The independent., 1903-12-10
A ScURvY TRICK
Attempt to stifis Free speech and Free
Press by Arrest of Francis b. Lives.y

Attempt to Stifs Free speech and Free
Press by Arrest of Francis b. Livesey
The Independent has heretofore
mentioned the anti-public school agi-
tatiOn being carried on by Francis b.
Livesey of Sykesville, Nd, and re-
Gently published one of his articles.
1t has absolutely no sympathy with
him in this crusade, because, admit
ting that our public school system
needs reformation along many lines,
it does not follow that it should be
abolished.
But Mr.. Livesey certainly has the
right to his opinions regarding public
schools or any other subject, and to
write and print freely those opinions,
atoning to the offended law whenever
he abuses the right of free speech. His
arrest at the instigation of the Pa
triotic Order of Sons OF America, as
related in the letter below, looks to
The Independent like a very small
piece of work.
Editor Independent: AS YOU be-
lieve in man having some practical
experience in things he writes of,
AAOV SoA OAhCA yOu a IltLlC4 ditIiE Lie
line OF persecution and arrest
Those who know my work of the
past few years can point to many men
in various parts of the country whom
| have released from the clutches of
the law through the work of my pen.
When my turn came / called on
none of the writer's for help | was
ashamed to do SO, remembering the
neglect extended to writer's TO the
lovely Miss Craddock in her time of
need
The Patriotic Order of Sons of
America has been my prosecutor. 1t
stands for public schools, the Bible
in the schools, and the overthrow of
Catholicism. In their advocacy of the
public schools they resemble the So
cialists.
| have utterly routed in discussion
numbers of the writer's in the Pa
triotic Order, and, In revenge, they
have essayed to call me traitor, rev.
0lutionist, incendiarist and other
names They have also attempted to
have me denied the use OF the mails
and at last one of them got me caught,
as he thought for a penitentiary term,
but on what proved to be rather a
technicality.
/ have just gone through all the
process of arrest by United States
deputy marshal and the subsequent
experiences to this period in which /
am now again free man and ready
for business at the old stand"
When the marshal arrested me
told him it was the happiest day of
my life and that was perfectly will
ing to take anything in the law line
all the way up to hanging, because I
was fighting in legitimate way for
principles.
Although / made no attempt to win
outside friends, I was surprised to see
how many l had Uncle Sans au-
thorities hunted up my record and
found it so admirable that | was
treated with the greatest courtesy
throughout and my case was settled
speedily at a trifing cost.
1t would have been a very easy
matter for me to have had arrested a |
large number of these patriots" who
have written me all kinds of threat
ening letters from all parts of the
country; but having entered the
polemical arena, | wish to abide by
its rules only and stand or fall ac-
cordingly.
Valiant defenders of the public |
schools the Patriotic Orders therefore
are when they fail in discussion and
fly to law All whom | meet are dis
gusted with them.
FRANCIS b. LIVESEY.
Sykcsyil!e, Nd.