The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-06-08
Libel aad Privilege. a"
Address o.
MR.. BUTLER


in 'he direction of Accurate statement Vr
iai ana reasonable comment re'ah
'he i'et that even publisher 2i q Joe
eau ne"sp"per edited 10y lawyers may
ne made deiendant and that TOO when
1he p"'h'lu mas GOOD cause oi action.
10 ihls particular case the editor has
s''ted mat a certain hrn or corpora
'loA n - LOUIS h"d gone INTO bdhk-
tuptey' "hen ne should nave stated th't
s"lu corporation as creditor had forced
'ho'hei nihl into nahNrupicy
lhe question then remains ana it is one
gu perennial interest ana Importance,
now sn'" we ies+en our risks ana li'-
pll'''s Do ths erection Inere may pc
'"o oi 'hlet 'h'"ss 20 uo' some ol
"hleh must pc d'ne oN the publishers
''''''''.ly' lhe one ls 'o use 'ne sre't-
eS' possloie care. a' le'sJ 's Huch care
"s Us consistent "llh lhe production oi
newspaper which is readable iorci-
Ole ana independent in US editorial dee
p''imehi' hy some lesisiailon enltis-
ing 'he liberties Of the press growing
our OF the various occasions upon which
statements and criticisms may Doe pub
lshed' and making more certain some
things which In some Jurisdictions may
ne deemed uncertain Require every edi-
tor and reporter to have good work.
ins knowledge OF libel and privilege
don't take the ground as do some witt
ers that the law is ol against the edi-
tor. or that the law is uncertain or
cloudy or difficult for the editor to un-
derstand or classify This may be true
in some instances as we shel see, but l
believe that in most cases the editor can
acquire good working knowledge OF
the subject thereby enabling him to the
better do his duty TO the public, and
enable him TO the better appreciate the
difficulties and feasibility and impor-
tance OF securing practical legislation.
An understanding Of libel and privi-
lege has "a large and broader value than
that which may simply grow out OF a
desire TO avoid litigation and what may
be served TO the publisher by avoiding
libel suit.
Law is the perfection OF human rea-
son. A study OF legal principles has a
tendency TO enlarge the much needed
judicial temperament which should char
actcrize the work OF every editor and
local writer leader Of thought can
better pursue his labors II there Is some
evidence IN this work os the writer at
some period IN his life having had taken
a course in applied logic.
Libelous Language.
For instance We have two well known
legal maXims, the one deminmus non
curat lex which means mat me la"
taxes no notice OF uiiies' rms is ap-
phed 70 contracts as wen ms tor's' ne
other damnum absqua inJurla' whleh
means A'mage without injury y
more hbei'tlly construed "iohs LOT
"hich there Is no lega remedy lheAe
in"Niihs 1 peneNe 70 nave oeeh eOi'7el'''-
'lousiy apphed 10 the question Oh hD'i'
ana IN tils prahch oi lhe law 't ls op-
served that II mas oeen "pp'leu more
frequently 'h"n II mas IN an o'hef
pranches' ho'"iths'anolns lhe COM
paIl'iNe ihii'quency OF I'oei ntis"''on'
Ihere Is no lnioIin'''oa SO lar d"
known as 10 "h''h'I '' "ouIo De ''o'i'"7
TO state thal h'"n was N'h'' OF
/ hlhbei' 'he 'ioui'Ooh OF 'h' Hl"''-
/ n'nt was oohnh'u 10 'he h"i'he'i'
states We must however Hdmlt thh'
/ 'here is more or Tess prejudice ln th''
Aeceioh "s"ihs' lhe race Ahla '7 u"'
! even }" 'he western e'piUu "hieh taxes
me name OF the Great hmane'patoI Ine
! question however mas pe'n setueo 10y
courts oil Sou'hein luIlaole'on'
ABOUT Ohree years ago eorfeHp'hu-
ent at Baton Rogue La sent 20 me
ew Orleans Times Democrat a news
item ia which was given an oeeennt OF
'en'p'''i''e l'e..,"s n'lu az 'nN'
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