Manchester Democrat., 1909-01-06
FOE 0FFREE SPEECH =
BRYAN TO PRESIDENT
Nsbraskan Calls the Message ON
Panama Case Dangerous
Doctrine.
HTS FEDERAL PROSECUTION.

-'-sa- 49,, -'.e-~-s = . - y - = V@s'
Indianapolis News Regrets Roose-
ve1t's "Pitiable Exhibition
of Rage.''
@Rillingsgate from the White House"
- w j. Bryan's description Of recent
Rooseveltian utterances. In an editorial
discussion Of the tilt between the Presi-
dent and Congress, Mr.. Bryan says in.
his newspaper
President Roosevelt has sent to Con-
gress a message which announces new
and dangerous doctrine. 1t is the duty of
every publisher and every believer in free
speech and press to resent the Presidents
attempt to use the government to terrorize
those who would criticise the action Of
public officials. No official can claim ex-
emption from criticism merely because he
Ia an official, and no act Of the govern
ment is SO sacred that the huhblest citi-I
zen may not express an adverse opinion
upon It.
1t is a matter of little consequence
whether the charges made by the World
are true or false-that can be determined
by suit at law in the ordinary way-but
1t is matter of great importance that
every editor and every other individual,
shall be free to express his opinion ON
any subject connected with public af-i
fairs. The World demands an investiga-
ton OF the Panama purchase, and it Is
for Congress to determine whether the in
vestigation shall be made. The fact that
the President thinks no investigation is
necessary is immaterial
Mr.. Pulitzer is on solid ground when he
resists the Presidents attempt to convert
newspaper criticism of officials into
criticism against the government itself.
The Presidents message is indefensible In
SO far as it asserts the right of the gov
ernment to prosecute the World, or Mr..
Pulitzer, and he will find that he has
{overstepped the limits OF his authority IL
he attempts to use the Attorney Gen
erals Office in the way that he has pro-
posed. The President is not the govern
ment !; a criticism of him is not criticism
OF the government.
The indianapolis News, mentioned in
the special message on the Panama
canal deal, in. reply to the chief execu-
tive, says in part:
1t is difficult to characterize fully the
latest outbreak Of the President without
resorting to the use Of language as undig-
ni6ed and blameworthy as that which put
the Presidents utterance in class by
itself In the official literature Of the high
Office he holds. Whatever provocation Mr..
Roosevelt may have felt pricking his soul
nothing could justify or much extenuate
the torrent of invectiye and yirulence
which he poured out in state paper upon
the head Of private citizens. No one in
his sober senses can fail to regard the
performance as grave derogation to the
dignity of the presidential station, pitia-
BILE exhibition Of towering rage on the
part of the chief magistrate and the SOURCE
OF humiliation and chagrin to the entire
country.
False Theories OF Prosperity.
Listen to this typical assertion by one
lot the leading high tariff standpatters
OF the ways and means committee:
Under the operation Of. the present
tariff law, which has been In effect for
almost twelve years, the country, In the
aggregate. has had the greatest prosper
ity in its history
1t requires only Average Intelligence
to realize, from careful analysis Of
government reports, that this nation
has experime,iced a flood tide of pros
perlty in spite OF high and unequal
tariff The high tariff advocates Jun.
BILE cause and effect deliberately.
Il this nation had begun equalizing
the tariff on rational lines twelve years
ago instead Of now, 1t would haye expe-
rienced an even greater measure Of real
Eprpsperity In the Intervening years. OF
vastcr Importance still, that prosperity
would have been distributed among the
great body OF consumers otherwise the
plain people.
This nations phenomenal prosperity,
from natural causes, has enabled 1t to
sustain the unnatural load OF robber
tariff schedules. The millions that have
been taken from consumers to swell the
private fortunes Of tariff barons do not
constitute real prosperity. A nations
prosperity can not be measured by the
number Of Carnegies or Rockefellers It
produces.
No rational American will deny that
normat tariff protection has been a
blessing to this country. 1t is the alb.
normal abuses of the protective theory
that have tended to lay Increasing bur-
dtens on the back Of consumers. II is
| the plupdering Of the thrifty poor, for
the benefit of the idle rich. that brings
the whole tariff law into disrepute.
The great underlying causes Of real
prosperity are to be found In natures
resources When these resources are
| released by individual human thrlft-in
farms, mines and workshops the less
artificial taxation the better. The tariff
10 artificial at the best
Scientific protection takes account of
such struggling industries az can not
yet stand alone in competition with for
I elgn labor
When these infants become giants
and world beaters American consumers
ask Justly that tariff taxes be lowered.
a Mere Miracle.
After all, the tariff Is a marvellous
thing. It's constantly working new
wonders 1t makes the rain fail. the
sun shine and the crops grow. as we
have; not only heard, but as SO distin-
guished an authority as James Wilson,
1 Secretary Of Agriculture. has proved by
statistics. accurate and eloquent. 1t
makes two blades grow where one grew
before, It promotes industry and brings
employment to the unemployed. as In