Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1912-10-31
FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

With the country convinced that the
attempted assassination of MIR. Roose-
welt was not the work of an opposing
political party and that he is less of a
martyr than his speech of the same
evening implied. il may now be APP
propriate to examine the colonel's re-
mark TO the effect that the attack
upon him was the result of matter
published in the newspapers. When
Mckinley was assassinated it was
found convenient to blame certain
newspapers for the act of maniac
and without reference to the newspa
per Giles of the days following the muir
der of Lincoln and Garfield it seems
safe to say that even some newspapers
were blamed for crime in which they
did not have the slightest share.
Mr.. Roosevelt has asserted that the
adverse criticism Of him by newspapers
believing that he is not the man to
serve again as president of the Uni
ted States was the cause of the at
tempt made upon his life. From a
man like him no more could be expect
ed. When it comes to turning every
thing to his own advantage, Mr.. Roose-
welt simply has no equal. If anything,
he is thoroughly INSCRIPTIONS when it
comes to promoting his peculiar self
imposed mission. But that does not
mean that the country in general must
share this view. or that the press must
fail in the only public service it does.
On the whole, Mr.. Roosevelt has been
treated editorially with more leniency
than he deserves. or would accord, ana
for this reason his "victimization is
not the work of what he would call the
warped brains of editorial writer's.
Conditions have been such that the col
onel has heen his own worst enemy.
Instead of criticising the man, newspa-
pers have merely printed what he had
to say about himself and others, no
favor to him, to be sure, but still the
only way in which the case could be
treated.
It will be sorry day for the repub-
lie when newspapers shall nc longer be
able to exercise those functions of
which Mr.. Roosevelt complains and
which he, therefore, would cripple if
not entirely prevent. The liberty of
which we are now so fond as badge
elevating US just a little above the rest
of mankind. will be a thing of the
past. Men of the Roosevelt type
would be able to subverse the order of
things without meeting so much as a
protest.
While every newspaper in the coun-
try. as well as every rational citizen.
has regretted the act that put Mr.
Roosevelt's life in jeopardy, there is no
doubt that the free discussion of poll
tics. including those of the progressive
party, must go on. Though this may
not be generally recognized, it is a
fact that editorial writers have no per-
sonal interest in the man they may be
called upon to criticise adversely. 1t
is the Office the man holds or seeks
that makes him prominent enough to
get the attention of these men. Roose-
Welt as a butcher, baker or candlestick
maker would not be in existence
Roosevelt as the candidate of the pro-
gressive party is different. Even the
idiotic drlvel to the contrary appear
ing in the jellyfsh variety of newsps-
pers cannot change this.
There will be little excuse for the
newspaper when once it shall fail to
keep the public Informed, reportorially
and editorially. who and what the
aspirants for public office are. The
liberty of the press is a thing in which
the plain man has a greater interest
than he thinks. There is no difference
between his freedom of speech and the
right of the newspapers TO do exactly
what good newspapers. regardless of
Marty. have done in this campaign.
The newspapers today are. as they
have been. the single agent making
democratic government possible. To
muffie or muzzle them would be to
make men of Mr.. Roosevelt's type
Greater menace to the republic thar
ever. Antonio Light.