National Republican., 1888-02-11
The Liberty of the Press.

The House OF Representatives on Mon
day will discuss the bill now pending be.
fore 1t to prevent the publication Of lottery
advertisements in newspapers printed in
Washington city or the District Of Colum- |
bia.
When Congress touches in any way upon
the matter which is taken either as an ad-
vertisement, or as news matter, or as an
editorial In newspaper, 1t treads upon
dangerous ground. In fact, such action is
the Establishment Of censorship OF the
press.
Common and statute law protect the
citizens of the country from libelous and
scsndalous publications in newspaper.
Whenever the legislative department or the
executive department OF any government
attempts to 90 beyond the lice laid down
| by law for the protection OF the public, and
| to determine what shall or shall not be
| printed in newspaper, these departments
of the government are exercising power
that does not and cannot belong TO them in
a free government.
Censorship OF the the press is one OF the
| prerogatives claimed by despotic govern
ments-it is power used by such govern
ments TO protect themselves from innova-
| tion and change.
II has been the boast OF our people that
the press OF the United States is the freest
and the fairest that ever existed in auy
nation. The attempt to restrict the right
OF the publisher as to the matter used in
his publication is crime against the free
dom Of the press.
The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN is no advo-
cate Of the lotteries, but It is an advocate,
and bold and outspoken one, Of the
freedom OF the press. Any infringement
upon the right Of the press Of the
country to choose for itself what mat
ter 1t may desire to print and publish
will meet determined opposition from
it-of course within the limits Of legitimate
newspaper work.
EDO the members of Congress consider
where they are going when they attempt
to say that newspaper shall not publish a
lottery advertisement What will be the
next step in controlling the publication Of
matter in newspapersP Do these gentlemen
propose to prohibit the advertisements OF
notices Of sales upon the stock exchanges
They, like the purchase of lottery tickets,
are mere gambling transactions. VIII
Congress attempt to prohibit such publica-
tions' The right to forbid the one carries
with 1t the right to forbid the other.
How much further will Congress 60,
, having taken one step in the direction OF
press censorship? Perhaps a Democratic
majority in the House would pass bill for
bidding the prohibition of comm ents upon
q Democratic President or the actions OF
tho House i,soi. porhape Republican
Senate might forbid the publication of com.
ments upon the acts OF the Republican
members Of that body? Either Of these
, can be done as legally as can the act pro-
posed by the bill, to forbid the publication
| OF lottery advertisements.
A great deal has been said within the last
few years about the attempt to centrallz
power in the general government, but nj
act either OF the executive, legislative, o.
judicial department Of the general govera
ment has approached, 10 It's usurpation o
,, power, this attempt to dictate to publisher
Of newspapers what advertisements the!
may or may not publish The House h I'd
better call halt upon this subject and re
strict its legislat on, or at least endeayor t.
do so, within legitimate bounds.