The morning call., 1891-08-17
THE PRESS FREEDOM.
Opinions on a Papers Right to
Give the News.
The Majority of Them Favor Giving the News
papers All Legitimate News, Subject to
the Will of No Board of Censors.

The attempt of the New York authorities
10 bring certain metropolitan journals to ac-
count for printing the details of the recent
electrocution in that State has given rise to
a great deal of comment, both in newspaper
and business circles, East and West.
To determine how the leaders OF though
in the nation to-day regard this matter the
New York Sun recently laid before the
principal statesmen of New York State the
following questions:
Are you IN favor of maintaining the electrical
execution law with all Its features as it Is?
Or are you IN favor of the repeal OF the law.
and especially OF the repeal OF that part of 1t
which forbids The newspapers TO ascertain the
facts OF death when legally Inflicted and 10 pub
iish them for tho Information of the peopleP
The first reply published of the series re-
ceived is that of
THE HON. ROSWELL p. FLOWER,
Who declared his belief that hanging is
good enough method of disposing of con-
demned criminals. In reference to the rights
of the newspapers to print the details of
legal killings, he said that the newspapers
knew what the people wanted, and that the
people knew what they wanted. He did not
think that the publication of this sort of
news could work an injury.
IF the people don't want to know any
thing about the execution of the law in the
matter of killing murderers," lie said, they
won't read it, no matter how much the
newspapers print If, on the other hand,
they want this sort of news il is clearly the
right OF the new spaperS to furnish 1t. be-
lieve the newspapers have right to furnish
their readers with all sorts of public news
of interest. If for no other reason l should
advocate the repeal of this special section.
LIEUTENANT-GovERN JONES
Was a little haZy about electrOcutIon. If
it could be shown it was a painless method
of Gispatching a criminal it would be well
to retain it. On the second quest ION he
held vigorous opinion, however:
The time has fortunately passed." he
said, when any attempt to con srol the
utteranres OF the press will be liberated.
Liberty ceases when the right of FREE. speech
is denied. The shroudipg of legaG execu-
tons in WEB Of mystery will proys abOr-
tive in working any good purpose. The
argument that the details of an execution
are too horrible 10 be printed, and therefore
should not be printed, should not have in
tiueneed the trainers of the law. The news
papers are quite competent to judge what
sort of reading the public wants"
MAYOR ALFRED CHAPLIN
Of Brooklyn considered the questions diff
cult 10 answer as 20 electrocution, but in re-
gard to the privileges OF the press was IN
able to see how the enveldping Of the judi
cial killings in an atmosphere OF HIystery
could work any good purpose.
" The people OF this country" lac said,
"have perfect right to discuss anymatter
of public interest i'll as broad a manner as
possible. This right is also held by the
newspapers, which will continue, have no
doubt, 10 print all the facts 1t is possible for
them to obtain in reference TO electrical ex-
ecutionS,'
In answer to the direct question whether
or not lie was in favor of maintaining the
law with all its present features, Mayor
Chaplin wrote:
Disturbance of the law upon so import
ant subject should be avoided. When the
change TO electricity was made | was by no
means sure that it was desirable. Whether
its operation is successful is a question to
be determined by the evidence OF scientific
men or of other competent witnesses. The
provision prohibiting publication is not
necessary feature OF the law and is anom-
alous.'
JUDGE ALTON B. PARKER
Was opposed to the repeal of the entire law
because he thought the system was superior
to the old system, but lie was emphaIically
for repralng the clause prohibiting the pub
location Gi tie facts attending the killing of
condemned criminal.
This prohlbltory clause" he said, is I'M
wise and wrong in principle"
CHAUNCY NJ DEPEW.
Declared himself to DE unreSeryedly for re-
pealing the whole law.
Il am" lie said, opposed to capital pun-
ishment in any form, and so | am an oppo-
nent of this new-fangled way of taking
human life. l would like especially to see
this present law wiped out but if this can
not be accomplished l am heartily in favor
of the immediate repeal of that section Of il
which prohibits the publication of the de-
tails. 1t is all acknowledged fact that when
criminal is put 10 death ii Is for The bene-
fit of the people at large, and the people,
therefore, should be placed in possession,
through their representatives, the news
papers, OF the fullest Information concrrn-
ing it. The genius Of our laws does not re-
quire secrecy in public matters. nor should
any secrecy be countenanced. The clearest
light should be shed upon the taking of
human life by the law"
A BROOKLYN ANOMALY
Then appeared in the person of Frederick
A. Schroeder, who approves of eectrOcution
and dl5approves Of the press. He said that
in his opinion, executions by electricity
were preferable to executions by the hang
mans moose. He WAS sure that the con-
jemned criminal did not suffer under the
electric current.
1T kills him." he said, "quiek as flash
of lightning"
Mir. Schroeder did not care to say much
concerning the second question. He
thought that sometimes the newspapers
made mistake in their judgment of what
the public was interested in, and he was of
the opinion that the public demand for in
formation concerning the killing of con-
demned criminals would be fully met IL the
newspapers printed great deal less of this
kind OF news. Mr.. Schroeder said he
hadn't given the matter enough thought to
warrant him in expressing definite
opinion concerning the right of the papers
to print this kind of news, or in saving any,
thing in reference to the repeal of this par
ticuIar section of the law.
HON. J. SLoAT FAssETT,
The newly appointed Collector OF the Port
was enthusiastic in his praises Of the guillo-
tine, which was par excellence the instru-
ment OF execution. In regard to the second
query, lie said: do not believe in having
upon the statute books any law or any sec
ton Of law that is to be repeatedly violated
without the application of the prescribed
penalty. 1t Is Well-known fact that the
newspapers print what the public desires 10
read, land If the public desires sensational
matter that kind of reading will be fur
nlshed them. L am opposed, however, to
the printing of all the horrible details OF a
Judicial killing, and | think it would be
better il all these details were left ont.
Notwithstanding this, l am in favor Of the
repeai OF mat section which prohibits the
printing OF the details, because the news
papers seem bound to print the stuff, and if
Is better to give them full permission to do
so than to have them violate law which
under no circumstances will ever be en-
forced"
There were number of other opinions
expressed, the majority being nou- committal
regarding execution by electricity, but all
agreed that
A GAG COULD NOT BE PUT IN THE MOUTH
OF THE PRESS
Without serious danger to our Government.
Senator Van Colt was strongly in favor of
the newspapers giving the people all the
details OF these executions. So was Hon.
w ii. Robertson. and so, also, was the
Hon. W. F. Sheehan and Stewart l.. Wood
iord. In fact II these opinions may be
taken as any criterion, there is a remark.
able unanimity of opinion among the states
men, both Democratic and Republican.
against in any way curtaling the freedom
of the press.