The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-06
FREEDOM IN THIS REPUBLIC.

Referring to an editorial statement in
The Herald that the first and most
liberal asylum for all prosecuted relig-
ious sects is the United States cor
respondent inquiries if there is not as
much religious and political liberty ana
freedom of speech in foreign countries
as there is in the United States2"
There is no country 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 Of a scattered band of political
parasites to deny to American citizens
the rights guaranteed them by the con-
stjtution: to question the freedom of
discussion in matters of public concern;
to cry out against the criticism of the
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
WELD but little influence in free re-
public.
Then there are the demagogues who
appropriate Vic 5iOls VI <AiiSiiS|ii
arms, while they Try to perpetuate
themselves in power by throwing the
cloak of patriotism over the jobbery and
robbery which maltreats the soldier
and plumbers the government. These,
too, are appraised at their real worth
by the masses of the American people.
But the utterances of a public officer,
Ill ,x~f, o1i }Ar, hi
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 repub-.
lie stands Great Britain in the freedom
of thought and speech allowed the peo-
pie, but the laws of libel and SANDER
are much more rigidly enforced in the
British isles than they are in this coun-
try. The parasites who mingle in the
dust around the throne are not so SEN
sitive as they are in this country.
Neither are the demagogues so numer-
Gus or so -mouthed. Public speak
ers are permitted to express themselves
quite freely on matters of public i'm
port. and the leading statesmen of Eng
land, even as far back as the reign of
George III. took whatever position their
better judgment dictated on foreign
wars as well as domestic affairs They
have right to do it in this country. 1t
is the duty of public men to take the
side they believe to be right, regardless
of the cries of featherbed heroes who
would neither fight to defend their
country nor express an honest opinion
| to preserve it.
In France and Germany the press
laws are very severe, and the, statutes
against the publication of matter which
is construed to be eeditious are rigidly
enforced. Orators who differ from the
kaiser are guilty of lese .naieste, and
the police are empowered to judge of
the nature or probable effect of such
utterances. In Russia there is CEN
sorship which is enforced for the pro-
lection of the car In Turkey the CEN
sorshio, like that at Manila, is main
tanned for the purpose of deceiving the
people and making them think the sui
tan is 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 polit-
lea, liberty and freedom of speech, COM
pares with the United States.