The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-12
A REMARKABLE LIBEL LAW.

The Pennsylvania Legislature has
acted libel law which is the most out
rageous attack upon the rights of news
paper publishers that can be devised, be-
ing hostile In intent 10 all the newspapers
OF Pennsylvania The Philadelphia Press
says the law might justly be denominated
"a bill to encourage shysters and black
mailers against newspapers" The act re-
quires that all newspapers published in
Pennsylvania shall print in every issue.
on the editorial page. the names of the
owner or owners, publisher and managing
editor. and If owned by corporation the
names Of the officers thereof. If such pub
lication in full is omitted for one issue
or even a name dropped out the publishers,
from so cents to 81 for every copy issued.
Such a fine for one issue would cripple
any newspaper in the. country. The bill
further provides that "in all civil actions
which may be brought against a newspaper
if 1t shall be shown that the publication
complained of resulted from negligence
on the part of the owner, proprietor, man.
ager editor, in the ascertainment of the
facts or in the publication thereof. COM
pensatory damages may be recovered from
such publication as well as damages for
the physical and mental suffering endured
by the injured party or parties" If pub
lication shown TO be hbelous is given
special prominence by the use of pictures
or cartoons. headlines or display type, or
by any other device calculated to draw
attention the jury shall have the right to
award punitive damages against the de-
PENDANT. Under the foregoing provision it
is claimed that any man who may con-
slider himself injured by an error in state
ment has ground for a suit against pub
Usher Nm spite of corrections. Under this
law a slip in reporting the minor details
Of almost any event may be claimed by
some person to subject him to anguish of
mind" may be held by an adverse court
and jury to require exemplary civil dam
ages and fine of $1,000 for the State. A
veteran editor, who is a member of the
damages on each owner or editor of a
newspaper IL he hurts the feelings of any
one. If a newspaper says that a thief has
been convicted. and the thief's feelings are
hurt he has a dead-sure thing against the
publisher. Such law would cause shyster
lawyers to search the prisons for prisoners
whose feelings have been hurt by the news
paper publishing an account Of trials"
What is the object of such law IL it is
not to muzzle the press against which some
political leaders in Pennsylvania entertain
grudge for criticisms? 1t is understood
that the measure has been pressed by both
United States senators and others who
would "get ever1' with the wanamaker
papers. To do this they have pushed an
act through the Legislature which makes
every paper in the State liable 20 any
rascal who will swear that he has suffered
anguish of mind because some little
error regarding him appears In a state
ment of his arrest or trial. 1t makes no
difference whether the phrase objected to
is malicious or negligently made, the dam
ages are the same in the event Of con-
viction.
Such legislation in this day and genera
ton is an indelible stigma upon the men
who are responsible for 1t and a stain upon
the State for which they legislate and
whose constitution declares that 1.-The print
| ing press shall be free" No wonder that
all newspaper publishers unite in indig-
nant protest against the measure as the
most dangerous assault upon the freedom
| of the press that has been made in this
1 for