The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-05-10
FREE SPEECH.


his fplninatious against the so-called
inpolicy of adopting the free and IN
limited coinage of both gold and sill
YER, he was statesman, gentleman
and a scholar; but as soon as Mr.. At
kinson dares to issue a Illumination
upon another subject upon which Mr..
Atkinson has also very pronounced
views, he becomes traitor and Sc
ditionist. Because the administra-
ton has espoused the cause of imper-
ialis,n and Mr.. Atkinson has not, those
in authority have seen proper to de-
nounce Mr.. Atkinson,s more modern
patriotism and ripper craftsmanship
as rank treason and sedition and have
sought to deny his literature the right
of passing through the mails OF the
United States; but, when it was found
that this literature was a part and
parcel of the Congressional Record
and could not be exclu de6 from the
mails, the authorities had to recede
from their original position and al
low it to pass through the interstate
mails; but orders were issued to the
postmaster at San Francisco, direct
ing him to see to it that none of this
atkinson literature got into the
'Manila nails" It depends upon
whose OK is gored. Mr.. Atkinson as
an advocate Of the gold standard, and
Mr.. Atkinson as the advocate O.: anti
perialism are two very seperate and
distinct individuals. In the advocacy
of the first, he was a statesman, pa
triot and scholar, because he preach
ed administration doctrine; but in
the advocacy of the second, although
as honest, sincere and conscientious
as in the first, he becomes all that
is detestible and bad, because he is
rubbing the hair the wrong way. 1t
IS rather high-handed procedure on
the part of the administration TO deny
an American citizeD the use of the
American mails simply because he
does not become political puppet
and lick the ADMINISTRATORS hands.
But, as is always The case when any
piece OF literature is denied the priv
ilege of the mails, public attention is
called to the literature q way that
proves to be the best possible adver-
tisement of the thing "tabooed;" At
kinson's literature is net an exception
to the rule, for the demand has in
creased wonderfully since this as
sumption and arrogance upon the
part OF those who are responsible for
its wide public notoriety. If the lit
erature is in fact good argument
against the chosen policy of the ad-
ministration, its exclusion from the
mails will cause it to be more widely
read. So that those in authority are
not only arrogant, but they are very
nnwise in their policy. 1t is assumpt-
ion for any one to call opposition to q
thing which the people OF this coun-
try have never indorsed, treason; it
is forestalling the condition to which
we are rapidly drifting, when mans
birthright of individual opinion is
denied expression unless it accords
with the wishes OF the masters; it is
ground Tor impeachment, when an
administrative officer sets the c0nsti-
tuticnal right of freedom of speech
at nspght by the arbitrary. extension
of bis official duties and prerogatives;
and it is not reckoning without ones
host when it is assumed that the peo-
pie OF this country will applaud this
high. handed proceeding. The thing
is not absolutely a cut and dried one
that the people want imperialism in
this country. The sentiments OF the
people are not faithfully reflected in
many newspapers II one reads those
papers only, he must think thai ev-
erybody il the United States Is rnc
ming with his tongue out after :mpe-
rialism; but if you lay the papers
aside and minsle with the people
whom you meet III everyday life, You
wonder where the imperialists are.
The writer has made it Il practice to
sound every one whom be chances
to meet upon this important subject,
irrespective Of party creed, and bar
ring few he has failed to find many
intelligent, reading men who want
the United States to retain the Phil
ippines And yet certuin uewspa-
pers Of the country are preaching that
it is treason and sedition for any
American citizen to dare think for
himself and express an opinion at
variance with the policy tuarked out
by those who want to use this great
national blunder as a private gain.