The record-union., 1899-02-27
LEGISLATURES AND THE PRESS.

LEGISLATURES AND THE PRESS.
Bills Which Should Not Pass
Some Press Comments.
Red Bluff Sentinel: The caricaturing
of public men in the Examiner" and
Cali especially has been carried to an
extreme and is utterly indefensible and
outrageous. The Examiner carried
it on to disgusting extent in the last
Presidential and Gubernatorial CAM
paign
THE JACKALS RESPONSIBLE.
Marysville Appeal: These jaekals are
alone responsible for the birth and pass
age of the anti-cartoon bill and will be
the greatest sufferers therefrom. The
press of the interior are really but lit
tle affected by this particular legisla-
ton. Cartoons play q very small part
indeed in the make up of the papers
published outside of San Francisco.
But the real cause for dissatisfaction,
the real danger lies in the fact that this
measure is the opening wedge, the FORE
runner of bitter legislation aimed at the
liberty and privileges of the press Of
California
BAD BILLS.
Stockton Mail: Such bills as that re-
quiring that every article in a news
paper shall be signed by the writer
show how little some Of the legislators
know of matters they try to regulate.
If the proprietor Of a newspaper sug-
gests a topic to one of his writers and
the manner in which it shall be treat
ed, and the editor changes the article
in some respects after it has been writ
ten, who is the author of It? Whose
signature of the three shall it bear?
If legislators do not know any more
about other businesses they NEEDLE
with than they have shown this ses-
sion that they know about the news
paper business-as is quite likely-no
wonder the regular legislative gather
ing is dreaded by the community and
people say. THANK Cod" when the ad-
journment sine die is taken
BRUTAL AND VICIOUS.
Pomona Progress: The anti-cartoon
bill has passed the Legislature, has been
signed by the Governor and has become
law. The bill had been defeated in
the Senate, when the San Francisco
"Call" appeared on the scene with a
hfdeous half page cartoon picturing
Assemblyman Grove l.. Johnson as q
forger. 1t was a species of the un-
calmly, brutal and vicious cartoons that
have appeared from time to time in
several of the largest daily newspapers
of the State and have provoked legisla-
tive action against cartooning in gen.
eral. AS such newspaper Illustration
does violence both to morals and art,
the Legislature is justified in taking
action against it.
RESULT OF LICENSE.
Alameda Argus: 1t was not by any
means to vindicate Johnson that the
Legislature enacted the anti-cartoon
law with such unusual manifestations
of feeling. and gave him considerable
complimentary vote for United States
Senator. 1t was in disapproval and re-
sentiment of a form of journalism that
had passed all bounds and which SEEM
ed to be amenable to neither law nor
decency. The newspapers concerned.
should make a very deliberate note of
this fact, and from their tone during
the past two days it would seem that
they are making it.
OOME BAD BILLS.
Humboldt Standard: The Legislature
has before it a number of bills aimed
at the newspapers. If the two More
house bills should become laws an ed
tor could be shot down with as little
danger of punishment to the slayer as
though he killed dog. The bill max
ing it justifiable homicide to kill a
newspaper man is supplemented by an
other which seeks to compel every
writer of newspaper item which re-
fleets upon any one to sign his name to
the article. This would render imper-
sonal journalism impossible. Such
writers as John p. Irish, whose pens
have done masterful work in leading
papers and periodicals, would be de-
prived of their power to reach the con-
science of the people in an impersonal
way.
The bill to repeal the law of 1872,
which requires a bond of $500 by the
plaintiff in suit for libel and Islander,
would open the door for every ire
sponsible cur in the country to attack
a newspaper man on any pretext, and
force him to defend himself in court.
Surely the Legislature. though many
of its members may feel aggrieved at
the yellow journals, would not punish
every decent newspaper in the State
by passing such laws.
THE OFFICE OF THE PAPER.
Alameda Argus: We recognize the
fact that newspapers are not run for
missionary purposes, but as business
enterprises, and hence will always fail
to satisfy the critic who views them
f,,1, Il, -
ply to directors is, 1--WE print what the
people want" But the most heroic
pessimist and contemner of the people
would be somewhat slow in defending
the abuse, utilization and shame
full caricatures Of our public men which
at present disfgure the great San Fran
cisco dailies. However low the public
taste may be and however depraved
the public morals, it is simply incred-
ible that California people buy more
papers when they become the organs of
personal spite and abuse and represent
public men in disgusting attitudes, and
as dogs and swine. It may be that the
managers believe that the people want
that kind Of thing; if SO, they do not
know the people. It is the misfortune
of wealth and power sometimes to be
surrounded only by lackeys who echo
the sentiments of their master and re-
peat what he likes to hear. But lackeys
do not represent public opinion. If we
are not greatly mistaken, the majority
desire a paper which, if not perfectly
judicial, at least tries to be fair. and
one which recognizes what may be
called the better side of human nature.
They are perfectly willing to hear criti-
cism of men and measures, and this