The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-13
HE GIVES HIS REASONS
Refers to Recent Cartoon n
 Which He Figured.
says That the Murder of Two Prsna- dents is Easily Traceabls to oave- less and Inhammatory
 Newspaper Uttsrancss.

libel btu today and at the same time h. sued long statement, giving the reasons Tor hfs action. The bill, which was In tho Governors hands for more than month goes into effect immediately and repeaia all laws inconsistsnt with the new act.
 The Governor says in his statement that the questions raised by the bill are sof very grave importance. and affect lares business interests, the freedom of speech and the press. the right of the citixens to be informed concerning current aflairn and the conduct of government. a well n mans right to protect his reputation and home from the injuries that arisa from careless or negligent as web as ma licious false report
 In hi opinion they are of imporfance for the further reason that which ever way decided. the fact that they are raised indicates widespread dissatisfacfi0n with existing conditions and the direct de- cision Is likely to have an effect within and without the commonwealth.
 Pennypacier's High Plans.
 They are deserving. therefore .os the most careful consideration and the con- olusion. unaffected by any personal fesl- ing and unswayed by any fear Of per- sonal consequences. ought to be reached upon the high plane of what will bsl the best for the people.
 The Governor claims there is nothing ia the terms of the measure which prevents any newspaper from making such com ments upon legislative measures or upon the official acts of the State, municipal County or public officers as are proper in- formation for the public. or are h the line of legitimate public discussion. Com tinuing. he says:
 '.The blll in its appiseasiop is not con fined to officials. but affects as well the citizen. the business man whose conduct constitutes no part of the right of the public to information. The corpoxatton officer who has been falsely charged with crime, the manufacturer who has been falsely accused of being drunken brawi- CT, the woman whose domestic griefs have been unfeelingiy paraded or whose chas- tity Is improperly suspected: the student who has been falsely accused of murders the clergyman who has been cruelty ma liRned; the quiet citixen whose peace oS mind has been destroyed by the publica- ton of evil gossip; the merchant whose credit has been affected by groundlesn rumors; ths sufferers from reckless bue not necessary malicious publications. are given the right, not to prohibit publica- ton. but to recover the damages which they have sustained. provided they prove negligence on the part of the pubiishinz newspapers. All these are instances of what has in fact recently occurred.
 within a few days In Ieading ar- ticle on the first page of a daily journal. under large lines, upon a rumor of un- known source as to the name of the sug- gested appointee to the position of pros thonotary of the Supreme Court, when no appointment had been made and no ut- terance, official or otherwise. had eman~ ated from any member of that court that high tribunal was subjected to Q covert assault under the words. Machine After Control of the Supreme Court
 Where the Shoe Pinches.
 "A Mayor of our chief city has been called a traitor, Senator of the United States has been denounced Yokel.' with sodden brain, and within the last quar- ter of a century two Presidents of tiis United States have been murdered and in each instance the cause easily traced to the infiammatory and careless newspaper utterances. A cartoon in 8 daily journal of May End defines the question with en- tire precision. An ugly little dwarf ren- resenting the Governor of the Common- wealth, stands on a crude stool. The stool is subordinate to and placed alons- side a hugh printing press with wheels as large as those of an OK team. and all so arranged as to give the. idea that when the press starts the stool and it's occupant will be thrown to the ground. Put into words, the cartoon asserts to the world that the press is above the law and of greater strength than the Government. No such self-respecting people will permit such an attitude to be long maintained. In England cen- tury ago the offender would have been drawn and quartered and his head stuck up on the pole at the gates. In America today this is the kind of arrogance which goeth before fall" r-,
 The Governor says eff such abuse of the privileges allowed to the press is to go unpunished; if such tales are per- mitted to be poured into the ears of men and to be profitable. 1t is idle to contend that the reputable newspapers can main- tain their purity"
 He also says that many years experi- ence on the bench has led him to the con- clusion that crimes are widely propagat- ed not only by the malice. but by the recklessness of the press and that in q certain class of cases, among them mur- der, the accused were at times convicted or acquitted before they reached the court room.