MUZZLING THE PRESS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 505, 11 September 1890, Page 2

MUZZLING THE PRESS.

The great mistake made by the Maritime Council, in its attempt to muzzle the Press by ordering the non-ipsertion of . Union Company's advertisements, and in otherwise dictating to the editors, has reaped its own reward,' in the form of a severe punishment, In dealing with the Typographical Association, in the first place, the Council was dictating to men of high intelligence, but the demand was fairly considered, and not rejected until it had been exhaustively debated. The Maritime Council must have gone into the matter very thoughtlessly, or such a demand would never have been made. Np one can deny that it was an attempt to muzzle the Press, whatever the intention may have been, and when once such a thing were permitted as fair in principle, it would lead to the gravest abuses. The advocates of Labor would simply be supplying a whip with which to scourge themselves. It would be perfectly fair for them to give all or the greater portion of their support to any journal which stood by them in the hour af trial, and honestly laid their case before the public, but to say that papers must be controlled by outside pressure is going much too far. If the Labor Associations were temporarily ■successful in this attempt, what would be the effect supposing they were beaten in the present contest? On the principle that the other side were justified in doing precisely what the Labor Associations had done, the capitalists could either ruin or convert nearly every paper to their side, In the liberty of the Press is the great protection which the Labor cause has had in the past, and every progressive measure must be attributed to its influence. The colonial Press, of course, has its faults, but on the whole its efforts have had very great effect for good. While it is unfettered both sides may be represented, but once establish a censorship by any section of the community,'and you have succeeded In undermining and ruining one of the greatest powers for progress that is known ia history.