The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-01-12
GOVERNOR WAKES WARM
IN VETOING LIBEL ACT
DESOINCES MEASURE IN MOST
CAUSTIC LANGUAGE.
Expresses His Opinion of the Editors
anG of the Newspapers in South
Carolina.

regarding lIUe1 anu l1e Viva
ings in refernce thereto was sent 10
the house by C. L. 5'ease, governor O.
South Carolina. After the reading OF
the message, on a motion by MT. U.s.
borne, it was referred to the judiciary
committee, with instructions to make
a report
The following message was sent to
the general assembly yesterday:
To the Honorable, the Members OF the
House of Representatives of the
State of South Carolina
Gentlemen: I herewith return to
you, without my signature, an act en-
titled can act regarding libel and civil
proceedings I'm reference thereto"
return this act to you without my
signature because, in my opinion, 1t IS
the most iniquitous measure that has
ever passed a Democratic legislative
body, and must believe that it went
through without being properly con-
sidered 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 liars that has
ever infested a. State, viz, the lying
reporter and editor.
I regret to say that the press OF
TODAY has become the disturber of do
mestic quiet, the assassin of private
reputation, while it was destined for
other purposes. It was destined not
TO violate, but to protect the citizens
of rivate life. It was ordained by a
benevolent providence to. inform. ex-
>pand and dignity the public mind.
There was a time when the press OF
our country had an exalted character,
when, at the call of the press, \the
American pulse beat high; when the
press was capable Of stirring the best
blood in American veins; when call
ing the sons of the American union
from their plows and their closets to
fight to immortalize patrons of lnde-
pendence. Why had it this influence?
Because, then it was the vehicle Of
truth: but now our press has lost its
character ami veracity and requires
! the offending arm of the jury or pow
der and ball to redeem it from it's de-
sradation and restore it to its pris-
tine utility. During this assassination
of character, is it to be supposed that
the mind of a man can be at rest? And,
if YOU should run for Office and place
Yourself in a position to be contlnu-
ously abused and lied upon, While
ISLANDERS the most vile are being cir
culated against you in the newspapers
of your State, ito be read by your
friends and sneering enemies, to de-
,scend to posterity and to be read by
your children and grandchildren, to
be republished by other libelers per-
haps when you are slumbering in your
grave, TO the modification and dis
credit of your descendants, you might
feel how iniquitous this measure is"
And, instead of trying to protect the
:. editors, you would be attempting \, to
lace upon their foreheads a mari as
kdelible as that stamped by the hand
Omnipotence upon Cain, so that
Mss Of contempt might follow him
the days of his life. "A man con-
les his neighbor's house by fire at
night does him an injury, which
possibly, not irreparable; industry
By rear another habitation~ The
storm may indeed descend upon him
Until charity opens his neigh'bor's
dSor; the rude winds of heaven may
viNter around the uncovered heads of
his family, but he looks forward to
better days. No such consolation
cheers the heart of him whose char
deter has been torn from him and has
been wantonly massacred, his charac-
tier broken. Upon this point will not
insult you with argument"
Suppose that paper was edited
and published in South Carolina by a
: man or set of men with mixture of
: Cuban-negro and American blood in
their veins and an article or articles
were to appear therein detrimental TO