Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1913-06-17 | Page 14 | Obedience to Law

OBEDIENCE TO LA LAW LAWIT W is a n. splendid commentary upon the law abiding IT spirit of tho the American newspapers that eighty- eighty eight per cent of the tho total number obeyed the newspaper publicity statute from the moment of its I enactment enactmentS Only twelve per por cent of tho daily newspapers newspapers news news- I papers in the United States availed themselves es o of I the tho opportunity afforded by tho the J Journal of Commerce Commerce Com Com- I merce test caso enso to ignore tho the law Jaw until the supreme I court had deci decided e its validity It is interesting in this connection also to note I that Tho The Republican Herald was the only Salt Lake newspaper to render obedience in fact although tho the statute has now been found constitutional and valid tho the other othor newspapers in tillS this community continue continue con con- to ignore it The They ranged themselves with the tho twelve per cent that was disobedient and havo have remained re jre there A scrutiny V of the editorial comments upon the tho law during tho the past fow low days de clo developed that tho the other leading newspapers of the tho country held the tho same view as lS does docs The Herald Immediately following its enactment last year ve we announced our intention of obeying it in the tho spirit and the letter and expressed pleasure that it would force our comI competitors com corn to furnish their rea readers in information they had bad I hitherto withheld but which wo we had always cheerfully cheerfully cheer cheer- fully published The statute requires no more moro than we arc glad to do although it is pla plainly I y class legislation legislation legisla legisla- tion in that it demands demunds from one class of enterprise that which it does not require from others Tho The Salt Lako Lake Tribune has bas endeavored ored to give its patrons the impression that in disobeying the law lawit lawit lawit it was acting with the tho majority ori t tho the facts show that t tin in its lawbreaking it was a member of ofa a small and exclusive minority Although tho the suspension suspension suspension sus sus- pension o of the tho operation of the law pending a final decision enabled every American newspaper to avoid oid compliance with it only twelve per cent were so ashamed of their circulation arid and their ownership that they took advantage of the opportunity The rhe Tribune ranged itself with that twelve per or cent