The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-20
THE LAW OF LIBEL.
Discussed by Editors Before the Jul
dietary Committee.

At 4:30 last afternoon the House Jul
dietary Committee was called to order
by Chairman Overman.
The first bill under consideration was
bill introduced by Mr.. Moore, of Jack
son, amending chapter 2,079 of the Code
by striking out in line 20 the words
within his county"
Mr.. Moore in support of his bill re-
ferred to the decision in 81 North Caro-
lima Reports. BOggs VS.. Davis, and
stated that under the present law the
sheriff of one county cannot be amerced
for refusal to serve process from the
justice of the peace of another county.
This bill allows HIM to he amerced, and
Mr.. Moore explained that while sher-
if cannot be made to go out of his
own county to serve process, yet 1t
was i'll many cases necessary that he
should be made to serve II process
signed by the justice Of another county.
The committee decided to report the
bill favOrably.
The next bill was II. B. 200, intro
duced by Foushee of Durham, and III.
b. 216, introduced by Curtis, of Bun
combe.
Mr.. Foushee's bill provides that sec
ton ], ,S47 of the Code be amended by
adding thereto provided that this see
tion shall not apply to roller flour mills
which adopt the exchange system" and
Mr.. Curtis bill provides that section L.
S46 of the Code be amended by insert
ing between the words toll" and ''Shall'
in line two the following: ''or exchange
grist for grain" and section .847 by in
Serting between the words injured and
provided" in line eight ''and every mill
Ter who shall exchange grist for grain
and give in said exchange Il smaller
amount of grist than the grain the grain
received would make less the toll, shall
be subject" etc.
This brought on discussion, as there
were several parties present to argue
the case. Messrs. II. 4. London and
X. II. Hayes, of Pittsboro; Curtis, of
Buncombe; Il. j. Williams. If lrednll,
and several others spoke upon this BILL
Mr.. Curtis created a laugh when Mr.
Williams referred to him and said that
he guessed his Buncombe friend had
eaten bushel of dirt from the old burr
mills, by his reply that at least he had
lots of sand in his gizzard."
There was a good deal said about the
manner in which the roller mills bought
their wheat at Il less rate than is pro-
vided by the Code, but it was finally
decided by the committee to report the
bill favorably with slight amendment
and to report Mr. Curtis bill unfavor-
ably.
Then the committee took up an act
entitled lin regard to libel" Mr. II. 4.
London, secretary of the Press Asso-
ciation, who drew the bill, argued in
Il forcible talk that there were many
honest editors led into mistakes inno-
Gently and that if they Immediately set
about to correct the error they ought to
be relieved and that this act provides
that upon notice the editor shall at
once set about to correct his error and
in that case shall only be held liable for
actual damage sustained. Mr.. .Iosephus
Daniels. editor of the News and 0bser-
yer: Major r. J. Hale, editor of the Fay
etteville Observer; Mr.. Clyde r. HOey.
of the Cleveland Star, who introduced
the bill, and c. L. Alternately, of the
Beaufort Herald, spoke in favor of the
bill and were followed by Hon. Francis
ID. Winston. who made a very strong
and eloquent appeal in behalf of the
measure.
The bill was, at the request of Mr.
Hoey, of Cleveland. referred to a. sub
committee composed of MeSsfs Win
stOn, Allen and Ray.