Show HONESTY OF THE PRESS if the great daily papers of the united states are not controlled by a power behind which uses their influence for private and personal rather than for public and economic purposes why is it that none of f them carry criticisms against the honesty of the press when such are uttered by people whose ex perince and services to the country entitle them to be heard the question is otten often heard in congress senator heflin of alabama said in a speech in the senate rt bently 1 I om am not afraid of the press I 1 am the firm friends of the honest press god knows I 1 would not hamper the press in the discharge of its duty or take away from it any of its rights and prIvIlege lS to give the news to the people and print epla views of those who own the papers but I 1 am ain against the scheme that gome at 0 them have of 0 suppressing the news ot of events event S of importance that take place right here in this chamber around this capitol capita that the people 0 of the country are entitled to know about why is a it that you never see a line about a lot of important matters discussed in this chamber I 1 S speech was reported in few if any of the great metropolitan dallies dailies nor was the made by senator watson of georgia with senator hefline He flins permission senator watson said in part il me is coming when the press will vill have to be free it if it wants to tx ex st tills this country can not live und and tolerate a press which it knows known is a hireling press presa tt it will hot pay for such papers it will not advertise in such papers 9 49 people will not buy from those who advertise in such papers and the worst of the fight is past when mien the espionage law was passed and so many hundreds 0 of newspapers were crushed by arbitrary orders of 0 the post office department freedom of press wat was more in danger than it ever had been since our government was established or since charles fox lord grey and john wilkes had made their noble fight in III england for the freedom of the press and thomas erskine had made his bis glorious tight fight tor for trial by jury instead of 0 arbitrary directions of verdicts by judges that time is coming again the forces of conflict are arraying themselves against each other again that battle la Is nothing on earth can stop it and nothing on earth can silence the people they are going to be heard or we will have a revolution in this country the foundation stone on which america Is built IT liberty liberty of 0 speech liberty ot of thought liberty of political action liberty of 0 conduct within the laws of the land liberty to worship god liberty from tyranny oppression slavery liberty 0 of opinion take away liberty and there Is no united states I 1 A controlled press Is a blow at alberty A great newspaper Is a public institution its owners publishers and editors have the american right of liberty to their opinions personal and political they have no moral right to attempt to color the thoughts their readers by suppression or alteration ot of uie the truth A newspaper which W suppresses truth or one which changes changas truth to lies tor for its own purposes Is no newspaper it Is merely then a mouthpiece great newspapers are expensive they require vast capital to conduct As such they can he be controlled it there is interest enough behind them to buy them but there is not money enough in fix america amer ca to ebuy buy and control all ajl the papers 04 0 the united states the country press the smaller papers the weeklies the county seat eat papers are too numerous arid and too red blooded with patriotic american owners and editors to be bought against the evils of a controlled press the american people must fight and fight hard the penalty ot of losing the battle Is to see this country a democracy only in name anoli garthy i intact in that battle the field artillery and skirmish line the trench diggers abild nd tho the advance gaiard is the country press dress the flame of truth is white hot and fatal to evil lucky the people who read the journal ot of a man unafraid ot of its heat fortunate the editor who can look his readers in the face and say 1 I keep the holy boly fire |