St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-18
The LAW OF LIBEL.
A Red Hot Discussion of the
Legislative Committees
Report.
Recommendation That Every
State Publish It's Laws in
Newspapers.
The Burden Of Proof for Libel
to Rest on the Plain
tiff.
Truth a Good and Complete
Defense in Civil and
Criminal Libel.

Tha hottest event of the morning was
the report of the committee on legisla-
ton and the subsequent discussion of
the law of libel Mr.. Jewett, of Mis-
souri,, submitted the report as follows:
Your committee on legislation would re-
specially submit to your careful considera-
ton the following report and suggestions in
reference to legislation affecting newspa-
perS:
After careful consideration your committee
deemed it best not to spend any money in
making an effort TO secure legislation from
congress during the short term, as that body
was so engrossed with weighty questions
dear to the politicians hearts, we could not
reasonably expect to secure their attention
for anything else. Your committee, how
ever, is still of the opinion that the govern
ments practice of printing return requests
on envelopes is wrong i'll principle. and
that we ought not TO cease our efforts until
change is secured. 1t is therefore recon-
mended that preparations be now made TO
attack the new congress, when it convenes
in December, with force and munitions of
war. This association, at its meeting in Bos-
ton, appropriated 800 to be used by this
committee. That remains intact and we
recommepd that very much larger sum be
added thereto. Fortunately two members Of
this association will have seats in the popu-
lar house at Washington, and your committee
believes that if it is given charge of this mat
something beneficial may be accomplished
Your committee, therefore, recommends that
Hon. owen Scott, of Illinois. be selected as
chairman of this important committee, anc
that
$500 BE Appropriated
to furnish him suitable assistance in pressing
the business of our cause upon the attention
of our senators and representatives ~ con-
gress. Only by such an effort can we rea-
sonably hope to secure the legislation we
have asked. Let US call attention to the re-
port of this committee made at Boston, and
especially that part where the postmaster
general is quoted, showing that 220, 600. 600
envelopes have return requests printed
thereon annually free of charge. This rep
resents tens of thousands of dollars worth
of work taken unjustly, as we think, from
private printers. and also uniuStiy paid for
out OF the public money. 1t is this practice
we seek to change. We would secure the re-
peal of the law which authorizes this in
Justice. Your commiItee would again
call attention to the fact that papers pub
lished in city are denied free delivery at
home, while those published outside the city
are delivered free of charge. There seems to
be wrong in this discriminating against the
home paper. These are the only subjects of
national legislation to which your committee
desires to cali attention at this time. In ref
erenee to state legislation, however, there are
many things deemed worthy the attention of
the members of this association, and it is be-
H6NeQ W DC Jlulely ana proper 10 speak 6S-
pecially of some OF these. First in impor-
lance is
The Publication of the Laws
as they are enacted by the legislatures of the
various states A few states provide for the
publication of the acts of their respective
legislatures, but most of them provide no
means by which the common people can as
certain what the lawmakers say is right and
what they say is wrong. Every man
is presumed to know the law. Igno-
rance Is no defense or excuse.
What is right to-day may be
made wrong tomorrow, Yet the plea that
the man who violated this new statute had
no opportunity of knowing of its existence
will not be heard in court. This is no imagi-
nary case. Men are daily punished for vio-
lating laws they never dreamed existed, and
they had no opportunity of knowing. This
assertion is sustained by the experience of
thousands of prosecuting attorneys. Forty
four legislatures are annually or biennially
passing laws, not only affecting our property
rights, but our liberties as well, and most OF
them make no provision by which the COM
mon people may learn what these important
enactments are. Enough copies of the
statutes are printed to supply about one out
of 800 of the people. All but the favored
few must remain in ignorance. These wise
lawmakers seem to act on the theory that it
is necessary for the magistrate to know what
the law is that he may punish the offender,
but not necessary TO
Let the People Know
what the law is that offenses may not occur
Few have the hardihood to attempt to
justify this condition of things In most
cases the excuse is we have lived under this
system In the past, and we can continue to
do so. SO the people once lived without
newspapers. without printing and without
thousand things we consider necessary now
In most cases it would cost too much to fur
nish the laws to everybody. AS well say as
a few old fogies do-happily. however,
growing beautifully less in number--it costs
too much to maintain schools for the educa-
ton of the sons and daughters of all the
people. Education pays better than any
thing else. SO, by educating the people in a
correct knowledge of the laws, one of the
grandest branches of education i'll the world,
nffenses would be lessened, costs decreased.
the people elevated and improved 1t would
pay even if the cost was heavy; but the cost
is tribe compared to the cost of legis-
lating. If VIC can afford the luxury of half
million dollar legislature. can we not afford
TO pay tenth, or even fifth part as much
more to place their wise acts in the hands of
the people for their enlightenment? How,
then. shall we publish the laws so that they
may reach the peoples We answer-through
the columns of the newspapers Nearly
every man takes his county paper The peo-
pie look to this source for nearly all informa-
ton. This is the cheapest and surest method
of reaching the people. For nearly fifty
years the great state of New York has pub
lished all the general acts of its legislature in
two papers in each county, and it has never
found the ex pense burdensome, and the re-
suits have justified its course. A few
other states have followed its example. Some
thirty or more years ago Wisconsin passed
law providing that every newspaper with
circulation of over 200 which would publish
the acts of the general assembly should re-
ceive $50 for the same. This has not been
found bErdepsome. and the result has fully
justified the expense. A few other states
make similar provisions.
The Wisconsin Plan
is the sure one of reaching everybody and il
shows no partially. These matters are those
in which the publishers are especially ex-
pected to lead. The money to the publisher
is trif1e the good of the community is the
chief consideration, but if the newspaper
man does not agitate this question nobody
else will We commend it to the attention of
the various state associations.