not without advocates. There
are those who believe Il at it will give
rise to higher standard of journalism
than the present that it will prevent the
publication Of Objectionable articles in
ma instances where they would 9TH
erwse be printed. Bat We question if
the law will not do more harm than good
in most cases, and while modest merit
will be deferred from seeking the fed
Of letters, it will not have the restraining
effect claimed for it by its advocates.