Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-05-13
.HITSAT FREEPRESS
Gov. Pennypacker, of Pennsyl-
Vania, Approves New
Libel Law.
WHICH Is DRASTIC IN EXTREME
Measure Has Been Protested Against
BY Representative Editors
OF the State.

| HARRISBURG. Pa, May 13.-GoV. Pen
nypacker has approved the Grady
Salus libel bill, which has been under
discussion for several weeks and
against which delegations of the
leading editors of the state have ar
gucd before the governor.
! The terms of the bill are drastic in
the extreme and many editors have
declared that if it became "A law the
liberty of the press would be thing
of the past. Gov. Pennypacker, in a
! long statement giving his reasons for
approval, bitterly scores the papers
| that have criticised his actions and
manifests special rancor because of
n cartoon that appeared in Phila-
delphia paper a few days ago. If this
cartoon had appeared in England Il
century ago, declares the governor,
the editor of the paper would have
been hanged, drawn and CHARTERED.
| The bill. which was in the governors
hands for more than month, goes
into effect Immediately and repeats
all laws or parts of laws inconsistent
with the new act.
Grave Questions Involved.
The governor says in his statement
| that the questions raised by the bill
are of very grave Importance and af-
feet 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 we'll as his
right to protect his reputation and
home from the injuries that rise from
careless or malicious false reports.
In his opinion they are of impor-
lance for the further reason that
whichever way they are decided the
! fact that they are raised indicates
widespread dissatisfaction with exist
! ing conditions and their correct de-
cision is likely to have an effect with
in and without the commonwealth.
| They are deserving, therefore. of the
most careful consideration and the
conclusion. unaffected by any person
al feeling and unswayed by any fear
o. personal consequences. ought to
be reached upon the high plane of
what will be for the best good of the
people.
The governor claims there is moth
! ing in the terms of the measure which
prevents any newspaper from making
ures or upon the official acts of state,
municipal. county or public officers as
are proper information for the public
or are in the line of legitimate public
discussion.
After discussing briefly the ques-
ton as to whether or not the bill
passed the house of representatives
in regular form. the governor con-
cludes his statement as follows:
Discusses the BID.
"The proposed legislation has been
regarded by large proportion of the
reputable press with great misgiv-
ings. 1t is natural that this should
be the case. The future is ever I'M
certain and the easy way to avoid the
dangers ahead is to stand still. This
| is nevertheless not a wise course. The
boy. conscious of many lapses, who is
| invited by stern father into a pri-
vate room enters with a dread, and
vet the purpose may only be to ar
range for the coming holidays. When
the gardener comes with his hoe into
the garden which has been left to run
wild it is safe to say that 1T is the
mullen and not the pea which is like
IN t
best possible legislation, but the pur-
pose is commendable, and should eX-
perience show it to be defective some
thing better may be devised. 1t ought
to be cordially and cheerfully accept
ed by the reputable press, for they
have special interest in its becom-
ing a law Where the tares occupy
the ground the wheat perishes 1T
threatens them with no danger. Seek
ing to utter the truth and not the
faIsehood. what have they to fear?
Into our courts. where learned
Judges administer the law with tideli-
tv and iuries are drawn from the
masses of the people well fitted to de
termine who is the wrongdoer, they
are not likely to be summoned, or. -
summoned. they may go with entire
safety. This much is certain: Since
the laws of God and nature are i'm
mutable and memorable unless means
are found to uproot some OF the ten
denotes of modern journalism the M
tluence. already badly shaken, will be
utterly lost and the influence of the
press, which has oeen so potent an
agent in the development OF clvlliza-
ton and in securing civil liberty, Will
be gone forever.
with a serious sense that the evll
is of more than ordinary moment
with full knowledge of the import
ance of the press and of its value to
mankind through all past struggles
and with the hope and belief that the
greater care and larger measure oil
responsibility brought about by this
law, tending to elevate the meritori-
Gus and repress the unworthy, Will
promote its welfare while benetiting
The community. / approve the bill"