The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-05-14
PENNSYLVANIA LIBEL LAW.

The governor of Pennsylvania has
signed the libel law which created
such CONSERVATION in the ranks Of the
newspapers Of that state recently, and
in his reasons for so doing he tells
some unpleasant truths which should
be we'll considered by many of the
larger newspapers Of the country
dubbed yellow journals" and which
profess among other things to cater to
the classes by abusing the masses, .
policy that apparently results in no
good to anyone. A great msny of the
metropolitan papers seem to overlook
the fact that often an attaok on man.
although political, has most damag-
ing effect on his private character, the
peace and happiness Of his family and
friends as we'll as his own tranquility,
and such policy, carried to extremes
for years by many of the papers in the
east, has resulted in law that will
subject most any of the papers of
Pennsylvania to heavy damage suits
most every day in the year If they are
not careful. The main point is, how
ever, that the newspapers of other
states can find q valuable moral in the
action of the Pennsylvania legisla.
ture. The same kind of journalistic
indifference In other states will even
tually result ia similar laws. Every
effort should be made to throttle reck-
less and malicious journalism and sup
plant it with that of higher class.
Governor Pennypacker says that the
freedom of the press docs not mean
that citizens have no right to protect
their reputation and homes from the
injuries that result from careless or
negligent, as we'll as malicious false
reports. I" He also says;
"a mayor of our chief city has been
called traitor; a senator Of the Unit.
ed States has been denounced as 'yo-
KEEL, with sodden brain, and within
the last qulrter of a century two pres
idents of the United States have been
murdered, and in each instance the
cause was easily traced to the iDfiam-
matory and careless newspaper utter
ances. A cartoon in daily journal of
May Q defines the question with entire
precision. An ugly little dwarf, rep
resenting the governor Of the common
wealth, stands on crude stool. The
stool is subordinate to and placed
alongside huge printing press, with
wheels as large as those of an OK team,
and all are SO arranged as to give the
idea that when the press starts the
stool and its occupant will be thrown
to the ground. Put into words, the
cartoon asserts to the world that the
press Is above the law and o. greater
strength than the government. No
such selfrespecting people will permit
such IN attitude to be long maintained.
In England,a century ago, the offender
would have been drawn and quartered
and his head stuck upon the pole at
the gates. In America today this is
the kind of arrogance which goeth
before fall. "
The governor concludes his state
ment as follows;
with serious sense that the evil
is of more than ordinary moment, with
full knowledge of the Importance Of
the press and of its value to mankind
through all past struggles, aud with
the hope and belief that the greater
care and larger measures of RESPONSE
bility brought about by this law, tend
Jog to elevate the meritorious and re-
press the unworthy, will promote iii
welfare while benefiting the commune
", approve the bill.".
Tha situation is Incoming serious In