Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-13
LIBEL BILL APPROVED
Gov. Pennuy;p,alcker Makes
Long Statement.
REASON FOR ACTION
DECLARES PRESS HAS ovERSTEP-
PED ITS RIGHTS.
Complains Particularly of the License
Taken by Cartoonists in
Daily Papers.

A dispatch from Harrisburg, Pa, yester-
day says: Gov. Pennypacker approved the
Grady-Salus libel bill at 80 this afternoon,
and at the same time issued long state
ment giving the reason for his action. The
bill goes into effect Immediately, and re-
peals all laws or parts of laws inconsistent
with the new act.
The governors statement giving his rea-
sons for signing the libel bill Is as follows:
The questions raised by senate bill No.
$50 are of very grave Importance. They af-
fected large business interests. the freedom
of speech and the press, the right OF the
citizen to be informed concerning current
affairs and the conduct Of government, as
well as his right to protect his reputation
and home from the injuries that result from
careless or negligent, as well as malicious
false report.
There Is nothing in the terms of the bill
which prevents any newspaper from max
ing such comments upon legislative meas
ures or upon the officials acts of state, mu-
nicipal, county or public officers as are
proper for the information of the pubic OF
are in the line of legitimate public dis
cussion. There are no inhibitionS in the
bill. 1t subjects all preliminary inquiries as
to facts and their subsequent publication to
the test of care.
Text Of the Bill.
Few persons have read or have had the
opportunity of reading the provisions OF
this bill In order that the opportunity
may be given l quote the language in full
as follows:
That from and after the passage of this
act civil actions may be brought again:T
the proprietor, owner, publisher or manag-
ing editor of any newspaper published in
this commonwealth, whether the same be
published monthly, bi-weekly, semi-weekly
daily, to recover damages resulting from
negligence on the part of such owner, pro-
prietor or managing editor in the ascer-
tainment Of facts and in making publ1ca-
tons affecting the character, reputation or
business of citizens.
Section 2. In all civil actions which may
be hereafter brought against the proprietor,
owner, publisher or managing editor OF
any newspaper published in this common
wealth, whether the same be publfshed
monthly, bi-weekly. semi-weekly or daily
and whether such owner be an individual.
partnership, limited partnership. joint
stock company or corporation, If 1t shall
be shown that the publication complained
of resulted from negligence on the part OF
such owner. proprietor, manager or editor
in the ascertainment of the facts or in the
publication thereof, compensatory damages
may be recovered for injuries to business
and reputation resulting from such publ
cation, as well as damages for the physical
party or parties and whenever In any such
action 1t shall be shown that the matter
complained of is Ibelous and that such
lbelous matter has been given special
prominence by the use of pictures car
toons, headlines, displayed type or any
other matter, calculated to specially attract
attention, the jury Shall have the right to
award punitive da pages against the de-
PENDANT or defendants.
Names Must Be Printed.
Section g. That from and after the pas
ga ee of this act each and every newspaper
published in this commonwealth, whether
the same be published monthly, bi-weekly
semi-weekly or daily, shall publish in every
COPY of every issue on the editorial page,
in conspicuous position at the top of
reading matter, the name of the owner
owners. proprietor or proprietors Of such
newspa pers, together with the names of
the managing editor thereof. and If said
newspaper or newspapers shall be owned
or published by a corporation then the
name of the corporation shall be published
together with the names of the president
secretary, treasurer and managing editor
thereof. and II the said newspaper or news
papers shall be owned or published by a
partnership or partnership limited, then the
ayers of said partnership or partnership
limited shall be published in like manner.
Section A. In the event of any change
being made in the proprietor, owner, pub
Usher or managing editor of any newspaper
or in the Office of president, secretary or
treasurer Of any corporation owning and
publishing said newspaper, any change
in the names Of the copartners the said
change or changes shall be duly set forth