Connecticut western news., 1890-10-08
A NEW LIBEL LAW NEEDED.
From Hartford Journal.


 One of the most important measures which should come before the next assembly of the legislature is rational and wholesome libel law, one which would be beneficial to the state and the defendants. There are many times when the newspaper is at the mercy of people who bring suits for malice or for the purpose of intimida- ting the press and requiring such an amount of damages, or calling for ex- cessive bonds that make it burden for any defendant to bear. There is hardly a newspaper of any reputable standing that has not some time in it's life over stepped, or from negligence laid itself liable to 8 suit at law, especially so when it admits political correspondence in it's columns, though not received and published with malice yet the proprie- tor is made to suffer when he really is not at all to blame. It would seem that fair and honorable way would be that when party feels themselves aggrieved and propose to enter @ suit, 8 bond should be required to cover like amount so that if they fail to win their case it would in part repay the damages that might acrue to the paper. As the law now stands any one person can bring suit by depositing $50, and if excessive bonds are required place the party under keeper or within the walls of a common jail, all of which would appear to disinterested parties as if it was done for malicious prosecution.
 It would certainly look to an unbiased public that correspondent who will fully brought 8 paper into trouble through charges which were undoubt- edly true, but hardly susceptible to the best of proof, for there are many places where circumstantial evidence would admit of the veracity of the correspond ent's alligation as literally true, yet those who claim to know in such cases would fail at the last moment to appear in court and testify to such charges as being true to their own knowledge, the case would be lost from lack of positive evidence which was lying l around loose most anywhere in the com l nun ity, but no witness had the courage of his convictions and when supmned in court to testify for a defendant but would dodge the issue especially if il had political and significant bearing. l Ought not correspondent be equally liable for his temerity in furnishing such ''news" matter?
 Such bill perhaps would be of great CT advantage if it were enacted by the l government at Washington, and then il would be alike and equally strong ir any part of the United States. Nc doubt there are many fragrant cases where irreparable injustice has beer done to persons and corporations and to the willfull misrepresentation of the press at large, and there are also many instances where newspapers have beer wiped out of existence on the ground of righteous" judgement where migh makes right. Again damages are assessed at preposterously low figures and bond are required at even higher figures thai are demanded of barn burners, serious assault cases with intent to kill, ant horrible deeds of manslaughter. I'm instances are quite frequent of late i, the state of Connecticut where suit have been brought in malice, or t. frighten, at least they have that appear ance to the general public by beinl held over the proprietors of papers fo long time and then allowed to dro] out of court simply because there ar no hopes of winning before an honor able court or jury.