The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-02-19
PRESS TO Be FREE:
BILL To NUa7E IT IS KILLED In
The geUsE

FULL. VOTE OF MEMBERS
Faft5-Three Voted &C. Nazzte the
Press, White Fsety-ave Voted that
the Press o. tho State Shall Re-
main Free and Unsranneaje6 to
Protect the People.
By two votes the house Tuesday
night killed the Ssl to require edi-
tors Of newspapers and periodicals
Published in South Carolina to throw
open the columns Of their journals
on demand Of any and:every one who
ooasidered that anything appeared
therein had reflected On his charae-
tss.s or standing in tina community
and providing a penalty OF fine OF
$500 and, imprisonment, for thirty
daSHs for, failure to print free any
communication which did not contain
obscene language from the person
what took the trouble to write It and
send It to the editor.
TIE daSsta On the measuze was
ths<warnest which has taken place
IN sthe house at the present session.
Tha~eiscussion and roll call On the
hiIE consumed three hours Tuesday
night. A feature Of the debate was
thsctraak confessions OF Mr.. Steven
soa~of Chesterfield, whose name
beaded the minority report Of the
judiciary committee in favor OF: the
passage Of the bin. that he had made
q mistake OF the bill. tia. he had
made mistake and allowed his feel
tngs ITO overcome his reason" In
signing the minority favorable re
porE
at is with SORROW that i part
from my friends OF the majority -
said Mr.. Stevenson in speaking In
favor Of striking out the enactins
words Of the bill. my reason has
overcome my heart and I must ep.
pose this bill" Mr.. Stevenson de-
elared that he had been maligned by
irresponsible newspapers. But shall
I. because some irresponsible whslp
hss-dons .mesz an injustice. sry fto
o.eak down the freedom Of the press.
cna.of the foundation zones Of oGi
aiberfy1' asked Mr.. Stevenson.
Mr.. Rsmbest OF Richlaad. who in
tseduced the bill. said he knew tho.
issxould meet. with opposition OF.
constitutional grounds. '.Saali We
project the iiberty Of the press or the
NbeSty Of tie people!" asked Hr.
RemSert. when newspaper ira
dlees your character, holds you up
toike scorn and ridieule Of your TEL
lownens shalt It not allow, yor to Re
ply without making you pay for it:''
He appealed to the members OF the
houseto put themselves In the posi-
ton OK candidates for Office, CRITICS
ed:by q newspaper, and declared that
he could see nothing unfair abou;
the bill. "Treat It as legislation to
protect the people OF South Carolina
erom having their character decam-
ea." ssid Nj. Remhert. .
Mr.. Nc MILAN OF Marion said that
the Rschland member had based his
Argument on the assumption that
the newspaper bill was fair. "The
btli takes the power Of constituting
newspaper articles out Of the hands
% the courts and giyea It to every
man" declared Mr. Mcmillan 1T
q: newspaper lies on . man. lee the
court settle the matter. It would
30 just as fair for an editor TO ask
the house to extend him the foor tor
any length Of time 70 reply 70 es:ts-
eissS he might claim reResse9 on his
character and stan6ine as to require
hsm to make his newspaper speak
fn9 tube for everybody. The bill
win do away with publicity In South
Carolina. No newspaDers ia going 10
put itself In q position where 1t can
Do forced to become speaking :ube
for every politician who asks It"
.MraMeasiilan: said that It vas
sgainst the Law OF the State now tor
any one ID Re In print Or b word OF
mouth about any one eise- III that
81 not sll the protection man needs,
he 10 In bad way and ought to
move out Of the State" declared Mt.
Mcmillan. He cited the fact that un-
der the sweeping provisions OF the
bin Republicans, Bull Moesess. +"
and negroes would have the right to
practically take charge OF the press
Of the State, making the "newspapers
the property OF the world at large" T"
NJ. Mcclellan held that q news
papers space was its property which
might be. eonfscated BY any one
should the bill pass. "The bill Is
Ooc VI SA0 ~Otot VESSoo Va 4o68o@aSASo
ever attempted By q Democratic leg
islssure In South Carolina" declared
Mr. MeMfllan In concluding. ."DoR't
you know that q newspaper has q
sreai advantage over = private In
diyidua;" asked Mr.. Ashley Of An
defson. II don't know or any news
paper monopoly" replied Mr.. McMiil-
an; EVERY man has right to his
own opinion on all subjects" Mr.
MeNtllan said that be had no inter
est in any newspapef, but took a
position against the bin because the
general assembly had no right to dis
crimfnate against them.
Mr.. wyehe Of Spsrtarburg admit
ted the newspapers had possibly done
mere FOR the education and advance
nent os the people than any oter
agency, but declared that they had