The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-16
PAPERS FIGHT
PE;NNYPACKER
Cartoonists, Editorial Writers and
Photographers Turn Loose on
Pennsylvania Governor.
He Signed the Machine Libel Bill
Which the Papers Have Com
bined to Disregard.
New york Sim Special Service.

Governor Samuel w. Pennypacker, bo-s
tanist, antiquarian, historian, former com
mon pleas judge, and cousin OF Senator
Matthew Stanley Quay. With cartoon,
verse editorial and bitter paragraphs the
states chief executive is being assailed.
Governor Pennypacker last TUESDAY
signed the libel law, known as the Salus-
Grady bill and designed by the Pennsyl-
vania ring as a press muZzter, Dill
which Senators Quay and Penrose whipped
thru the legislature in two days and Tor
which the legislators voted under IRON
clad orders This bill orders every paper
to publish the names of it's responsible
heads at the top of its editorial page
under a penalty Of from $500 to $1,000 for
| each issue. It provides compensatory and
punitive damages for negligence upon the
part of owners editors, ETC., in ascertain |
| ing facts and both kinds Of damages for
physical and mental sufferings endured
BY the injured parties Both cartoons
and headlines come under the BAN
/ It is this bill which despite the united
protests Of the newspapers OF the state,
| the governor has signed and there is not
one paper in the whole state which is not
now openly defying it.
Meat for cartoonsts.
i Governor Pennypacker is a Pennsyl-
/ yania Dutchman whose style Of architec-
ture provides an ideal basis for the car
4 toonists. He is an ardent pursuer OF the
quaint and unusual bug, an authority on
4 Pennsylvania history, an expert on an
cestry, a botanist of the first water and
an intense adnirer of Senator Quay, whom
he declared in political speech during
} his gubernatorial campaign to be greater
than 'either Clay or Webster
Il He was cartooned by the democratic
and insurgent papers as were, Senators
Quay and Penrose This he resented and
to it he refers In his apology for signing
l &I,o r aS,1 {c 10 n
furnished much Of the material for the
present newspaper war upon him.
In this apology, among other things, he
: stated that the "outcast" who pictured as
a 'contorted cat legislator pussy, the
sponsor of bill to have all cartoons us
: ing animals, fowls, ETC., as their basis
: declared libelous per Sc would 100 years
? ago have been hanged quartered and his
head stuck on pole.' This "outcast,"
lcartoonist IS seriously contemplating suing
the governor for criminal libel under his
l own bill and is being urged to do 50 by
Iex-Postmaster General Smiths paper. II
lis the ex-postmaster generals paper
: which has furnished the greatest surprise
to the state gang, for 1t is admittedly the
gang which is behind the bill and has
used the governors wounded vanity as a
cats paw to provide a measure which. II
81 IseeKneS TO them, would insure Immunity
"a from newspaper attacks.
Z ADMINISTRATOR A'F9dH
n This newspaper was considered the adj
r ministration organ but its edibrial on
n the signing Of the bill was the most sa-
: tirical and bitterest of all While the war
l. fare Is flercest in this city, all over the
is state 1t is being waged. Some of the pa
pers have printed lists of every man II
y their employ, including the printers
'r devil" as responsible heads. Others 1g.
y more the law utterly. The papers are
70 pledged not to- support any legislator wht
v, voted for the bill and a nonpartizan news
paper association has been formed witt
Thomas ". Cooper, state representative
r from Delaware county, and editor OF tn
u Delaware County American as its head
This organization has been formed t.
fight the bill and to preserve the news
paper interests. All the republican edi
&c tors of the big da1lies have practical.
broken away from the party. At the Pei
and Pencil club both Thomas V. Coope
and ex-Postmaster General Smith spok
last night to about 5000 persons on tn
new law and Pennypackers action. TIL
question now is with every paper defyin
a him, what is the governor going to d
r. about it?'
ee Nelan Threatens Suit.
st Philadelphia, May 16.-Charles Nelar
as cartooonist, has addressed a. long lette
ly to Governor Pennypacker In which h
G.. complains of the use Of the word "out
r. cast in the governors letter on the libe
bill as applied to the maker Of one c
ce Mr. Nelan's drawings. Mr.. Nelan de
ne mands a prompt apology, failing to re
ar ceive which he gives notice he will brin
no suit against the governor for libel. II
"a. says in the letter: II beg to say to yo,
az sir, that when you applied this epithe
I,a to me you uttered an unqualified false
y He hood am not an 'outcast,' am not
-, 'vagabond' If you will not retract, b,
ut will agree not to plead the privilege
your position as a defense to the wron
&C. YOU have done me, will institute pre-
NIX ceedings against you within five days ar
VS. wiIi h,7rrv the case to trial with the u
most expedition, SO the Jury in the cour
and the larger jury Of the people of Il
commonwealth may know whether q;
the 'outcast' you have stigmatized m
or whether you are a slanderer and libel
VI of an honest citizen"
. 49,. -