Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-14

NEWSPAPER BILL KILLED

NEWSPAPER BILL KILLED
House Disposes Of Proposition AfteI
Hot Debate. ,r la,T .
Columbia State, Wednesday.
BY two votes the house last night
killed the bill to require editors OF
newspapers and periodicals published
in South Carolina to throw open the
columns Of their Journals on demand
Of any and every one who considered
that anything appeared therein had
reflected on his character or standing
In the community and providing 9
penalty OF a fine Of $500 and impris-
onment for 80 days for failure to print
free any communication which did not
contain obscene language from the
person who took the trouble to write
1t and send 1t to the editor.
The enacting words Of the bill,
which was opposed on the grounds
that it confscated the property Of a
newspaper and was blow at the free
dom of the press, was stricken out by
vote of 55 to So. Then the house re-
fused to reconsider this action by a
vote Of 81 to so.
The following members voted to
strike out the enacting words OF the
bill:
Vote on Bill.
Atkinson, Barnwell, Belser, Bethea.
Bowers, Boyd, Brice, Charles, Court
ney, Dantzler, DeLaughter, Evans.
Friday, Fripp, Gasque, Greer, Harvey
Haynesworth, Hoitt, w. E. James,
Johnston, Jones, Kibler, Lilies. Lump
kin, McCravey, Mcdonald, Mcmillan,
Mcqueen, Massey, Means, Mitchell,
Mixson, Mower, Nicholson, O'Quinn.
Pegues, Pyatt, Ready, Riddle, Riley
Robinson. w. M. Scott, Sherwood,
Shirley, Stanley, Stevenson. Sturkie,
Thompson, Tindal, Wander Horst, War
ner, Warren, Whaley, Youmans-66.
Those who voted against striking
out the enacting words Of the bill were
the following: Addy, ]. w. Ashley, M.
]. Ashley, Blackwell, Browning, Bus
bee. Clowney, Creech. Cross, Daniel,
Dick, Epps, Fortner, Gray, Halle,
Hardin, Holley. Hunter, Hutchison,
Irby, w. A. James, Kelly, Kennedy,
King, Kirby, Lee, Martin. Melf, Miley,
Miller, Mitchum, Moore. Moseley,
Murray, Nelson, Odom, Rembert, Rit-
tenberg, Robertson, w. s. Rogers, Jr.,
Sapp, Schroeder, w. w. Scott, Sen
seney, Smiley, Strickland, Walker
White, Whitehead, Williams, G. G.
Wyche, c. T. Wyche, Zeigler-53. ~
Not voting: Speaker Smith, Baskin,
Goodwin, Hall, Harrison. Harper,
Hutson. Kellehan, Kirk. Long, Ly-
brand, Malpass, L. M. Rogers, Sanders
Welch, Wilbourn-16.
sa Debate Was Warm. ..'a
The debate on the measure was the
warmest which has taken place In
the house at the present session. The
discussion and roll call on the bill
consumed three hours last night.
A feature Of the debate was the
frank confession Of Mr.. Stevenson OF
Chesterfield, whose name headed the
minority report Of the judiciary COM
mittee in favor Of the passage OF the
Of the bill, that he had made a mistake
and allowed his feelings ito overcome
his reason" in signing the minority
favorable report.
1T is with sorrow that I part from
my friends of the minority" said Mr.
Stevenson in speaking In favor OF
striking out the enacting words Of the
bill. my reason has overcome my
heart and must oppose this bill. -
Mr.. Stevenson declared that he had
been maligned by irresponsible news
papers.
But shall I, because some ire
sponslble whelp has done me an In
justice. try to break down the free
dom of the press, one Of the founda-
ton stones of our liberty?" asked Mr.
Stevenson. s. ..t a.
Motion by Mr.. Mcmillan:
When the bill affecting newspapers
To- or n{O n
dar, Mr. Mcmillan Of Marion, moved
to strike out its enacting words.
Mr.. Rembert Of Richland, who in.
troduced the bill. said he knew that II
would meet with opposition on con-
stitutional grounds.
"Shall we protect the liberty Of the
press or the liberty Of the people?'
asked Mr.. Rembert. when a news.
paper traduces your character, holds
you up to the scorn and ridicule OF
your fellow men, shall It not allow
you to reply without making you pay
for it?"
He appealed to the members Of the
house to put themselves In the posi-.
ton Of candidates for office, criticized
by a newspaper, and declared that he
could see nothing unfair about the
bill.
Treat it as legislation to protect
the people of South Carolina from
having their character DETAINED" said
Mr.. Rembert.
Mr.. Mcmillan Of Marion, said tha
the Richland member had based hi:
argument on the assumption that the
newspaper bill was fair.
1.-The bill takes the power OF con.
|structing newspaper articles out Of tht
hands Of the courts and gives 1t t
every man." declared Mr.. Mcmillan
"If a newspaper lies on man, let the
court settle the matter. 1t would bt
just as fair for an editor to ask the
house to extend him the floor for an!
length Of time to reply to criticism!
he might claim reflected on his char
acter and standing, as to require hin
to make his newspaper speaking
tube of everybody. The bill will d.
away with publicity in South Carolina
No newspaper is going to put itsel
in a position where 1t can be forced
to become speaking tube for ever!
politician who asks it."
Mr.. Mcmillan said that 1t wa
against the law Of the state now fol
anyone to lie in print or by word O.
mouth about anyone else.
The Present Law.
If that Is not all the protectlon
man needs, he Is in a bad way ant
ought to move out Of the state" de
clared Mr.. Mcmillan.
He cited the fact that under tn,
sweeping provisions Of the bill, Re
publicans, Bull Moosers" and ne
groes would have the right to practi
cally take charge of the press Of th'
state. making the newspapers th'
property Of the world at large"
Mr.. Mcmillan held that a news
papers space was its property which
might be confiscated by anyone shoult
the bill pass.
The bill is one of the worst piece
Of legislation ever attempted by
Democratic legislature Of South Caro-
lima" declared Mr.. Mcmillan, in con
Guiding.
Don't you know that newspape
has a great advantage over a privat
individual?" asked Mr.. Ashley Of An
derson.
"I don't know of any newspape
monopoly" replied Mr. Mcmillan
Every man has a right to his owl
opinion on all subjects"
| Mr.. Mcmillan said that he had n
interest in any newspaper, but tool
a position against the bill because tn