The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-14
PRESS REBELS.
Philadelphia Newspapers Re-
fuse to Be Muzzled.
Gag Law Is Openly Deffed by
Big Dailies.
WANAMAKER IN LEAD.
ReprOduces the Cartoon Alluded
to by the Governor
And Supplements 1t With
Others More Offensive.
VANAMAKER IN LEAD.

Philadelphia, May 14.-If Governor
Pennypacker had any notion that his
Grady -Salus newspaper libel bill was
going to be an effective muzzle for the
press. he has been quickly undeceived
by the attitude of the newspapers of
this city. The law is now in effect and
today's papers, without notable excep-
ton, have accepted the governors chal-
lenge with varying degrees of belliger-
ency.
Public interest has been strilingly
aroused and there is a general curios-
ity to know whether the governor is al
ready having papers drawn up for libel
suits, based on the editorials and car
toons in this mornings dailies, which
are not lacking in those elements Of
severe condemnation which he has per-
sonally and officially resented.
The bill does not absolutely prohibit
the publication of cartoons or articles
of any sort, whether for the purpose Of
ridicule, criticism, reproval OF enlight-
enment, but this would be its effect, for
it provides for suits for damages re-
sulting from alleged negligence in the
ascertainment of facts upon which such
publications are based.
It requires also that the names of the
owner and managing editor be placed
at the head of the editorial columns OF
every newspaper, and its purpose is
plainly shown to be particularly to pre-
vent the publication of such cartoons
and articles as have moved Governor
Pennypacker and his associates to
The Philadelphia North American,
owned by John Wanamaker, takes TIE
lead in contemptuous disregard for the
Ts1 his ~
planatory message the governor has
this, as announced yesterday, to say OF
cartoon which appeared in the North
American May 2:
"A cartoon in a daily journal of May
? defines the question with entire pre-
| cision An ugly little dwarf, represent
1 ing the governor of the commonwealth,
/ stands on crude stool. The stool IS
subordinate to and placed alongside OF
/ huge printing press with WheelS as
/ large as those of an ox-team, and ali
are so arranged as to give the idea hat
when the press starts the stool and ITS
occupant viii be thrown to the ground
I Put into words, the cartoon asserts 70
the world that the press IS ABOVE the
/ law and greater in strength than The
! government No self-respectlnS people
will permit such an attitude to pc long
maintained. In England, century ago.
4 the offender would have been drawn
/ and ouartered and his head stuck upon
pole without the gates. In America
today this is the kind of arrogance
which 'goeth before a fall
The North American quotes this pas
sage this morning at the top of the first
page. reprints the cartoon referred t.
/ and prints another and larger one
/ showing what happens when the press
starts The stool and the governor are
violently sailing through the air, the
governors clothing is in disarray one
boot kicked off, and the governor
face is picture of pain, chagrin anc
dismay. And the press runs on.
Another cartoon. even more bold anc
/ contemptuous, presents Senator Quay
as an owl in tree. with the libel bill
in one hand Dust delivered, sigaed)
and in the other a huge coin, with the
face of Governor Pennypacl<er in the
place of the familiar Indian head on the
/ penny The line beneath is: The Ole
| bird knows the worth of a penny.
The Philadelphia Press is even more
scornful and unterrified. It's cartoon
today is libeled The gag and the
gauntlet"
The Philadelphia Ledger, the Phila-
delphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia
Record. in less vehement language, re-
sent the attempt at muzzling and ex-
press their purpose to go on publishing
4 newspa pers exactly as before without
fear. 1t is evident that the law will
soon ba before the courts on its consti-
tutionality.