The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1912-12-28

AhAANAAaAA Az NAINAAAAAh NNAAola
for signatures 20 one Of the most On.
reasonable and unoalled for press
muEsiing laws that Il has ever been
our lot TO Eaze upon. The petition Ia
beaded. An act relative 10 reEulat
inE newspapers and the publication Of
nothing but the truth In reality. ~
carried into effect. Il IL an act that
would wipe out the independent press
and make u impossible 10 publish the
truth insofar az the. same might oon.
oern organizations. corporations or In.
dividualA
Most assuredly 9, ls right and proper
that newspapers should publish moth.
ing but the truth. but TO require that
every item printed be supported by
afndavits and sworn statements
would work a hardship that would
sooner or later drive the majority OF
the preseut day publications 10 the
wall. The proposed law is 20 pal.
pably unfair that we give q IN full
herewith. and call upon every patri.
otio citiEen In the state OF Ohio 10 re.
fuse TO sign this petition: TO refuse
TO vote for Il n Il Is submitted TO a
vote Of the people aud TO protest IN
writing 10 their various legislative
representatives against It's enactment
into law. The bill follows:
BE Il Enacted by the state OF Ohio:
Section l. Any person or persons.
firm or firms. o-partnership or vol.
untary association. Joint stock nssoeia.
tion. company or corporation. wher.
ever organized or Incorporated. a..
rectly or Indirectly engaged In the
business OF printing or publishing n
newspaper. magazine or other period.
ical publication sold or offered for
sale in this state. Is a newspaper com.
pany. and any such newspaper. maya.
zinc or other periodical publication Ia
a newspaper A newspaper company
is hereby defined 20 be a public utility
and Is made subject 20 all laws. so
far as applicable. pertaining TO the
regulation. operation and taxation OF
public utilities.
Sec. 2. Every newspaper company
whose product is sold or offered for
sale In Ohio shall. within ninety days
after this has taken effect and an.
nually thereafter. Gle with the public
service commission OF Ohio sworn re.
ports OF It's capital investment, stocks
and bonds authorized and outstanding.
and tho gross and net earnings. cir.
culation, and schedules OF subscrip.
tiOns and advertising rates OF each
and all OF its newspapers: and shall
be subject IN these and all other 70.
spccts TO the same general iurisdlc.
ton and authority OF the said public
service commission as Is or may be
provided by law for other public util.
itics. Such subscription and advertis.
ing rates shall be Uniform for all users
receiving the service and shall be based
upon a fair and reasonable profit on
the actual investment OF such nows.
paper company. used or useful In the
production OF each OF Its newspapers.
Sec. 3. II any newspaper company
al any time. prints. publishes or cir.
culates any false statements. allega.
tons or rumor pertaining or relating
to any individual or association OF
individuals. or 10 any trade. labor,
business. social. economic or religious
organization or to any firm, corpora.
ton or business, OF 10 any public OF.
fetal or candidate for a public once.
the said newspaper company shall.
upnr anr,ana - apy nargnp ~ nor.
sons affected or OF their representa-.
uves, print, publish and circulate any
statement or article setting forth the
truth. which said person OF persons
or their representatives shall orfer TO
said newspaper company for publica.
tion.
Sec. 4. II any newspaper company
at any time, prints, publishes or cir.
culates any false statement or ale.
cation concerning any law. ordinance
regulation or public measure or docu.
ment. whether the same has been en-,
acted or Is proposed for enactment by
any legislative body or by the people
under the initiative referendum. the
said newspaper company shall. upon
demand by any person or organization
having knowledge Of the facts. print
publish and circulate any statement
or article setting forth such facts
which the said person or organiza'
tion shall offer TO such newspaper
company for publication.
Sec. s. Whenever demand has been
made for the publication OF such
statements or articles. the newspaper
company shall print and circulate the
same In the next regular edition OF
It's newspaper following the receipt OF
such statement or article. Such state
ment or article shall be printed with
out any additions 10. or omissions
theTefrom. In the same color OF ink
from like type with headlines
OF equal pfomience. occupying a
like space IN the SAM portion OF
TIE newspaper as was used In print
Ing the original article complained Of
and shall be given the same publicity
In all respects and. as nearly as pos
sible. the same circulation as such
original article. The said newspaper
company shall print and publish such
statement or articles as herein pro
vided without cost 20 said person or
persons or their representatives: ex
cept. that N such statement or ar.
ticle shall occupy a greater space