Rock Island Argus., 1899-05-27
in Rock Island during the recent sea-
Censor.hIp and Liberty.

following letter came to me in answer
to an inquiry as to the government
censorship at Manila:
The Associated Press, Chicago,
April q, 1S99.-H. II. Van Meter,
Esq, Chicago. Ill. Dear Sir: There
is very strict censorship at Manila.
Sincerely yours,
MELVILLE E. STONE,
General Manager.
LAS an American citizen who loves
his country and values his birthright
of liberty above all other earthly
blessings.
LAS a republican who voted for you
| trict of Ohio when YOU were defeated
there.
LAS a man who believes in you as a
Christian, a patriot and 4 statesman,
and who voted for you for president,
| write:
while we were at war with Spain,
and watched with anxious hearts for
any news from the front, while our
dearest, bravest and best were facing
danger and death for US. no true pa
triot could complain of censorship.
The awful anxiety of awaiting the
news of life or death, of dear ones
after the battle, Americans bore as
all should. The silence at times that
seemed more than we could endure
was never broken by patriots COM
plant. But now to many this seems
far different from time of war, with
a dangerous foe to face. The follow
ing words from an article for the
press seem to express the feelings of
many Americans:
" When the government of the
United States places-an ineXcusable
censorship upon dispatches intended
for the information of the American
public, and thus seeks to conceal from
the people of the United States the
fullest truth concerning the facts Of
the situation in the Philippines, as at
present, these same American citizens
surely will place n censorship upon
its proceedings, with a good right and
the best of reasons. If it is doing right,
what possible reason can there be now
for concealing the facts in the case, or
the government conduct of our af-
fairs, from those who should be most
vitally interested? Why not let
the people at home know the
real truth of the situation,
instead of seeking to conceal it,
since the war with Spain is over and
there are no foreign foes or complica
tions to be feared?
" There seems to be no right reason
for such secrecy if the conduct of af-
fairs in the Philippines is right. There
can be no right reason for such secrecy
in the conduct of affairs there is
wrong. Why, then, we ask, should
there be n very strict censorship
at Manila now? The answer might |
be made: 1t is public business But
the query then comes, Why, then, so
private?' If the answer is, 1t is pri
vate business pray, then, tell us,
what can public business be? We ask
as Americans loving our land and val
uing liberty-not as partisans but as
patriots.
ga free press and a free people are
inseparable from free institutions and
true liberty. Suppress one and you
repress the other. If it be claimed
that it is still a military necessity
to keep secret our operations in the
Philippines, we ask, Why? From
whom do YOU wish to hide the facts
in the case by censoring cable dis
patches now? Surely not from the
Filipinos, for they already are to well
aware of their fearful situation. Gable |
dispatches for the daily papers are in
tended for the information of the
American public. Filipinos are not
the patrons of our daily press, but |
American citizens and patriots are. |
The fathers, mothers and brothers of
our brave soldiers and sailors, with |
their sisters. wives and sweethearts, |
are interested. Surely it is not from |
them you seek to hide the facts in re-
gard to our affairs at Manila. If it is
we have a right to ask why-and to |
expect an answer, if not an explana-
ton. If it is not, why, then, we ask, |
under the circumstances, is there a
very strict censorship at Manila?'
And now, Mr.. President, i may be
permitted to add a few words which
may not be impertinent. We are all
well aware that you have your rea-
sons, which you consider good and
sufficient. For this reason l write to
call them forth and quiet all clamor
over censorship. AS a citizen and pa
triot, not as n partisan or traitor.
write this communication. AS our
president YOU will use your own good
judgment as to an answer. II it
should seem wise to you to make your
reasons known they would be well
coined. If not, we know you have
them and hope God may guide you
As the head of our government. We
would not add to the overwhelming
perplexities of the present.
But it cannot be denied that this
may be a source of sus-
picion. Someone besides yourself,
of miles away. must man
ipulate messages Might not some
be made which would thus
you-our leader? Is il not
possible that some part of the truth
upon which all rirht and Justice de-