The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-01-16
WARM DEBATE OVER LIBEL VETO.
House Committee Would Cut Out Most
of Message-Recommends That
Bill Be Passed.

judiciary committee ON special mes
sage, No. IA, which was a veto of the
libel law bill, and in which Governor
Blease was severe in his criticism Of
the newspapers Of the State, and of
which he wrote, in part, that they
were "dirty- liars and such express
sions. The message was a severe ar
raignment of. certain newspapers and
newspaper methods. When the mes
sage was. received it was referred to
the judiciary committee of the house
for report.
Referred to Committee.
The judiciary committee referred
the message to a subcommittee, con-
sisting of Messrs. Stevenson, Osborne,
Davis and McDow. The sub-commit-
tee report was adopted by the full
committee and today offered as the
report of the judiciary committee.
The essential feature Of the report
is that it recommends that the veto
message be boiled down to two sim
pie paragraphs and that the remain
der be expunged from the official rec
ord on the ground that "self-respect
forbids that a dignifed legislative
body should permit it to become part
Of the record Of its acts and We rec
ommend that the same be expunged
from the record .'.=
The special report of the judiciary
committee reads as follows: i, 4,
Sub. Committees Report.
The Judiciary subcommittee, to
which the veto message on the libel
bill was referred, respectfully reports
That the objections raised by his
excellency are two fold and are stated
in the following language and under
the constitution should be recorded in
the Journal, though the language OF
the first is objectionable-to wit.
I.ssI return this act to you, without
my signature, because, in my opinion,
It is the most ubiquitous measure that
has ever passed Democratic legisla-
tive body, and 7r,ust believe that it
went through without being properly
considered by you, because it depriVes
the citizen of the only redress he has,
save to take a shotgun or a pistol to-
protect himself from the abuse and
lies of the dirtiest set of lairs that
has ever infested a State, viz: the ~
ing reporter and editor" ...:s.
2. "And I, further, beg to call your
attention to the fact that by the pas
sage of this act you are extending pro-
lection to the newspaper editors
which you deny individual citizens,
even yourselves; for, if one of you,
or any other citizen of this State, were
to write an article, or to write let
ter detrimental to the character of an
other citizen; you are liable for dam
ages and also to prosecution for libel.
If you were to apologize within seven
days, whether requested to do so or
not, YOU would not be excusable eth
er under the civil or criminal laws,
but yet by this act you make an ex-
ception of the newspaper editor, and
say that he may write anything he
pleases and so long as he apologies
he is excusable Why should you
make this discrimination in favor Of
a newspaper editor, against individual
citizenship and even against yourself
ves?" H.. ....-. -... = ...
That the balance of such message is
a mere disuuisition on the iniqultles
of the press as viewed by the go7er-
ror, and the style ana language i'll
which the same is conched are such
that self-respect fo;oi's that a d;:sni-
fed legislative body sho I'D permit it
to become part of the record Of its
acts and we recommend thar the same
be expunged from the record. ". +.
Stevenson, H. K. OsoorEe, j. (. Davis,
Thos. F. McDoW,
The house did not act on the report
of the judiciary committee, for the
reason that Mr.. Page, of the good
roads department, had been invited
to speak to the house, and at noon the
two houses entered into the pending
election OF judges.
Rembert Supports Blease.