The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-06-13
WANTEQUAL RIGHTS
NEWSPAPER MEN TAKE ACTION AT
PHILADELPHIA.
1t is Insisted that the Press is no Less En-
titled to Hold in Sacred Confidence
Their Sources of Information than Cler-
gymen, Lawyers and the Like--Judges
are Reminded of Their Obligations to
Passed Embodying the Draft of a Bill
for Libel Law.

Philadelphia, June 1.-THE conven-
| ton Of the International League OF
| Press clubs today took important ac-
ton on the question of privileged com
| munications to newspaper men and the
| libel laws of the various states. Gen
| eral Felix Angus, of the Baltimore
American, called up the resolutions OF
! the Baltimore Press club, presented
yesterday, demanding for newspaper
| men the same privileges of holding in
| strict confidence sources OF informa ton
as are accorded to clergymen, lawyers
and others.
I'VE come" said General Angus, "to
protest against insults to our profess
| sion, to the toilers and workers. and
then he related the history Of the cases
of John S. Shriver. of the New York
Mail and Express, and Z. ]. Edwards,
of the Press, of this city, who publish
ed the Sugar Trust Information that
led to their summons before the United
States senate committee.
General Angus said the press some
times takes poor boy and by its pow
er makes him judge, yet he turns on
those who elevated him.
Joe L. Cook of this city said the mat
was Tie one WEAKNESS OF the pro-
fession, and comes from the fact that
it is younger than the other profess
ions men tioned. He believed the press
had power to have laws recognizing
the sacredness of the confidence be-
tween the giver of information and the
newspaper man.
TO LABOR FOR LAWS.
A resolution was then offered by
Charles Emory Smith, of the Philadel-
phia Press, urging the various press
clubs of the league to work energeticaI-
ly to secure from the legislatures of the
several states the passage of laws to
protect newspaper men in preserving
inviolate, confidential information COM
municated to them in the ordinary
course of their duties. The resolution
was adopted
Speaking subsequently as newspa-
per proprietor Mr.. Smith declared that
II he had correctly observed the young
men about him there was not one
worthy member in the newspaper pro-
fession who would not rather rot in
Jail than betray his confidence.
Tremendous applause greeted this
tribute and Mr.. Smith followed it up
by expressing the belief that news
paper men were more careful in their
condolences than the average man in
private life.
John H. Dow of Philadelphia then of
fered resolution rela tive to liIgl laws,
introducing it in a long preamble call
ing attention to the services performed
by newspapers Of the nation as the
chief weapons of defense against Of
fetal corruption and vice, and recit-
ing that ii has become their duty and
right to expose public scandal. maiad-
minstration Of office and violations of
law, so long as they do not, in print
ing and writing, abuse the liberty
granted them.
LIBEL LAWS ASKED FOR.
In conclusion the resolution calls up
on the secretary Of the league to petit
ton the different state legislatures to
pass a general libel law worded as fol-
lows:
Before any suit shall be brought for
the publication of libe, in any news
paper in this state, the aggreived party
shall. at least three days before filing
or serving the complaint in such suit,
serve a notice on the publisher or pub
fishers or said newspapers at their
principal Office of publication. specify
ing the statements in the said article
which he or they may allege to be false
or defamatory. If 1t shall apear on the
trial Of said action that the article was
published in good faith, that its falsity
was due to a mistake or misapprehen-
sion of the facts and that a full and
fair retraction of any statement there
in alleged to be erroneous was publish
ed in the next regular issue of such
newspaper. or in case of daily papers,
within three days after such mistake
or miSaaprehenSion was brought to the
knowledge Of such publisher or pub
fishers, in as conspicuous a place and
type in such newspaper as was the ar
ticle complained of as libellous. then
the plaintiff in such cases shall recover
only actual damages. Provided. how
ever, that the provision of this act shall
not apply to the case of any libel
against any candidate for a public Of
flee in this state unless the retraction
of the charge is made editorially in a
conspicuous manner q least three days
before election, in such libellous article
was published in daily newspaper. If
a weekly paper. at least ten days be-
fore the election