Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-04-10
TO MUzzLE
NEWSPAPERS
Vicious Legislation Now
Being Considered.
New Libel Passed at Harris
burg Is a Menace to the
Life of Every Paper in the
State.

The Salus-Grady press muzzling bill
was forced through the state senate
yesterday and also passed the second
reading stage in the house According
to programme, the final legislative step
In this attempt to prevent the public
alton of news is to be taken today, when
the house is under orders to substitute
the senate duplicate for the house bill,
and put it through on final passage.
Governor Pennypacker is expected by
the machine managers to sign the bill
In time to so notify the senate when it
convenes next Monday night
Not even the infamous ripper" bills
and traction grabs of the notorious ses-
sion of 1901 were "ralroaded" with less
regard for legislative proprieties or the
rights of the persons affected than has
attended the extraordinary career Of
this bill.
Only three days have elapsed since it
was introduced, yet it is ''slated" to go
to the governor tomorrow. Every re-
source of the hackers OF the project,
who include United States Senator Pen
rose and Insurance Com missioner Dur
ham, working with the alleged assent
and encouragement OF Governor Penny
packer, could not make this astonishing
thing law II public sentiment were to
be given time to crystalline.
The bill is the most fragrant infrige
ment on the liberty of the press ever
conceived, and its passage will place
every fearless newspaper in Pennsyl-
vania at the mercy of criminals of every
class. The proposed law provides ex-
cessive damages for every rogue who may
be called by his true name in print and
allows his claim for money upon pretexts
of the most fimsy character. The Phila-
delphia Inquirer this morning says:
1T licenses every starving shyster to
blackmail honorable newspapers, maxi
ing them suffer for the sins of the few.
1t throws the sheltering arm of the law
around criminals. 1t actually aims to
promote public plundering and cares for
the mental suffering Of the plunderers.
There is nothing honest about the bill.
1t is piece of unmitigated malignity.
Under the present laws any person
who is unjustly assailed can proceed
against the offending newspaper for
criminal libel and can bring civil suit as
we'll. The law is complete as it stands
A jury can award damages to any
amount where there has been malice or
neglect in publication.
"But it seems that there are some
persons who have an idea that news
paper ought to be prohibited from max
ing any criticisms whatever, and in
their dull way they have actually be-
lieved that they can shut up a news
paper altogether, hence this measure
Under it any kind of thieving and
plundering might go on and they have
conspired to prohibit newspaper from
calling the thief just what he is--a thief.
1.-The bill permits damages by the
wholesale. If a person has been will
fully assailed be can recover If the
criticism constitutes libel he can ask
for another sum II large type or cartoons
have been employed to emphasize it,.
Again, II his feelings have suffered
damage-not his reputation nor his
business, but just his ordinary feeling
there is a set of damages provided"
| M l. IA. II
from $500 TO 81 900 for failure to print
in every issue the name or names of the
owner or owners OF a newspaper.
Additional locals on the fourth page,