The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1913-03-06
NQIUSITORIAL NEWSPAPER
LAW.

oCAotoI, oouIuc mdkeS Wig
orous defense of the inquisitorial
newspaper publicity law, in the
current issue of the Review of Re-
views, answering criticisms which
have not been generally made; nor
does the freedom of the press
stand especially in need of the
championship which the senator
SO valiantly offers. "There are, "
says the senator, three require
ments in the publicity law; that
the ownership, financial control
and editorial management shall be
made public semi-annually; that
all editorial or reading matter
for which compensation is receiv-
ed shall be marked paid advertis-
ing mad that daily newspapers
shall make semi annual sworn
statements of their circulation. :"
The clause relative to advertis-
ing (not "paid" advertising, as
the senator says requires that a
newspaper shall designate as ad-
vertising all editorial or "other
reading matter" for which 'lnon-
ey or other valuable consideration
is paid, accepted or promised. :"
The senator would have the public
believe that the inhibition refers
only to money or it's equivalent.
But it is much more sweeping.
Shall a newspaper mark as adver-
Using its book reviews, or its the
atrical notices, or it's sporting
views, or its wedding notices, or
its church socials, or the thousand
and one events of daily interest
to which the newspaper may be
asked to send a representative for
the purpose of making a reports
We suppose the book to be re-
viewed, or the admission ticket
for the reporter, or the wedding
cake often SO generously bestow-
ed, is thing of value.
These, of course, are extreme
illustrations, but it is to be re-
membered that the power is plac-
ed with the bureaucracy at Wash
ington to exclude paper from
the mails at second-class rates if
it shall fail to obey the law to
the letter; and that means the in
depreciation of the law made by
some officioqs assistant of some
ornamental department head, or
technician who desires to show his
power.
Yet the offense of the law con-
sists mainly in the faint sought to
be placed on the newspapers by
requiring them to give public mo-
tice that matter which is offered
as editorial or reading matter"
is not what it seems to be, but is
mere advertising" The rub
Der stamp of public censorship
is to be exhibited in every issue.
The newspaper is to show that it
has been inspected by the Govern
ment inquisitors and it is approx
ed in whole or in part or disap-
proved, as may appear. In Russia
the Imperial censor deliberately
smears the newspapers with these
black expurgatory marks; here
he is to fasten on the individual
item the tell-tale blue pencil.
Tainted news has it's own faint.
1t is impossible for newspaper
to present bogus or colored news,
or inspired or procured editorial
opinion, without suspicion soon be
ing spread broadcast and without
loss of influence and confidence.
No newspaper worthy of respect
prints advertising in it's news col
umns, unless it shall be so deslg-
mated, or in it's editorial columns
at all; and this means that there
are very few which so offend. 1t
is not, then a question as to
whether the newspaper may take
money or its equivalent for print
ing matter not duly marked as ad
vertising, but whether the news
paper shall control its own
columns or the Government shall
seek to control them.
The authors of the newspaper
inquisitorial law might find, if
they desired, vastly more profit
able field for the exercise of their
prying authority over free speech.