Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-07-28
RIGHTS OF THE PRESS.
Senate Committee Enters Into an Inter
esting Discussion.

esting Discussion.
The report of the senate committee
to whom was referred Senator Till
mans resolution for the investigation
of charges against senators for alleged
speculation in sugar stocks, is quite
lengthy. Aportion of it was published
in The ENQUIRER of last Saturday.
That the committee was right in refus-
ing to recommend an investigation, is
very doubtful. Its action cannot be
justified on the ground that certain
senators are not guilty; but only on
the ground that after all, the proposed
investigation would only be changed
into whitewashing affair without &C.
complishing the result aimed at by the
resolution. All the same, however,
some things are said about newspapers
that are entitled to more or less con-
sideration. This portion of its report
is synopsized by the Associated Press
as follows:
"The committee goes at length into
the question of the propriety of expel-
ling from the senate press gallery or
sending to prison newspaper cores
pondents who made false charges, TAX
ing position against both suggestions.
They say that expulsions from the
gallery would be disproportionate to
the offence, as the other galleries of
the senate would be open to the offen-
ders. 1t might even be, the commit
tee adds, that the notoriety acquired
by correspondent by reason of such
expulsion, instead of operating as a
punishment would prove source of
promotion in his profession. Further
more, they conclude that such punish
ment would have no influence upon
the newspaper proprietors themselves,
and that, with the press associations
covering the ground, it would be i'm
possible to deprive the paper from
securing the news. The committee
supply list of prosecutions of news
paper writers by the senate, beginning
with the case of William Duane, in
1900, from which the conclusion is
drawn that no very heavy penalties
have been imposed for the recusancy
of newspaper witnesses. AS to the
Imprisonment of newspaper correspon-
dents, editors or publishers for making
statements not warranted by the fact,
the committee considered that nothing
but the imperilment of the gravest
public interests should compel resort
to such extremity. 1t is out of the
question, on the eve of the twentieth
century, for any one to undertake to
imprison journalists for every vague,
indefinite charge which they may cir
culate. No legislative body would be
sustained in such action by the en-
lightened public opinion ofthe country.
THE VALUE OF THE PRESS.
at is no disparagement of legislative
bodies to admit the invaluable function
of the press in the maintenance of free
government. The function is too i'm
portant to be subjected to narrow
restrictions or circumscribed within
illiberal bounds merely to correct a
disposition to over-severity of criticism.
The remedy would be worse than the
disease. Legislators who, in every
loose and unsupported charge affecting
the action of their body, see the spec
tre of accusation, and insist upon
Imprisonment in default of proof,
should take occasion to reflect upon
the injury that would be done to free
government by the attempt on every
occasion to bring to book the members
of the press who exercised over freely
the right of criticism of public acts.
While the right must ever be main
tanned by the law-making power to
protect itself from assault wbenceso-
ever emanating, yet the exercise of
this right should be reserved for occa-
sions of extraordinary Importance.
Freedom of the press is guaranteed by