The morning journal-courier., 1908-04-03
THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE.

IhE NIGHT ~ ASSEMBLE.
II Is not at all surprising that con-
troversy should have been started
over the refusal of the police, or the
commissioner of parks, to permit a
mass meeting which was petItioned
for in Union Square, New York. in aid
of the unemployed Such a contro-
versy is to be encouraged rather
than discouraged There is no par
ticular right to which the American
people cling with more tenacty than
the right of free speech.
Rather than sacrifice or abridge that
they are ready to so to extremes. We
certainly have no quarrel with that
state of mind, but the right to as
sembe in public places and exercise
the guarantee Of free speech must in
each instance be considered with ref
erence to the time and place.
AS oftentimes happens when resent
ment Is INDUCED in because free
speech appears to have been suppress
ed unduly, the exact facts in the ease
are lost sight OF in giving that re-
sentiment its necessary expression.
Robert Hunter, who was denied the
chance to speak in Union Square
week ago. has written to the newspa-
pers in defense of his rights as an
American citizen and has evidently
convinced many people that he has
been badly abused. The Journal
Courier Is In receipt Of letters warning
II that its attitude Is not abreast of
the thought of the times and contlnu-
snce in 1t can only indct It in the
name of old fogyism. We should
certainly agree to this suggestion II
We were to be counted among those
who favor tho suppression of The
D III VI li'' FH'f'ils 81 ldI us hbb-
ert Hunter is concerned in con Ice
ton with the New York mass meeting
project he has no right to raise the
question in the way he has. II vas
neither the time nor the place for him
10 test his convictions on that subject.
There Is no right or power resting in
his person to arbitrarily set aside the
laws Of tho state Of New York, witch
Ibis companion, Morris Hilquitt, lid
not undertake to do. The refusal of
the proper authorities to approve the
proposed meeting had been recorded.
and whether that refusal was right or
wrong In principle, II registered the
will Of the government which Mr.
Hunter ~ a citizen has sworn to up
hold and support. It was Mr.. Hunt
er's defiance of the law that has
brought him under merIted ontonpt
and criticism II was Mr. Hllqultt's
acquiesccnce In the law which has
earned him a deserved reputation as
a peace loving and orderly citizen.
The right to assemble and the right
to speak freely introduce for consd-
Grafton subject with which tho per-
so lalitS Of Mr.. Hunter has nothing
to do Looking at the proposed New
York meeting at distance OF one
hundred miles nearly, We should say
that II would have been better had the
authorities given their assent 20 It.
but we do not know the conditions at
the moment which convinced them
that that particular meeting possess
cd such explosive qualities that an
assent would have been more or less
deliberate approval Of sinister mo-
tives Looked at IN n broad and toll
Grant spirit the right TO assemble and
indulge in free speech ought to be
most carefully guarded by the govern
ment. even to the point of patiently
enduring the possible fracture Of par
Iiamentary speech. II has been well
said that the government has more To
fear from the secret assembly Of u
dozen discontented or restless or reck-
less men In a hidden cellar than II
has from a mass meeting in public nd
dressed by the ferccst fre-caters In
the country. IT has been the polics
OF the city government of New Hover
for many years to permit the free ust
of the historic old Green for the dis.
cussion of every known theory Of so
cinl Improvement aud II has been q
policy which has indicated itself
During the summer months searcel,
an evening passes but that some phil
osopher mounts to the band stand ant
has his say Oftentimes his anRuag,
IL radical and even innammatory bu
there has never been time whom t
would have been good Judgment fo
the authorities to intervene am
command silence. The great virtue