Show I I Freedom of the Press Is Enhanced By Court Decision I N a decision just announced by the supreme court of Missouri not only is tho the right of newspapers to criticise public officials affirmed but the court court- declares that it is the duty duly of a n newspaper to do clo so The decision was made macle at the tho cn end of a bitterly contested leg legal 11 battle as the result of a n libel suit filed by the secretary of state of Missouri against against- the St. St Louis Post A verdict of awarded a against the newspaper by the lower court was reversed re and aud the opinion of the time higher court of tho the state is so reaching far in its effects upon the thc functions of the press that the decision is one of the most important returned in in a high court in recent years Secretary of State Cook sued the Post-Dispatch Post for because of an editorial published in that paper criticising the secretary of state for failure to close a bank after he knew it to he be insolvent Cook filed a suit for damages contending that the editorial edi ecH- Cli- Cli tonal libeled him because it charged him with wilh the crime of partiality and oppression in that it implied that ho had failed because of corrupt motives to close the bank The newspaper contended that its editorial was privileged comment upon tho facts of the case ease add and argued that it was well within the thc rights of a newspaper to make mako such comments on the acts of a public official The Time newspaper easily showed that Cook had not riot examined tho the failed bank bankas as it was his bis duty to do or he would easily have ha learned its condition In its opinion the supreme cave sav Tho The prevailing pre or majority opinion is often the Tron wrong ono one and for that reason the tue law Jaw give l full latitude to tho the c. lon of or nn any and nil all opinions on thin tiling of or general concern It docs not matter that the time opinions or Inferences inference e cx- cx pressed are arc not tho the most charitable or reasonable reasonable reasonable reason reason- able ones or 01 that the they are arc the time wron wrong ones pro pro- ro- ro the they arc are basted based d on the facts fact a and nd tho the facts arc capable of or them The Jc legal al propositions involved that involved that n a newSpaper newSpaper newS newS- paper has lias tho the rl right ht fairly and honestly hone to comment com coil ment upon a n matter of public Interest and that the tue official conduct of a n public official I Is a a. matter of or public interest Interest arc are well wen settled Tho The people arc aro not obliged to speak of the conduct conductor of or their officials in whispers whisper or in bated breath brath in iii a free government but lut only in a n despotism On the co contrary n 1 the they have ha the ri right ht to out In open discussion and criticism thereof the only test being that the they make no false e t r-t state state- tc- tc ment And Ani this Is tho the great safeguard of free eminent go and of or pure go That is fundamental anmon amon among us It is tho the duty of a public nubile newspaper to tell ten the people its Ito subscribers its renders readers tho the facts fact's that It may find rind out ont about public questions or 01 matters matters mat mat- tel's of public interest and It is its duty and md right to draw inference from froni the tho facts known known- draw them for the l people coille This decision merely reaffirms what hat has been known to be tho the right of of American newspapers so long as their comments are arc not actuated by malice and are arc based upon facts which can be proven The Time decision however is noteworthy because it comes at nt ata a time when extraordinary efforts are arc being made to muzzle the newspapers Its reaffirmation will strike terror to the hearts of venal officials and amid will strengthen the hands of h honest newspapers that are operated to serve ser the public |