论报章媒介与民初司法观念的近代化——以《时报》“刺宋案”为中心

On Newspaper Media and the Modernization of Judicial Concepts in the Early Republic of China:Focusing on“The Case of Assassinating Song Jiaoren”of The Times

宋教仁遇刺后,素以文字老辣、冷刻犀利名闻沪上的《时报》,刊发大量新闻评论,以引导案件审理的公正高效。该报指出,凶手认定必须立足证据,坊间臆测混淆视听有碍司法,劝诫报章媒介秉公直言,切勿散播不确之论。“刺宋案”久未开讯,报人举起司法独立的大旗,谴责行政干预司法的同时,批判了上海地方司法机关的不作为。“论政救国”的办报理念、报人群体较高的法律素养、对法治精神的高度认同以及对时势的理性思考,共同构成该报如是发声的重要原因。《时报》对“刺宋案”的评论,向国民普及了近代司法知识,传播了近代司法观念,为推动司法的现代化转型作出了一定的贡献。

After the assassination of Song Jiaoren,The Times,famous for its astute and sharp writing,published a large number of news comments to guide the fair and efficient trial of the case.The newspaper pointed out that the identification of the murderer must be based on evidence,and the public speculation would confuse people and hinder justice,so the newspaper media should speak impartially and not spread untruths.After a long waiting for the open trial of“The Case of Assassinating Song Jiaoren”,the newspaper raised the banner of judicial independence,condemned the administrative intervention in the judicial system,and criticized the inaction of the local judicial organs in Shanghai.The newspaper concept of“saving the nation by discussing politics”,the higher legal literacy of the newspaper group,the high recognition of the spirit of the rule of law,and the rational thinking of the current situation all together constitute an important reason for the newspaper’s voice.The commentary of The Times on“The Case of Assassinating Song Jiaoren”popularized the modern judicial knowledge and spread the modern judicial concept to the people,thus making a certain contribution to the modernization of the judicial transformation.