The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-23
A SERIOUS MATTER.
PROJECTED ANTI-NEWsPAPER
LEGISLATION CONSIDERED.
Not Conservative Of Economy-Un-
republican and Dangerous
Furnishing the Innocent.

San Jose Mercury: The attack upon
the liberty of the press. by certain leg
islators, in revenge for the sins OF a
few yellow sheets, shows a narrownsss
Of mind of which every advocate OF
the anti-newspaper bills should be
ashamed. These bills strike at prin-
ciples that are essential to the vitality
of the republic itself and to the safety
Of the individual and of society.
EMBITTERED FEELING.
Los Angeles Times: The men who
are introducing and supporting bills in
the Legislature making it criminal
offense for a man to be in the news
paper business in California should not
be. surprised to note the absence of
newspaper support for themselves In
future campaigns. On the contrary,
they will be remembered by the press
of the State in way that will be as
gall and wormwood.
ARE DETERMINED.
Alameda Encinal: The city papers
seem determined to do all they can to
egg the Legislature on to pass the anti
cartoon bill One would think that I'M
til that measure is out of the way they
should at least moderate their efforts
in this direction, but they do not APP
pear to- enjoy even that small modicum
of common sense. If the bill shall pass
they will owe it to themselves and to
nothing else.
THE BOND PROVISION.
Mendocino Beacon: A bill has been
introduced to do away with the present
provision which requires that party
must give $500 bonds upon bringing
an action for libel. The provision
which it is proposed to do away with
is only just safeguard for the press,
especially from unwarranted attacks
by blackmaiers, and it is to be hoped
that there are enough just men in that
body to defeat such measure.
THERE ARE OTHERS.
Marysville Appeal: Three or four
members of the Legislature who are at
tempting to wreak vengeance upon the
press of San Francisco by adverse leg
islation forget in their anxiety to sat
isfy their spleen that they are work.
ing for grave injustice against the pa
pers of the interior and smaller towns
DIS well. w llliC III OAG disputes titot
the reckless metropolitan journals have
by their anxiety to create sensations
willfully slandered and libeled reputable
citizens, it should be remembered that
the newspapers of the State outside of
San Francisco are practically free from
such habits. Therefore, to enact into
laws certain measures now before the
Legislature directed against the priv
leges enjoyed by the press of the State
would be to cause the innocent to suf-
fer with the guilty, and to work
hardship and an evil upon a most i'm
portant and deserving element in the
development of California.
SOBER WORDS.
San Diego Union: Some sober words
of warning are given to the Legisla-
ture by the Sacramento Record
Union" LET the legislators reflect"
it says upon historical truth namely
that throughout the annals of man
there is no record of effort to gag or
cripple a free press that has not re-
suited in injury to free institutions
Better far that there should be some
injury to a few because of the errors of
others than a great State should make
a beginning in retrogression by enacting
sweeping laws against the liberty of
the press which is synonymous with
liberty of the people,
SERIOUS TREATMENT OF IT.
Pomona Progress: The viciousness of
some of the metropolitan newspapers of
this State has counterpart in the vi
ciousnes of some of the proposed
legislation that is now pending be-
fore the Legislature and in some
that has already been passed. The
fact that, in the opinion of mem
bers of the Legislature, some of
the metropolitan daily newspapers Of
this State have unjusitifiably and vic
iously assailed public men from motives
of personal spite, does not warrant the
Legislature in passing such a. ridiculous
bill as has been introduced in that
body, making the killing of an editor in
the heat of passion justifiable; or an
other making ii as easy as possible to
bring libel suits; or several other meas
ures calculated to cripple the newspa-
pers. And it is certainly a short
sighted policy which will refuse the
publication of information that is of
so much vital Importance to the people
of commonwealth as its fundamental
laws, simply because some of the news
papers in which such matter has been
published have been unwisely-yea,
dishonestly-greedy for it is dishonest
In newspaper to charge the State sew
eral times as much as it would a pri-
vate individual for similar services and
thus fitch money from the public treas
ury. But the Legislature could easily
remedy all this by regulating the pub
LEGATION of such matter as the Consti-
tutional amendments, and the price to
be paid for the same All of the MANY
newspapers of the State should not be
prosecuted to punish two or three of
the large dailies, however grievous the
ofenses of the latter may be regarded.
1t is coming to be recognized by think
ing men that the rural press contributes
more than any other one factor to the
success of political campaigns: and es-
pecially is this true since the leading
metropolitan newspapers have de-
stroyed their influence by becoming
personal organs. Domination in poli-
| tcs TO promote purely personal and sell
f1sh ambitions has no rightful place in
the political economy of a democratic
Government; and the newspaper that
stoops to such policy forfeits what
ever right it may have had to be re-
garded as a political leader and advisor
OF the people. But the rural press has
never sought to dominate the politics
OF the State. Its voice has ever been
! raised in the interest of good Govern
ment and the needs of the people and
| 1t has ever been loyal to the PRINCIPLES
it advocates and the party that repre-
sents them. This potent factor in no.
L ltical ions nd