Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-07-03


chief bulwarSs OF Individual security
against the aggressions of centralized
power.
2 The right secured by the writ OF
habeas corpus. BY this peculiar re.
quirement of our legal system, any per-
son arrested can have the cause OF his
arrest and Imprisonment at once In
Quired into by a competent court. In
most other countries. this right being
unknown, men may be. ana often have
BEEN imprisoned for years without even
being informed OF the charge against
them. This has been the fate OF many
q political opponent Of those IN power,
and while imprisonment for merely
political offeuses tends to fall more and
more into disuse, 1t is by no means
abolished In many of the leading ma
lions. In several Of the European ma
lions OF today person may be BAN
ished from the country upon the bare
suspicion Of a magistrate
9. Individual security. No arrests
can be made in this country except for
crime committed at the time. and no
premises can he searched or seizures
of property made, without an express
and specific warrant from a. compe-
tent court authorizing the officer TO act
This security Of person and property
against unreasonable searches anc
seizures is in sharp contrast with the
practice in most OF the countries Or
Europe,
q, \ speedy trial. Unless the ac-
oused himself secures the delay.
speedy and impartial trial is the aim
of our laws In many countries, ac-
| cused persons may languish for years
! IN prison before being brought TO
! trial.
! s. Freedom OF speech. a person may
truly say what he thinks, and the
| truth Of his assertion is generally
| complete defense. He may express his
opinion upon all departments OF the
government, without any danger as IN
most other countries OF being fined,
Imprisoned, or baulshed for 50 doing
The press also Is free. That Is. there
is no censorship OF II by those in an
thority. Both individuals and news
papers are responsible for what they
say falsely and maliciously in regard
to Others. Liberty of the press and
freedom of speech do not mean license
to vilify and falsely accuse.
s. Protection to persons S1 trial. a
UNIQUE system as to the adm'ssibility
OF evidence against persons accused OF
crime prevails in English speaking
countries. Witnesses can tell only
what they know. and not what they
suppose or believe. They cannot all
ways tell even what they have heard
and are not permitted to tell facts that
do not bear directly upon the question
OF the guilt or innocence of the acN
cused, In the Dreyfus trial. the wit
nesses were allowed latitude that
would not be tolerated in our courts.
Z. Treason limited to overt acts The
crime OF treason, hitherto vague and
underlined, the resort OF tyrants, the lev
gal shield and weapon of cowardly as~
sassns in all ages. Is limited in this
country TO the overt acts Of levyin.
war against the government or in giv-
ing aid to those who are doing so,
Even conspiracies TO overthrow the
government. unaccompanea by overt
acts of levying war have been held by
our courts to be something less than
treason.
s. Equality before tho law All
citizens here are politically equal No
title of nobility can be granted The
almost universal manhood suffrage
makes OF every adult citizen a sort ot
sovereign the source of power whence
government issues. Discarding old
theories. such as the divine right of
kings, we say that sovereignty ulti-
mately and of right rests with the
people, who may therefore change, en-
large, or contract the powers exercised
BY their servants. the officers OF the
government.
.. Freedom of religion. Religious
belief and worship are not subject TO
legal interference in this country. There
is no established church to support by
taxation. There is no religious test
for civil office or other public priVi-
Iege. Those who seek to discriminate
in civil affairs against others because
OF their religious faith and affillation
are untrue to the whole genius of real
Amerioansm,
10. Civil power supreme. The Mill
tary is subordinate 10 the civil organi-
cation. There can he little danger
here that armed force shall overturn
OF permanently abridge any of the |
unique forms Of liberty which the cele-
hGation of the Fourth of July should
really symbolic.
Grateful To Almighty God" for
these blessings Of liberty, we celebrate
the day In order to perpetuate the free
dom which in this happy land is not
only the heritage OF today but Is the
obligation OF the present TO ruture
generations.