| Show TO MUZZLE THE PRESS State Senator Ellsworth of New York is determined to regulate the press of his state If possible For this purpose he has introduced in the legislature a blanket law for newspapers and other publications I is entitlqd an act to apply to Indecent licentious or libelous libel-ous papers No specific offense need be charecd in any Indictment framed The general bad character of a publication cation Is all that will be necessary The jury shall not be pinned down to any specific definition of libel but can find as to the general effect of the newspapers news-papers course On conviction a fine not exceeding 1000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year may be imposed im-posed and the charter of the newspaper newspa-per wiped out All libelous or indecent publications of foreign character maybe may-be seized Anything published that tends to degrade is made an offense A newspaper must publish in each issue the names of its stockholders of its officers and of all its editorial writers i > t < > I and it Is made a misdemeanor not to do so Such Is an epitome of the bill This is simply an attempt to muzzle the press it is needless to say that It will not succeed I over the country there occasionally spring up evidences of a desire to muzzle the press Any such aim is disavowed of course the avowed object being to suppress that which Is Indecent and improper but It will be I found that those who are averse to a free press lookupon all opposition and I criticism by the papers as indecent and improper They would ha e their standards stand-ards made the standard by which all else is judged make their standards into a Procrustean bed Look at thex Ellsworth bill How easily It could be turned into an engine of oppression enacted into a law Anything that tends to degrade is made an offense Everything that did not chance to tend to the praise of public officers who had the administration of the laws would bo held to tend to degrade de-grade ge Libel is to be transformed Into a general gen-eral dislike of a publication and the law of libel to be reduced to the formula I do not love thee Dr Fell The reason why 1 cannot tell But thiS alone I know full well 1 do not love thee Dr Fel I the New York legislature should pass such a law the New York papers should make life a burden to the members mem-bers who vote for it It would be a blow at the liberties of the people I |
