The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-05

this country as 1t is to the men most
concerned I'm publishing. These quota
lions from the report indicate some
thing of the animus which inspired the
committees:
Another consequence Of the expans-
i've power OF fiction is found in the con-
fusion of the newspaper and magazine
types and unhealthy exaggeration of
the modern newspaper. especially as
shown in it's Sunday edition. The news
paper is rapidly being extended into the
magazine field at the sacrifice of both
the postal revenue and the true mis-
sion of the newspaper. The miscella-
neOus matter collected in the Sunday
issue OF a newspaper must Of necessity
lack the quality to make it socially and
educationally valuable"
These comments are valuable only as
showing the ignorance of the commit
tee. For instance. the Sunday newspa-
the best fiction and magazine matter
that can be secured. Dooley and George
AIDE, two of The Herald's regular fea-
lures. would be published gladly by
any magazine in the country if they
could secure the authors work ex-
clusively. The real point, however, is
the assumption of the congressional
committee that a department of the
government should be given the power
10 say what shall and what shall not
be published in a newspaper. or in
other words. edit the matter.
If bureau of the government may
prohibit the use of fiction, why can
il not censor any other feature-edito-
rails. literary reviews. illustrations or
what not. because it infringes on the
province of the magazine?
Still another feature Of the report is
peculiarly obnoxious. After prescribing
the information that shall be furnished
the postOffice department by the pub
Usher, the bill says he shall furnish
such other information with respect
to the publication as the postmaster
general may by regulations prescribe"
This shotgun provision by which the
postmaster general could demand infor-
nation of private business to which he
stood when it is known the committee
bases its recommendations on the prac-
tice of foreign countries, where the
press is rigidly censored, subjected 10
all the restrictions possible and toler-
ated as a necessary evil, not as fac
tor in public education and the cult
walton OF sound public opinion on po-
ltical affairs.
Hitherto. and since the days of
Franklin. this government has encour-
aged the press on the theory that a
free. untrammelled and widely-circu-
lated newspaper and periodical press is
the best guarantee of intelligence. a
safeguard against corruption and inef-
fciency in public life. a means of edu-
cation, particularly as TO current
events. Now it is proposed to reverse
this policy and adopt the usage of Eu-
ropean nations, which have VIGOROUSLY
the most venal newspapers on earth. as
well as the least freedom of the press.
OF course. any cost in the circulation
of a newspaper and any limitation of
its revenues will fall upon the public,
either in increased subscription and ad-
vertising prices or in lower standards
OF news service and literary matter. II
the committee sought TO abolish or
schools of the country, or to make it
impossible for large numbers of chill
dren TO get educational advantages, It
would be driven TO cover within forty
eight hours by the protests that would
follow: i'm this measure il seeks to en-
barrass. If not paraiyze, the publishing
business by a law that would imme-
diately cut off large number of 2eo-
pie from newspaper and magazine
reading. which is now theirs at nom
inal cost. and 10 so cripple newspaper
publishers that none but the wealthy
and powerful newspapers could survive
by year the adoption of the commit
tees recommendations and their en-
forcement by law.
To vest an autocrat power of this
sort in the hands of department. TO
subject publications to censorship as to
amount and class of matter that may
be used. and to strike a vital blow az
the freedom of the press, all these OBJ
jects may suit the present administra-
ton and party in power. but the ras-
sage OF such law is the last thing the
American people desire. and about the
last thing they would tolerate.
AS showing his appreciation of SEN
ator Foraker's interest i'm the negro.
President Roosevelt is now looking for
one of Foraker's cclored constituents