Show THE obstructions TO FREEDOM one of the first and elron eest evidences of inin aided tranny is a de eire to do all the talking with the absolutist in government the power to gag a challenger of bis divine right is a more important security than guns or prison bars without it the free utterance of one vigorous foe in the irwia of the military ruler is stronger for his overthrow than a hundred thousand guns for the perpetuation of his power tyranny and free speech cannot exist in tle bame realm so well do living potentates understand onder stand this fact eliat in those countries where thrones exist as a real factor of government the the pulpit and the forum are watched with a more jealous scrutiny if possible than the rendezvous of known enemies of the reigning pw er in such lies the press particularly is an absolute blae to the will of the monarch aud this rule is ani vereal sare alone lu countries where the rosalar franchise id a factor of government not a book or paper is ever published except under permit of an autocratic censor these agents of tha throne like the taster of the kings viands aro the truest slaves in all the realm for their vigilance is the life blood of the state their post ia between the press and the people and one dereliction on their part might cost the life of alie k ng dom we speak now of the extreme examples and those which have gen orally passed as not extreme have not progressed go mighty far from this rule the most thoroughly systematized censorship is undoubtedly in kusaba in that country the publishing or circulating of aa book or paper ia liable to cost the life or freedom of the circulator no publications are allowed to enter the country eave upon permia bion after a close no paper Is allowed to paea out of the country until it has passed this same omnipresent and found to contain nothing that might reflect in any degree against alio reigning sovereign or the go eminent in all utterances political and where is concerned she must appear in the benee rf the great if not the sublime else the publication or the part of it declared objectionable ia suppressed without ceremony it is a common theory that publications aro confiscated etith greater regularity than they are issued this supervision of the press by the state had taken such acot under the monarchs monar cbs of france that even now under republican government it is still in practice not ao conspicuous as formerly bat boita enough BO to abke americans wonder if their assumed freedom is not alter all very much of a pre enee the excuse for publications inimical to the state eliat he french people have still in heir blood the taint of revolution may ba good and earlb chent but one who has marked the civilizing power of tree expression in this country ia prone to d abt he plausibility of eccli undoubtedly the unparalleled of the american citizen of today to day is due anord largely to ills freedom of speech than to icy other of bit liberties physical are never eo odious und bard to endure as a perpetual fetter upon the braia |