The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-05

An rudiEsast Press Waited AEsinst the nn-
faunoun Cas- Rnt.

fsunous Cas- hill.
Prom the Troy Daily Tines, Republics.
It is . question IL the exclusion OF the words
"libel" and "libellous" does not mako the
bill worse instead Of better. Those words have
at least a record Of some judicial definition, and
have q moro or loss clearly defined place in the
eyes Of tho law. But the words "licentlous, In
decent, corrupt, or depraved." and "having a
tendency to corrupt, depravo. degrade, or In.
jure the minds or MORALS open the way, by
their indehniteness and possibilities Of inter.
probation. for that conviction on general prln.
ciples" against which tho publishers Of the
State and nation have protested. It is like
proposing q law that would make q punishable
offence Of shooting or nfnnifesting q DISPOSE
ton to shoot " q person. Then, when the OBJ
lection of Indebtedness is made. the prepayment
Of tho law says: Very we'll: we will leave
out tho word shooting"
The press OF the State will not abate Its oppo-
sition to this bill because 1t omits the least OBJ
jectionablo Of Ave adjectives. There Is no pub.
lie demand for this menace to q FREQ journalism.
There is a public protest against II. The bill il
unnecessary. The existing statutes are ample
for protection. What influence Is back of this
strange and sweeping bill
1t may be we'll for an Independent press to or
ganize an inquiry as to influences having "a
tendency to corrupt, deprave. degrade. or injuro
the minds or morals" Of tho peoples repre-
sentativos in the Legislature.
II the tail Of this anti.publicity bill is to DO
trimmed It should DO cut of just behind the ears.
From the Nsio York Times. Independent Democrat.
The Constitution Of New York declares that
mo law shall be passed to restrain or abridge
the liberty Of speech or of the press" Yet the
Ellsworth bill. now pending In tho Legislature,
has for its evident and avowed object to re-
strain the liberty of tho press.
The kind of law which the Constitution says
shall not DO passed tho bosses say shall be
passed. That 10 not only announced from Al
bany now, but It was announced before the
session was begun. The sponsor of the meas
ure declared that public men" had been SO
maddened by caricature that they were deter-
mined to put q stop to 1t. and that therefore
they would support a measure which puts the
very existence of any newspaper at tho mercy
Of two jurics which q boss may succeed in
packing.
There cannot be q lawyer in the Legislature
who does not believe that this bill is uncon-
stitutional, and would be SO declared by tho
first court it came before. IL it were enacted.
Yet. when the Constitution Of the State. which
legislators are sworn to support, says that no
law shalt be passed to restrain the liberty of
the press. and Boss Plat and Boss Croker say
that such n law shall be passed. tho LegIsla.
ture obeys tho bosses and disobeys the Consti.
tuition. Ex-senator Hill has shown good sense
in coming out publicly to oppose this out
rageous measure. He says. very truly, that
=" no honest public man needs to be afraid of
the criticisms or tho witticisms of the press"
The ex-senator has of late seemed bent upon
attaining the reputation Of the only sane man
among the managing politicians of his party
in this State. That is a reputation good for
the man. but very bad for the party.