The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-04-24
Prosecuting the Press.

OF THIS movement Is not eVlueHL. IL mas
been suggested that where the country
press is aimed at. the big dailies are the
motive power, and also that the promo
tors of get-rich-quick schemes may be
seeking revenge for the part the news
papers have had in bringing them to
punishment. Postmaster General Hitch
cock proposed to have one cent letter
postage and double the postage on news
papers to make up the deficit in postal
revenues, which would have borne heav-
lily on many weekly publications. Then
Congress passed what is called the news
paper publicity bill, requiring all news
papers to make returns of their business
twice year to Washington and to pub
dish statements in their columns. A
New York newspaper, claiming that this
act is unconstitutional, made test case
and carried it to the United States Su-
preme Court, but many newspapers have
complied with this arbitrary require
ment. There is severe penalty for
non compliance; but Postmaster General
Hitchcock agreed to delay action until
the Supreme Court could render its de-
cision. When the new administration
came in Postmaster General Burleson
announced that he should at once pro-
coed to enforce the law, but an injunc-
ton was secured from the Supreme
!, ,nt tod froo, do,
sng so.
Now as to what has been done, or is
proposed, in the State legislatures. In
Pennsylvania joint resolution has been
offered in the legislature calling for the
establishment of State board of jour-
nalism to provide and enforce regula-
lions tor the supervision Of the education
and certifcation of journalists. All
journalists would be required to pass
an examination prior to receiving jour
nalistlc certificate, and each newspaper
an the State would be required to employ
at least one certified journalist, what
ever that is. But why single out news
papers? Why should there not be like
boards for the examination and certitica-
ton of doctors, lawyers, plumbers, etc?
In Indiana bill calculated to muzzle
the press of the State has been passed
oy the legislature and signed by the
governor. 1t is nothing more than an
attempt to COW the newspapers and rob
the people of the information concern
ing men and measures that the news
papers give them. 1t is proposed to
shackle the press that the rings and the
prafters and the candidates with shady
records may have immunity from ex-
posure. Fortunately there is little doubt
of the unconsititutionality of the meas
ure. In New York bills to regulate ad-
vertising are proposed, the language OF
which is so vague and indefinite that no
one will ever be able to make out what
is really intended by them. Such bill
is now pending in the Iowa Legislature.
According to this bill every newspaper
publisher is made responsible for every
statement made by an advertiser, when,
as a matter of fact, no publisher can
absolutely verify all the statements
made hy advertisement writers. If such
measure were enacted, newspapers
might as we'll go out of business.
The Arkansas Senate has passed bill
which provides that the newspapers of
the State shall give the same display to
comp ANTS made on articles as the arti-
cles themselves and publish all such arti-
cles when asked, and that reports Of !
crimes and divorces shall be published |
on inside pages unoer small heads. (As
sm all as the heads Of the legislators who
voted for this billy The bill not only
makes newspaper liable for false state
ments by fine of 1000 to $1,000, but
makes the reporter responsible for such
items subject to a heavy fine and i'm
The Indiana legislature
has passed corrupt practices act bill,
which makes it crime in that State for
a newspaper to publish "any article or
car toon' terding 80 expose to ridicule
or contempt" any person at any cleo
ton, under penalty of fine from $500
to 81 900 and imprisonment of not more
than a year for each offence.
At Augusta hearings have been held
on an act to define the sanitary and labor
conditions under which State printing
shall be done. The bill was introduced
at the instigation of the Augusta typo
graphical union, and, in brief, requires
that all State printing should be done
bv union printers and under union rules.
At hearing before the committee on
abor M. R. Harrigan, business manager
OF the Bangor Commercial. called the at
tention of the committee to the fact
that if this bill should be enacted it
might interfere with the distribution
of the laws at the close Of each session
of the legislature. In any event the
laws, which are circulated by all the
papers, both daily and weekly, as pro-
-vided by the Maine statutes, would have
to be printed in union shop or else
compensation for printing the same
would not be received from the State.
This might prove hardship on large