| Show L FREEDOM IN THIS REPUBLIC FiEEDOM Referring to an editorial statement In The Herald that the first and most liberal asylum for all persecuted religious relig-ious sects is the United States a correspondent cor-respondent inquires if there is not a much religious and political liberty and freedom of speech in foreign countries as there is in the United States There is no countr in the world which for freedom of speech or liberty of the press compares with the United States There is a disposition on the part cf a scattered band of political parasites to deny to American citizens the rights guaranteed them > by the constitution con-stitution to question the freedom of discussion in matters of public concern against the to cry out the criticism of politicians who through deception and corruption happen to be in poWer But they are imperialists who cling to the obsolete doctrine that the king can do no wrong and consequently they wield but little influence a free TC Dubllc Then there are the demagogues who appropriate the glory of American arms while they try to perpetuate themselves in power by throwing the cloak of patriotism over the jobbery and robber which maltreats the soldier and plunders the government These too are appraised at their real worth by the masses of the American people But the utterances of a public officer a private citizen or of an editor In this country are hampered only by the knowledge that he may be legally call ed to account by the person or persons who deem themselves injured by what he says or writes Next to this republic repub-lic stands Great Britain in the freedom of thought and speech allowed the people I peo-ple but the laws of libel and slander are much more rigidly enforced in the British isles than they are in this country coun-try The parasites who mingle in the dust around the throne are not so sensitive sen-sitive as they are in this country Neither are the demagogues so numerous numer-ous or so loudmouthed Public speakers speak-ers are permitted to express themselves quite freely on matters of public import im-port and the leading statesmen of England Eng-land even as far back as the reign ot George III took whatever position their better judgment dictated on foreign wars as well as domestic affairs They have right to do i In this country I is the dutv of nubile men totake the side they believe to be fight regardless of the cries of featherbed heroes who would neither fight to defend their country nor express an honest opinion I to preserve i In France and Germany the press laws are very severe and the statutes against the publication matter which is construed to be seditious are rigidly enforced Orators who differ from the kaiser are guilty of lese najeste and I the nolice are empowered to judge of the nature or probable effect of such utterance In Russia there is a censorship cen-sorship whi h Is enforced for the protection pro-tection of the czar In Turkey the censorship cen-sorship like that at Manila is maintained main-tained for the purGe deceiving the people and making them think the sultan sul-tan is a bigger and a better man than he really is But as was stated in the beginning there is no country take it all in all which in religious and political polit-ical liberty and freedom of speech compares com-pares with the United States + t Does our esteemed contemporary the Helena Independent wish to be classed among the blatherskites and Ignoramuses of the century I says that the Salt Lake Tribune is accounting account-ing for its apostacy from silver by showing that the Democrats have made free coinage a party issue There never was a time when Democratic affection af-fection for salver waned in which respect re-spect again Democracy differs from the I Salt Lake Tribune says the Independent Inde-pendent |
