Arizona silver belt., 1897-10-07
THURSDAY, OCTOBER :, 1897.
LIBERTY OF THE PRESS.

Our Phoenix contemporaries, the Republican, Gazette and Herald, chime in sweet accord in the opinion that few libel suits would improve the tone of Arizona journalism. The coincidence merits notice for the reason that never before were the three Phoenix dailies known to sgreA upon any proposition. It is fair to presume, therefore, that some hidden influence was brought to bear to effect this beautiful harmony of thought among them, and it is not difficult to guess who pulled the strings which made the puppets dance.
 Of course the vague threats of the Phoenix papers are directed against the critics of Governor McCord, who has been somewhat severely arraigned for having effected-as chairman of the board of control and of the loan commission--the confirmation of the prison labor contract and the fund ing of the Yavapai subsidy bonds, which acts the people of Arizona strongly disapproved.
 The effrontery of the Phoenix papers in suggesting libel suits against anyone is truly refreshing. But as the devil is said to be an adept at quoting scrip ture, so it is not wholly irreconcilable that the Gazette, Herald and Repub' lican should have the immaculate gall to want to discipline papers battling for the peoples interests.
 The Gazette's penchant for abusing anyone and everybody whose opinions and acts do not comport with iss cratic notions is notorious. The Gazette is fierce in its denunciation oj the Murphys, who are amoug the gov ernors most influential friends, and | has condemned the funding of tho Yevapai bonds and almost in the same breath pallated the governors actioE in the matter.
 Readers of the Herald will recall tn, fact that it was one of the bitterest op ponents of Governor McCord's con frmation and gave approval and cur rency to the damaging charges pre- ferred against him at Washington Consistency is a word not compre hended in the Herald's vocabulary.
 The Republican has been a stauncl supporter of McCord ever since th' transfer of that paper to its Presen management It has been charged that the Republican was purchased with the definite purpose of furtherint McCord.s candidacy and advocating ihe funding and prison schemes. Bu that is not necessarily material to tht present discussion. What We wish tt show is that the Republican is no qualified to cast stone at an offender having in recent issue aspersed tht character of W. o. ONeill, by pub fishing defamatory language credited 10 the governor himself.
 There is no evidence so conclusive of weak cause as resort to tht courts to silence criticism of public official. John Stewart Mill, in 1858 wrote: "Tbe time, it is to be hoped is gone by when any defense would b' necessary of the liberty of the press as one of the securities against corrup or tyrrannical government. No argu ment, we may suppose, can now b' needed against permitting legislature or m executive, not identified in inter est with the people, to prescribe opin ions to them and determine what doc trines or what arguments they shall b' allowed to hear" The eminent phil osopher was premature in asserting the liberty of the press in England, bu it can not be asserted that in thu United States in the year of our Lor( 1897 the press can be muzzled fol criticising the official acts of public men. Our laws give the press especia protection in cases wherein the inter ests of the public are involved. These cases are called privileged publica tions, and include among other sub jects comments upon the policy of th' government and the conduct of public men. There are none too many safe guards for good government, ant therefore the public conduct of pubh' men may be discussed under this pro lection. THE SILVER BELT does DO believe that it is right to assail th' private character of any man, but vii always contcA for the liberty of thu press to criticise freely the acts of pub lie officers which involve the interest and welfare of the people.
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 LOAN COMMISSION ENDOWED