The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-17
AGAINST. THE PRESS.
BILLS TO INJURE DECENT
NEWSPAPERS.
Why They Should Not be Passed.
The Several Measures Not
for Public Good.

not DelleVe that the country newspapers
are excessive in their charges. The
best evidence of this is that none of
them ever accumulate any wealth. The
papers in California that are making
money can be counted on the fingers of
both hands. Many of the country news
papers are in debt, and all of them are
struggling along under conditions that
would dishearten most people.
AIMED AT THE PRESS.
Willows Promoter: The present Leg
islature is prolific of proposed laws
aimed at the freedom of California
newspapers and at the very lives Of
the men who edit them. Never in our
State history have such measures been
planned by political wantons who have
learned to fear the searchlight of the
press. There is the anti-cartoon bill,
the justifiable homicide bill, and, lastly
but significantly, the proposed measure
which shall restrict the already reason
able charges for official printing, and
which will render invalid the claims of
several hundred newspapers which pub
lished the Constitutional amendments
during the late campaign upon the in
structions of Governor Budd
The newspaper cartoon is not without
its evil tendency. It is not always pos
sible to judge accurately the motives of
the uncommunicative man in public life,
and injustice may occasionally follow
the artists pencil; but the good that
the caricaturist has accomplished is
hardly to be calculated. The distorted
but, not wholly imaginative picture has
proved a purgative to politics, and has
done much to keep clear the systems Of
the Government
THE LIBEL BOND BILL.
San Jose Mercury: Should the bill
providing that actions for libel and
Islander may be brought without the
preliminary filing of a bond in any
amount become law, private individ-
uals will suffer even more annoyance
than the newspapers, for the work of
the blackmailer will be made easy The
present law requiring the filing of
5000 bond at the filing of a suit is
protection TO the citizen no less than to
newspapers.
YET HERE THEY'D REPEAL IT.
Several exchanges: Senator Keefe has
introduced in the Connecticut Legis-
latu1e bill providing that in all libel
suits against newspapers the plaintiff
must execute a bond in the sum of !
5000. When the final decision is rem
dered for the defendant the plaintiff
must reimburse him for his time
and trouble, as we'll as for lawyers
fees, and the plaintiffs bondsmen shall
be liable for the payment of such sums
as the court may direct
SIGNED ARTICLES.
San Jose Mercury: Concerning the
ridiculous bill requiring every libelous
article in newspaper to be signed by
the writer, the Los Angeles Express"
pert1nently remarks that '.inasmuch as
no reputable newspaper willfully or
knowingly prints libe1ous matter the
monstrous absurdity of the bill is mani
fest. The author wants to force the
newspaper men to make themselves
accessories before the fact, in manner
that is dreadful to contemplate r
AGAINST THE NEWSPAPERS.
Chico Record: The present Legisla-
ture seems deluged with bills aimed
against the newspapers and the free
dom of the press. Everything from
printing mans picture to making it
justifiaole homicide for killing an
editor are incorpoI ated in these pro-
posed laws, and if they are enacted
the press of California will be most
effectually muzzled. We do not be-
lieve, however, that the sensible men
of the Legislature will permit the rabid
extremists who have been shown up by
the press, to influence their votes and
attempt to take from the press the
rights guaranteed by the constitution
GAGGING THE PRESS.
Alameda Argus: That freedom of
the press is SO often fiagrantly misused
is cause of regret not only to those
journals who have a high conception
of their profession, but to all lovers of
freedom. Abuse of liberty tends to
beget reactionary movement toward
it's greater limitations, if not suppress
sion. Venality, sensationalism ami
spite are very unpleasant and in
furious, but it is probable that all the
remedies yet proposed would result in
greater evils than that which they are
set forth to cure. Then the evil is par
TALLY self-corrective. A newspaper
that does not deserve confidence, event
ually ceases to inspire it. Editorial
columns which are for sale in no long
time cease to be worth buying. At
any rate those who wish to see the
freedom of the press subject to greater
legal restrictions should consider the
IiStOly VI ItpItSSiOu ne pTSsSul
policy of the German Government is in
this respect peculiarly instructive.
Criticism of the present regime is not
allowed, and there are almost daily
prosecutions for offenses against the
State the Emperor or any State fune-
tionary. All attempts to call attention
of the German public to the abuses OF
the military and bureaucratic officers
and agents are summarily and sternly
depressed. In five years more than
/ 200 persons have been sentenced to
total of $3.50 years of Imprisonment
for offending against the Emperor. The
Emperor is becoming particularly sem
sitive and any expression that can be
construed as disrespectful is dangerous.
While he travels gaily about the earth
in his yacht or on horseback numerous
of his subjects ianguish in prison for
having dared to criticise him in any
way. Surely we are not ready for u
censorship of the wress. Freedom to
discuss and criticise the Government,
though sometimes scandalously abused,
is absolutely necessary to prevent
abuses and insure progress.
LEGISLATURE AND PRESS
Fresno Republicans: Senator More
house, the author off the bill making 1t
justifiable homicide to kill editors OF
sight, has just introduced supple
mentary bill providing that the name of
the author of every article shall be
printed with it, SO that the irate
seeker after vengeance may identity
his victim The bill is, of course, un-
workable under newspaper conditions,