The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-10-06

LAD King George II ana MS
II advisers been smart. they
might have averted the Ameri-
car Revolution. But they were
not smart. They were A. dumb
about many things as some Of
those who SIT IN high places
today and their imitators lower
down.
The King Georgeites made
their great mistake when they
declared the Stamp Act, which
put a tax on newspapers from
half a penny TO penny, accord
ing 10 size, and a tax Of two
shillings on every advertisement.
This looked like a good bet, for
newspapers in the colonies were
increasing rapidly-much more
rapidly than In England-but II
was the tax straw that broke
the eamels back. Newspapers
that had been fighting each
other gsnged up to fight the tax.
First protest against the act
appeared on the front page of
William Bradford's Pennsylvania
Gazette, made up in rough imi-
tafion Of a tombstone with thu
caption. "Adieu. Adieu To the
Liberty of the Press" Also on
the front page was n skull and
cross bones with the captain.
An Emblem Of the Effects of
the Stamp %. the Fatal
stamp" Others Of the stronger
papers made equally impressive
protests.
Although the papers had pro-
tested mildly about the English
tax program in general, It was
q different matter when they
were directly hit in the pocket
book and the two shilling tax
discouraged advertisers. The
Stamp Act thus dealt a double
blow at the newspapers. That
was the blunder that provided
fuel for the fires OF revolution.
The fighting and other effects
N the war interefered some
what with newspaper activities,
tist as the present world war
may in time affect American
newspapers, hut when the vio-
tory was won the newspapers
again flourished.
Though the end Of the reyo-
lutionary war brought relief from
the English Stamp Act, news
papers still were handicapped
by burdensome restrictions. This
question was the subject of a
spirited controversy between
Alexander Hamilton and Thorn
rs jefferson.
The latter wanted clause in
the constitution declaring that
the federal government viii
never restrain the presses from
printing anything they please,
hut will not take away the iis-
bility Of the printers for any
false facts that may he print
ed"
jefferson wanted a constiu-
tional guarantee of the freedom
of the press because he held
that newspapers were essential
to the success of the public.
Hamilton. believed just as
thoroughly in the principle but
did not believe the mere state
ment in the constitution would
be any guarantee of freedom
In an editorial IN his paper
The Federalist, said:
What l. the liberty of this
press Who can give u any
definition that would not lesv'
the utmost latitude for evasion
I hold II 70 he Impractical
1.-THE constitutional gIlarantee)
And from this infer that III
security. whatever fine declsra
tions may he in any constifu
ton respecting 1t, must also de
scend on public opinion, and OF
the general spirit Of the people
and the government"
As far as freedom of IN
press is concerned, both won
Though there is the constitu
tional guarantee, its interpreta
ton often depends on publ
sentiment. And as jefferson
suggested. the printers ar
liable for false facts"
In contrast to the politics
press. there appeared IN The IA
OF 1898 The American Minerva
The editor was Noah Webster
known today as maker Of die
tionaries rather than for nj
newspaper work, though he di
a pretty good JOB in the latte
capacity.
Webster's theory was tina