The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-06-17
is FREE SPEECH THREATENED?

Washington, June I4.-(Stdf Correspondence 1.-The So
called anarchy bill which was passed by the
time and by the house during early part of the
en week has probably brought out dsagreemen and
differences Of opinion regardless Of party lines than any
other considered during present session The
bill is yet to be handled by conference committee and
the Of the agreement to reached
be foreold The general idea seems that
bill the better OF the and that the majority
where it conflicts with the the
ferees will be forced to give way This is speculation
however and may prove be anything accurate There
well defined belief in that the whole
will be allowed to where for the present and
that final action will not be had this of congress
Senator oa holds this opinion do others Who deeply
interested in the legislation and who keeping close
" as possible with Developments regarding it,
On the final passage of the bill number of democrats
voted All of the members of the Texas delega-
ton who voted at all voted in the negative. These
Messrs, Bureson Cooper Keberg, Lanham. Randel and
Stephens Mr. Ball, who in favor of the BILL answered
present when his called and Mr. Sayden and Mr.
Wooen did not vote. Mr.. Burgess voted for the bill
During the consideration of the bill speeches against it
made by Messrs Lauham Keberg and Wooten among
others Mr. Lanham is member of the judiciary commit
tee which framed the measure, he has all along been
strongly opposed it. His argument against it confined
principally the strictly legal points involved although he
touched on other matters at various tines The speech
undoubtedly one OF the strongest he has delivered and
very generally commended those opposed him
referring to 1t in complimentary
One OF Mr., Klebergs principal objections agans> the
is based his belief that has dangerous tend
toward restricting the liberty speech and the
Of the Section OF the bill in which the Ian
this subject which he particularly opposed
follows;
Section That any person who oonspres with any other
person or persons or requests advises, encourages
without the tinted States the chief executive or Chief
or co oh[J G ba n1Gn having an 0rsanzed
shed follows If attempt commit such is made
and Inc death Of person results herefrom such offender
such offender shall he fined less than $500
twenty five years both If such attempt is not made such
offender shall he hned not less than $500 than
5000 or be imprisoned not less than than
years, or both
The words anyone who encourages an assault on or kill
Of foreign ruler" etc, could MIR. Klcberg thinks be
construed that the death penalty be visited on
who by the of printed spoken in the
heat of passion language which might nveich
against foreign rulers Internationally melted person
among his hearers readers kill foreign poenate
public speaker newspaper writer could not Mr.. Ke-
berg thinks crtcse foreign ruler for abuse power
abroad without danger OF making himself amenae this
clause Of the law and thus subject himself punishment by
death In other words newspaper article the sole purpose
OF which is to call attention the difference between our
form OF government and that of OF the countries of
Europe for instance might be read by person who al
ready enertans hatred for all monarchs and for every
thing connected with monarchy and might have the OF
causing that person murder attempt to murder some
ruler who happened to be in this country Under the prov
referred Mr. Klebcrg thinks would be possible for
foreign poenatc whose life might he threatened result
OF such combination OF circumstances the pun
shment under the law the writer's of such newspaper art
ees of speakers to whom the person making the attempt
might have listened This he thinks, might the ran
saeng of newspaper Offices and incarceration of
public speakers the questioning of resolutions passed by
cal conventions and general oveurning of the cstab
shed rights of the free people OF this country simply
rattle hraucd individual might be melted vo
euce by written spoken words the purpose of which
entirely peaceful and harmless BY reference the closing
sentence OF the section it will be that though no
such attempt violence is made the person who unwttngy
ncitcs another think violence would be amenabe
under the law and conviction would be subject mprs
onment and fine.
During the discussion of the bill Mr.. Keberg protested
against what he termed unwarranted attempt interfere
with the right of free speech and the freedom OF the press
He declared that he stood ready do everything his power
to protect foreign representatives who might this
country and TO that due cvty extended them but
he resented any attempt place the rights and liberties
the American people under the surveillance and control of
foreign potentae
number of the members OF the house agree with Mr.
Keberg in this view and predictions freely made that the
final enactment Of the bill into law will have the effect of
making possible complications which might result very
rousy and which would long toward unsettling
conditions and customs which have been long established and
which have heretofore been perfectly satisfactory.
The supposed demand for legislation the subject
of anarchy resulted of from the assassination OF
President Mckinley At the beginning of the session there
large sement in both houses OF congress which would
have been willing pass bill Of the stringency
wrought up by the crime which deprived William Nc
Niny OF life and made Theodore Roosevelt president of the
United States But several months have passed since then
and decided change opinion has been brought about
This change of opinion sufficient to wholly prevent
the of the socaed anarchy BILL has been
but had important effects nevertheless Men
who six months ago anxious hedge about the pesi
dent OF the United States with all sorts of safeguards
vouchsaed the ordinary and who willing
to establish condition OF affairs far different from that
prevailing in Russia and other countries where rule
prme through the supposed divine right of kings real
that their feelings carried them at the time and that
legislation such proposed would be at least
iudicious illustrate pout only