The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-02-12

az aFNtnW@A @tAN Et1lIUINII NrHNFINFIO
of Indiana, - II. annual meeting In hi
city last week. created : sp~c,aI com
miitee 10 prepare measure 20 he sub
nlitsed 20 the n~xt legislature ss . snh
slituse for fhe Grpbhs libel Lac. which
in the opinion OF III. democratic editor
% the state. has di<grsced the sfsfut
books Of Indiana long enough. The Re
publican editorial sssOciation and Il
other press organizations in the sfsf
viii be asked 20 co-0perate with IN
democratic association Ia brin ging abon
the desired reform. II IL expected ths
every newspaper publisher in the stat.
will iend bic hearty support to thi
movement.
\ The great influence which the pres.
can exert ia such . matter when II act.
in unisQn has been sfrikingly illustrated
liD New York II will be rememhered
that the New York Legislature Of 1885
made . law substituting elecfricif, 81
the rope . means Of inficting capital
punishment; forbidding The presence o.
reporters AZ executions and prohi 4itinx
The publication Ia the newspapers ~ de-.
tailed accounts thereof These provi-
.sions were absurd. unjust TO the press.
and contrary 10 the public inferest for
many reasons, which il is unnecessary 10
set forth here. They were also In pai-
pable cor flict with The constitution OF
the state. They were. to great exss nj
Il dead letter from the beginning The
sun made . demand Tor their repesI
some time ago Nearly sIi the other
in the state seconded the de-
mand. The sun announced that il
would oppose any candidate for th~ leg
i-..'ure, regardless OF party. Who r~-
used 10 pledge himself 10 vote for re-
peal, and many other newspapers did
likewise The result OF this sgifsfion
has just been witnessed 10 the repeal OF
the obnoxious provisions by the Ne =
York legislature The repeating hill
passed The assembly BY q UNANIMOUS
N. e.. and slso- we believe. The senate.
snd was promptly approved by Cover
nor Flower. Thus the statute books ~
New York are relieved Of blot which
they never should have borne. and The
attempt tailed 70 deprive the people u
lin forms;Ion - 10 the manner in which
their criminals are exferminztef in
formation which they have . right TO.
aud which II i. the legitimate function
ot The press 20 furnish
What the newspapers os New York
have accomplished in this matter the
newspapers of Ioiisna can arcomplish h
touching our libel lsws il the, viii sct
I'ogether. There can be no qu~s,icn shs,
l,Le-e laws are grossly unjust 20 the press
and fhst they ought 20 BE- msissisIls
lmodiled % repeated altogt thor. and
new laws. based on correct principles
substituted Tor them. II msv he urged
That few publishers have Suffered hard
lship under The existing lsws This il
true, but Il is also true that some pub
llIsbefs have suffered the gres.ess irjus-
liic-. and that. % long - they remain on
The statute books. tbes are q mrnsc. 10
Itvers publisher ia Indians. = standing
lnciienent 70 biackmsiiing prosecutions
snd weapon in the hands OF every
shs-fer and kDsve which be ma, em-
lpios. q will, 10 punIsh an honest
and fearless press. The Isws under
hich jurles were recently packed 81
Beaver snd Piit-burg. Pa. ia the inter
est Of Senstor Quay IN bis proceedings
hal iibeIed him. hsd not Deem sppe.i-d
~ ~ mtNt trHe sDt tIrt Wfft tr4lt
10 the hsnds of Quss when be needed
them. and under them publishers have
just been convicted b. juries org.n,z-d
for thst purpose and have been sentenced
to long terms Of Imprisonment A sim
liar advantage IL liable 70 be taken of the
Gr0Ubs law Il any time Oy some scoun-
|drei having political influence II il as
much 10 the interest % the great body
'of bonest and lsW-sbidinR people thst
'his statute should BE- wiped out aud re-
lplsced b. fair and just law - Il l. 10
the advantage Of the press. A free press
Iis the suFess guarantee Of the people
iagsinst oppression. piundcr and III
forms Of wrong and outrage The ex-
IistiDg law is : menace 10 . tree govern
ment The sentinel hereby ssrves no
lsice that il will actively oppose any can
ldidste Tor the next iegisisture, by what
ever party nominated. who declines 10
pledge himself to vote for The Just and
reasonable action which the Democratic
editorial association proposes 10 demand.