Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-03-21

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THE WORK OF THE NEWSPAPER
Washing On and j. ffC.sln EXPIRE 3;ed
tn" belief that the liberties of III" cit
iZ"n would no. long endure aftEr the
freedom {: IN" press had b"cn s ri
Ously rrStri"t' d. and both these :, ID
and eat men snffcrtd assaults tina.
seem II NJ wholly unjust ifia3lc
rath'r !llan lcud their name ) and II,
i'hta'I'l t III" curse f suppression
II Is II" small md cheap Official WHO Sc
popularity Is in danger IA socn as the
",'s CT r." unlir are opened tha,
iniuiges in viclcnl defamation
against nrwspapcrs. even while ad
voca,ing what thy cali "publicj,y"-
the sorl of publicity they like is tn,
nSC!ship of a clerk raiG by the
public t. run press bureau for pri
va:e or political benefit.
1t is significant that such officials
must urge the legal maxim that 1.-The
greater the truth the greater the Ii.
bel or insist upon the resurrection
of forgotten statutes for the cleans.
ing Ct damaged rcput ations. The bet.
ter doctrine was that lately amour
ced in court by Justice Guy of the
New York Supreme Court in a case
where druggist sued the New York
Times for prGclsiming the nature OF
All unadulterated and injurious medi,
cine.
The law jealousy rcgards the good
repute o. all persons in their private
character and in their business or
pr fcssion, unless by their general
private conduct or by the character
of the businc SIS or profession in which
they are engaged they have hem
s Ives forfeited such gocu ,eprte.
But the law is not engaged in the re-
habilit2 ton Of regulations or III
throwing the mantle of lcspcctabilit''
and good r"putc arCInI t.CSr gao
deliberately engage in practice, in
violation of law and follow pursuit;
which a. SuhvCrsivc of dccency and
good morals. The drf"l0Lnt was
engaged in the publication of 4 new
liap"r. not merely for the di*scmina-
ton Of news. but with the additional
purlr, :" OF uHhcldins nigh standard
CT public dccency and morals in tn"
c. immunity. and it was NOT merely its
right. hut its duty. in com "ctiOn with
public and Official proceeding of the
kind In Question. TO publish truthfuiiy
50 much O. III" facts as with decenc::
it could publish. so that even II tn"
machinery Of the criminal law loved
Inadequate = reach malHfactCrS Of
this class who traffic + r gain in HUI
man life end health ant. seek 10 pro
mote immoral PRACTICES. they might
he h,ld up to public scorr and con-
tempt While newspapers shoHld d"
held to st-ict and severe account
ability for unjnstifiable and untruth-
full assaults uScn private character
or upon business standing and credit
they deserve net punishment and re-
buke. but public approval a2h com
mcRdation where. as in this instance.
they truthfu!ly and in strict conform
itv to the facts. call public atten;icr
10 those vino are engaged in nefa!lous
rract,ces. Injurious to IT, public vel
FIRE"
Newspapers throughout the country
sk.uld b, glad of this clear tXpcsi-
ton OF their duties aud full appreci'
alton of their high and noble mis- sion;
LAWYERS should see to 1t that the stat
utcs 0! all the states adopt this we"
wfcr. they have net taken 1t sEeady
and the public should study the iinr
c. thought here offered that the citi-
zen nay 10 repaired to d. justice
when the issue is joined. Such dec
larations from the bench vind!cat"
the Judiciary and warrant us in IooS-
ing to the courts Tor the pT' 3frva-
ton Of cur rights II We but insist OIL
pTcsep,in. the facts 10 tht IN lie; "
meet the issues sqmarely and all VIII
he wei. TCo ~f;cn We denouncr the
co rts and yet Oftener "" listen 10
dcprrciai:ons from majoritieS w"o
frc3d tho courts for &C d rca SCH!
We IN. DO our duty in making thc
is~uc tho curtis will seldom TAIL
E-Jorj,;a Times ttnicn.