The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1913-01-02

gress, having especially in
mind the provisions in the Postoffice
Appropriation Bill that became law
August "a last, that require publish
ers of periodicals to publish the
names of their creditors and the
number of paid subscribers to their
publications, and after discussing
these provisions and other legisla-
ton and especially rulings Of the
Postoffice Department affecting peri
Odical publications, unanimously
adopted the folloing resolution:
Resolved, That a free and fear
less press is Of such great import
ance in safeguarding our liberties
that no legislation abridging the
freedom Of the press should be en-
acted by Congress, and no legisla-
tion should be enacted by Congress
unless it has been duly referred to
and acted on by the proper commit
tee of both Houses and opportunity
has been had for free debate thereon
in both House and the Senate
The last half Of this resolution
refers to the explanation given by
several members OF Congress Of the
provisions in the Act of August "a
last, requiring publication of credi-
tors and number Of subscribers.
These members of Congress say that
these provisions were not fully con-
sidered by the Postoffice Committees
of the two Houses and were not free
ly debated in either House
The Farmers National Congress
is not composed of publishers, but
of practicing farmers. At the SEES
sion in New Orleans there were pres
ent delegates from SO States, COM
missioned by the Governors of those
States on the recommendation of
the agricultural organizations of
each State. Duly accredited dele
gates were present from States as
widely separated as Massachusetts
and Arizona, Minnesota and Texas,
Montana, Utah, Georgia and Florida.
Every State lying between the States
mentioned was represented by dele
gates.
The Farmers National Congress
is we'll aware that liberty is not Ii
cense. 1t was the first national or
ganization to pass a resolution
more than twenty years ago-call-
ing on the publishers of all period
ical publications to eliminate from
their columns all fraudulent and i'm
moral advertisements.
But the Farmers National Con-
gress is alert It knows that a free
press is the best safeguard Of our
liberties and institutions. 1t has OBJ
served that for some years there has
been subtle movement to abridge
the freedom of the press. A little
has been done here, q little has been
done there, to hamper unnecessarily
and without any adequate gain for
the public good, the business of pub
fishers Of periodical publications.
Most of this has been done by the
rulings of the Postoffice Department,
but some has been done by laws en-
acted by Congress.
1t is advisable to have this circu-
lar printed before the Supreme Court
gives it's decision on the constitu-
tionality Of the Objectionable provi-
siOns in the Act Of August "a, 1912;
but whatever that decision may be,
it will not be on the real heart of
the matter, for it will deal only with
the constitutionality of these provi-
S rs. 1t will not touch the Freedom
of the Press. Right here it may not
be amiss to point out that the provi-
sions just named will not result in
any good and will result in no small
injury to honorable and patriotic
publishers. For, if unpatriOtic men
or corporations wish to control pub