Daily Republican., 1881-03-12
rIEoE OF DELAwARE FOLLY
Referred 90 the Self. Constftu ted
Press Ccnsoss nc Bower.
Baltlmoro American Of YesterSay

I 1--WE ~Um1Vuu ~ D&V8E.
Baiumore American Of Yesterday.
Ita2psars from rssol u lion offered /,
1 the House of Delegates Of Delaware thu
some member Of that body has bss,
referred to by name or iuuendo" b,
a newspaper reporter. The resolution
provides that "any and every Of suel
reporters who shall refer 10 any member
OF the House by name or inusnao
whereby such member may be alludec
70 other than 10 necessary and proper II
reporting the proceedings, shall be OF.
oldued from the privileges ofths foor. y
In other words, there 10 TO b. q censor.
ship Of the press in Delaware, with BOW.
or 10 decide what shall he necessary
and proper" to publish, and inicrsed BY
suttabls penalties.
| OF course, It makes vary little differ
enee whether this absurd resolution
should pass or not. Reporters Of the
Ipress will still mention the names Of
the iegisla,orS in suci, styis 4s the
press thinks necessary ana proper. {"
Regardless OF whether ths mem bers
consider 1t proper or not. One of the
duties which journalism owes TO the
great public is 10 keep . sharp look
out on public officers OF all kinds, 10
see that no mistakes occur In the trsus-
action Of public business. and to keep
watch on the lobby. And never is
this duty more imperative than when q
legislature ia very sensitive about i,s
dignity, or desires 10 veil lie proceed
ings In mystery. Gentlemen who act
in efice 80 II the public eye diseerned
every official detail have po.hlng to-
fear. They welcome scrutiny.
Where there is q shuddsrine fear Of
"in1endo," it ia eftsn because there
is something to hide. There is, how.
ever, probably q sufficient sense Of
humor In the Delaware legislature
to prevent the passage OF this farcicsl
resol alton there must be sene " no
already laugh at its delicious foolish
ness. Where has the gentleman who
offered it been living duripg the past
twenty years. Was II from tue yemo.
ter virgin awsnps OF Delaware tlat he
first started ont Of the bushes TO nuzzle
the press? Does he know that in The
United States Senate and House re.
porters venture TO mention BY name or
inuendo such members as they deem
proper, and that great journals pub.
lish what they shink the public ought
to- know, regardless Of what that meua-
Der desires AID ths. frauds, corrup
tions and bribes Of al kinds have been
laid bare by this means, in various
departments OF state, municipal and
national administration, as vel. as in |
legislatures and oongreages'
1t may be true thst our freedom Of
the press is at times abused. General
Grant was during his term spoken Of
In words Of reproash, limited only by
the sense Of decency In the journal tn at
published them. President Hayes was
sssailed by dirty torrent OF abuse. |
But neither Of these msn ever dreamed
Of limiting the power .of the press to !
speak freely Of all'publis officers. II
is an obscure Delaware delegate who
thinks differently. He musn't be men
toned even BY inuepdo. Boss Tweed |
doubtless thought newspaper inuendos
ought 70 be stopped.
And this Is the way the tempest arose |
In the Delaware Legislature. 1t tried
It's prentice hand at national politics.
u had entertained resolution asssil.
Ing President Hayes and his tenure
II Office. now that is ended, and goieg
'vsv the stale and loathsoms rubbish
about "the great fraud" II certainly
Mr.. Hayes, and east st him
Ionething more than inuendos. 4
Newspaper reporter described what an
dotic and assinins proceeding 10 was.
some body recognized the portrait Of
ais eva long ears, and Immediately
rose 10 where's nd,resolve. That the
Of Delaware should lower
10 already low enough dignity by
hrowing mad at the back Of . retiring
president, was certainly disgusting;
'ut for donkey 10 let Ay both heels,
md bray 70 initiate the roar ofa lion,
8 simply ludierous. II the newspaper
eportsr said as much, We inaofss II;
md il the Delaware legislature regards
his remark ss an ''inuendo," We must
'dmit that, perhaps, it is open to that
objection. /
BuEerinK with Smallpox.