Evening star., 1952-09-21
Press
Most Presidents, From Jefferson to Truman,
Have Had Their Troubles With Fourth Estate
By Joseph G. o'Keefe

N1i~9 VVltb WI III IStOkC
G. o'Keefe
kindly to criticism. He assigned many
overly-inQuisitive reporters to the
"Ananias Club" and demanded their
requirements. Moreover. he would not
allow reporters to accompany him to
Africa.
During the Roosevelt administra-
ton, the New York World ran a
series of articles charging financial
irregularities in connection with the
construction of the Panama Canal.
Mr.. Roosevelt directed that criminal
libel action be fled against Joseph
Pulitzer and his paper. The initial
action was dismissed by a Federal
judge.
But Mr.. Roosevelt was able to re-
open the case on technicality. New
indictments were forthcoming. This
case was also dismissed, but was taken
to the United States Supreme Court
on a writ of error. A unanimous
opinion upheld the decision In favor
Of the World.
In still another legal move against
the press, Mr.. Roosevelt sued a Re-
publican weekly paper called Iron
Ore" published at Ishpheming, Mich.
The weekly had described the Rough
Rider as habitually drunk during his
Bull Moose" campaign. After the
editor Withdrew his statement and
apologized, Mr. Roosevelt changed his
suit to one for merely nominal GAM
age and won directed verdict for
6 cents.
CIevelond's Bride
Members of the press laid Them
selves open to criticism for acting in
questionable taste by trailing Presi-
dent Grover Cleveland and his bride
from the White House to their honey
moon cottage at Deer Park, Md. But
the President did not seem unduly
concerned. He invited several news
men in to meet his new wife.
Sometime later. however, in an adj
dress at Harvard University, he de-
nounced the SILLY, mean and cow
ardly lies that every day are found
in the columns of certain newspapers
which violate every instinct of Ameri-
can manlmesS. and in ghoulish glee
desecrate every sacred relation OF
private life."
LincoIn's I'd Guessers n
Editors of the Civil War era
deluged Abraham Lincoln with adj
vice. suggestions. criticism and inter-
ference. Horace Greely of the New
York Tribune was lavish with pro-
posalS and insistent that they be
followed as noted in the article on
page ABB. Although he was without
military training or experience, no
had definite ideas about strategy.
Lincoln once asked the Tribune
correspondent why Greely couldn't
restrain himself and wait little?"
The correspondent replied that one
man didn't write everything in the
Tribune. ar
well. I do not suppose I have any
right to complain" Lincoln con-
tinued. Uncle Horace is with us
:, at least four days out Of seven."
Champion Of Free Press ya
: Ironically, Thomas Jefferson was n
victim of the freedom of the press
he championed SO long and ardently.
Through public career of some go
years he fought for free press even
when it reviled him numerically.
Such an attitude was part of his
fundamental belief in the right of
democratic man to express himself.
One of his famous utterances was
that If he had to choose between a
government without newspapers and
newspapers without government, he
would take the latter.
In New York. action was brought
against Harry Croswell of Hudson.
editor of a sheet called the Wasp,
accusing him of libeling Jefferson.
CroSwell was convicted. But in his
appeal he was defended with great
skill by Alexander Hamilton, who
argued that his client should have
an opportunity to prove his allega-
tions. Although the editors convic-
ton was upheld, the New York State
Assembly recognized the validity of
Hamilton's premise and adopted a law
admitting truth in evidence in such
libel suits.
But there were few other efforts to
shield Jefferson from editorial
vituperation. Toward the end of his
second administration he wrote:
The fact being one estab-
lished that the press is impotent
when it abandons itself to falsehood.
leave it to others to restore it to its
strength by recalling it within the
pale of truth. Within that 1t is a
noble institution, equally the friend
of science and, of civil liberty"