The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-06-08

An Act Regulating the Publication in
NeWsuapers OF Articles, either as
News Matter or as Editorial, for the
Publication of Which Money Has
Been Paid, and Prescribing Penal
ties for a Violation Thereon.
Be it enacted by the legislature Oh
she State of Florida:
Section l. Whenever any newspa-
per or periodical published in this
state shall contain any article, illus
trarjon, caricature or cartoon purporG
i've TO be news matter or editorial
matter, but for the printing or pub
fishing of which the editor OF such
newspaper or periodical, his agents
or employees, or any one or them, nave
been paid, or promised 10 pc palo'
the word advertisement" shall be
coIsnicuously printed just above
s.icn article, illustration, caricature or
cartoon.
Section 2. Any person violating
the provisions of the first section or
this act shall be deemed guilty o. a
misdemeanor, and upon CONVICTION
thereof shall be fined not more than
S6HC 90, or imprisoned in the county
jaii for not moro than two mOnt1s,
or by both such fine and impTison-
Tcent- at the discretion Of the court.
Section 3. That all laws and parts
OF laws in conflict herewith be ana
the same are hereby repealed.
Governor GHehrist deserves the
hearty commentator of the state
press Cor the opportunity which ne Of
fers the newspa pers to be heard in a
matter which deels 50 directly with
their business and interests, and The
Journal responds to his Invitation
with pleasure.
The Journal long since put into
practice the very provisions which
tae above bill contains, so far as po-
litical or other matter of similar ma
trre Is concerned. It has been rule
OF this paper that no paid political
article or cartoon to go into The
journal without being labelled as an
advertisement, unless the earmarks
were so plain that a label was not
necessary. We think therefore that
the provisions in TIE bill, so far as
they affect political publications, are
good and they ought to be practiced
by every newspaper whether requir-
ed to do so by law or not.
There is another feature Of the bill
however, which might cause the
newspapers some trouble and loss or
business without, on the other hand,
afPording the public any protection
from tainted" news matter. For ex,
ample: A business man may be re-
modelling his store or erecting a new
building. After the newspaper has
paade what notice o. tle matter its
Importance as news justifes, the bust
ness man may desire something more
and be willing to pay for it, He may
want an extended write-Up, in news
form, of his business enterprise, but
the newspaper, under this bill, would
be prohibited from publishing the bus
mess mans story unless the word lad
vertisement' appeared prominently at
the top of the article. Under those
conditions, the business man would
not care TO have the story published
anu the newspaper would lose the
business, while the public would gain
absolutely nothing as a result. This
example could be multiplied indefin-
iteIy by similar ones, none of which
have the remotest relation to politi-
cal matters, but all of which consti-
tu1e a source of revenue to the news
Dapers which, under the bill, might be
cut of without any gain or protection
u the public.
The Journals in-nearty sympathy