M
ft
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Conservative.
is. "Why should there bo nny objection
to an independent pulpit , an indepen
dent press , an independent man or
woman ? One would sometimes think
they were more dangerous than a mad
clog. Hence the attempt to muzzle
them. Independence is the bed-rock of
Americanism. If there is anything
American it is that. The Pilgrims
planted it on Plymouth Rock. It is a
historic fact. It is not a tradition. The
Puritans planted and cultivated it on the
stone-clad hills of Now England's rockbound -
bound const. The foundation of this
country was laid in independence in
religion. Our political institutions have
a religions foundation. The fathers
built more wisely than they knew. The
revolution was fought for independence
in government. The constitution is laid
iu individual independence. The rocks
of true socialism are laid in the sumo
cement.
"Why then complain of or condemn
independence in the individual , the pul
pit or the press ? What is there to fear ?
Ideas 1 For shame 1 An idea never
killed a man. Men behind guns have
done so. Men are more often iu error
than right. The pathway to truth has
been ploughed in the blood of error.
The man who says "stop my paper" is
not an American , no matter if ho traces
his ancestry to Plymouth Rock. He is
like the man who built his house upon
the sand. Were all such the fate of the
country would bo that of the house.
The storms of ignorance , the riot of
revolution , the devils of anarchy would
prevail against it. The nation would
fall. Great would bo the fall thereof.
What manner of man is ho who only
reads the machine partisan press ? It is
not many years since there were men in
this country still voting for Andrew
Jackson , not knowing the king was
dead. The machine built by him still
lives. It still enslaves the people. This
is on account of the scarcity of a free
and independent press. The man who
says "stop my paper , " because of its
contrary ideas , is as blind and ignorant
as the Jackson democrat who did not
know his king was dead. Such men
are the strength of machine despotism.
No matter how personally "good" they
may be they are bad men. Like a "bad
injun" civilization has no place for
them. They are unredeemable. Never
having been made in the "image of God"
they cannot bo reformed. They are
automatons without manliness. They
are the soil in which the seed of cor
ruption grows plentifully. No crop
mete for repentance over develops
therein.
Freedom of the I'ress Not Iiiccuno.
The purpose of a free press is for the
discussion of principles and men as the
represeutativest principles. Rightly
understood that is all men do represent.
Freedom of the press does not and should
not mean license to personal abuse.
Freedom is not ignorant or blind subjec
tion to law. traditionalism , public opin
ion or anything else. Freedom means
intelligently walking in the law , having
no offense. Liberty too often has the
flavor of anarchy. License is the direct
road to anarchy. It is broad , though
crooked. The American press too often
degenerates to license. It too often
lends itself to abuse. For partisan ends
it stop } at nothing. Corrupted and cor
rupt itself it spreads the seeds of cor
ruption. The press knows and feels its
power. The might of power is intelli
gent self-control within the limits of
manly independence.
There is nothing holy which shall not
be revealed. The only road to revela
tion is through the path of error. The
roadway to truth is straight. The gate
is narrow. Only the few go in thereat.
Should they be gagged or muzzled ?
There is nothing too sacred for dis
cussion , even the idea of God. If the
idea of God cannot stand discussion it is
a false assumption. Truth is holy.
Truth is divine. It can stand discussion.
Flow shall wo know the truth unless
constantly attacked. Error falls by the
wayside. He who fears attack is con
scious of his own weakness. Ho who
fears discussion or attack of his opinions
has no faith in their rectitude. Ho who
says "stop my paper1' because it attacks
or discusses his party's principles or
acts , is nn unworthy member ot that
party. Ho only half believes. Ho is n
wenk brother needing stiffening. He
who deifies the president of his party
and who fears criticism of him , falls
down before an "unknown God , " as
Paul said of the Athenians. He has no
faith in the infallibility of his party
leader. Ho who gets angry at honest
criticism is mad at self-consoious weak
ness. He who opposes a free and inde
pendent press is a traitor. A free and
independent press is the rock of national
salvation. The fathers builded the
national house upon it ; shall their sons
undermine it ? A house or nation built
on the sands of traditionalism and blind
party subjection will surely fall. Only
an intellectually independent people can
be free. Are the Americans such a
people ? A free and independent press
is the voice of a free and independent
people. Have we such a press ?
FUANK S. BILLINGS.
Graf ton , Mass.
"TKKASON. "
"I believe in the Declaration of Inde
pendence. " Thomas B. Reed , August
13 , 1899.
"Whatever may happen , I am sure
that the First Maine District will always
bo true to the principles of liberty , self-
government , and the rights of man. "
Thomas B. Reed , September 16 , 1899.
"Rather than make a war of conquest ,
on this people ( Filipinos ) , I would up
anchor and sail out of the harbor. "
Admiral Dewey , January , 1899.
"I have never been in favor of violence
towards the Filipinos. The islands , are
at this moment blockaded by a fleet ,
and war reigns in the interior. This
abnormal state of things should cease.
I should like to see autonomy first con
ceded , and then annexation might bo
talked about. This is my opinion , and
I should like to see violence at once put
a stop to. According to mo , the con
cession of self government ought to be
the most just and the most logical solu
tion. " Admiral Dewey , August 20 ,
1899.
"What wo want is to stop this ac
cursed war. It is time for diplomacy ,
time for mutual understandings. These
men are indomitable. At Bacoor bridge
they waited till the Americans brought
their cannon to within thirty-five yards
of their trenches. Such men have the
right to bo hoard. All they want is a
little justice. " Gen. H-mry W. Lawton ,
as reported by the Rev. Puter Mac-
Queen in the Congregationalist , Septem
ber 7 , 1899.
"Conciliatory methods would have
prevented the war. General Otis's un
fortunate proclamation of January 4
rendered conciliation almost impossible.
At every step of the peace negotiations
ho stipulated that nothing should bo
considered until the Filipinos laid down
their arms. Herein is where the natives
mistrusted the Americans. The Filipinos
had many lessons from Spain in the
folly of laying down. arms. Ttiey wore
not able to comprehend the difference
between Spanish and American prom
ises. " Gen. C. McC. Reeve , September
13 , 1899.
"I speak not of forcible annexation ,
for that cannot bo thought of. That by
our code of morality would be criminal
aggression. " President MuKinley to
congress , December 7 , 1897.
"Human rights and constitutional
privileges must not bo forgotten in the
race for wealth and commercial su-
promncy. * * * The government
of the people must bo by the people , aud
not by a few of the people ; it must rest
upon the free consent of the governed
aud all of the governed. Power , it must
bo remembered , which is secured by op
pression , or usurpation or by any form
of injustice , is soon dethroned. We
have no right in law or morals to
usurp that which belongs to another ,
whether it is property or power. "
William McKinley , December 22 , 1890.
"With Bryan , but another name for
free silver , it is utterly out of reason to
talk of conciliation next year , " says the
Davenport Democrat ( deui. ) . "But
with a new man who is equal to the new
and grave issues victory may be won. "
