Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-04-17
BENAToR Works, OF cALIFoR.
MA. IN BITTER ATTACK ON
NEWsPAPERs.
70 MAKE PUBLICATION
OF GRIMES UNLAWFUL
introduces Bill to Prohibit Stories Of
Crimes, Accidents and Trassdiss in
Journals Of District Of Columbia
Admits That Bill Can Not Pass But
Sounds Nots Of Warning.

washington, April 17.-Senator
Works made . vigorous attack on
present day Journalism and the news-
papers OF the United States in a speech
today in support Of his bill to make 1t
unlawful for District OF Columbia
newspapers to publish details OF
crimes, accidents and tragedies. The
senator introduced . similar bill dur
ing the last session but Il was not act
ed on.
whether people want this kind OF
news or not u one Of the questions 10
bo considered, looking at journalism a.
nothing higher than the means OF
making money" said the senator.
"Nswspaper men maintain that tneS
furnish this kind Of news because the
people want and will have It ana
therefore 1t 10 tho only way to main
tain their publications on q paylns
basis. II this 10 true It - certainly
melancholy fact. II 1t 10 true IL ID
a grave charxe to make against the
American people. Undoubtedly 1t Is
true Of some people but I am con-
WINGED that the masses Of the people
who support the newspapers wouio
nrefer to have such, news omitted and
many people don't read the papers ana
exclude them from their homes because
of the Objectionable matter
N.w. somstinss Embarrassss.
Resides the publication Of crimes.
+he senator attack newspapers for the
discomfort and embarrassment caused
relatives and friends Of persons IN.
VOWED. He recited the recent case os
Henry Clay Beattie. who killed his wife
near Richmond. Va. to show no" rei-
atiyes Of criminals suffered. :.
..It n well for the liberty OF people.
..id the senator, that censorship OF
,ha nress n no longer allowed In this
country. II was this that tho constitu-
tion ras Intended to prevent. But 70
\ cenaor the press and say what shall
+ nd what shall not be published. - ons
thing and to make one responsible for
a violation Of a privilege secured 70
him II another. The very fact that tne
right to publish what one pleases ex-
lists a. the strongest possible reason Tor
making the publishers OF news liable
for abusing their right and privilege.
IT maintain that II newspaper puo-
,;shes matter that IL deleterious ana
noisonous to the minds of Its readers
thu. violating the rules Of good morals
and decency. it should be made Grim
inally liable for this onense, an onense
far moro important and hurtful than
the liability Of the individual and on
precisely the same principles.
Admits Bill Will Not Pass.
The senator concluded by admitting
that his bill was not likely to become
a law.
"It has been my purpose" he said.
"to call the attention Of the country to
one OF the greatest. most powerful and
most corrupting evils and influences Oh
the present age. 1t is an evil which l
admit can not be overcome by law. II
must be met by q better and purer
nublic sentiment that will demand
cleaner and more exalted sentiment;
that will demand cleaner and more re-
liable journalism.
..rhe man who helps to make the
public mind impure, whether he be a
journalist or not. is dangerous man
and an enemy to the best interests Of
bis country"