The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-05-17
Free Speech, Free Press

IlCC JpCCCU, IICC TICSS
The following was handed to the
editor last week, but so late that it
was not possible to give it space. It
is gladly printed, and is so to the
point as to need no comment:
Editor Islander: There is very
widespread agita ton at the present
time in behalf of civic righteousness
and for laws designed to express
more clearly the will of the people.
The cause for this agitation is said to
be the unrest and uncertainty which
prevails throughout the world. But
in the proposals to accomplish GER
tain reforms, men continue to differ
in opinion as to the value and consti-
nationality of measures which are de-
signed to ameliorate conditions.
Legislation which will conserve the
inherent rights of all and at the same
time control malefactors of all classes,
high and low, rich and poor, seems
difficult to construct. History af-
fords abundant evidence that stat
utes designed for good from the view
point # their original proponents,
have been used to prosecute dissent
ers, and especially is this true Of laws
affecting religious relations.
A religious convention was held in
New Orleans, November, 1910, at
which the following resolution wa.
adopted:
''Resolved, That the Congress of
the United States be earnestly re-
quested to amend Section 1893 of the
revised statutes Of the United States
relating to the mailing of obs enc,
lewd and lascivious' literature so that
the same shall include the mailing OF
books, papers, writings, and prints
which outrage religious convictions
of our citizens and contain scurrilous
attacks upon Faith
At a convention held last August
in Columbus, Ohio, the same resolu-
ton was endorsed and enacted
Considering that the present law
amply covers the subject Of improper
immoral litera ture, does not the pro-
posed amendment, if adopted by Con-
gress, put within the grasp of some
religions sect weapon by which the
freedom of speech and of the press
may be stifed? and would not this be
contrary to the spirit and letter of
the First Amendment to the Consti
tuition, which provides: Congress
shall make no law respecting an es-
tablishment of religion, or prohibit
ing the free exercise thereof; or
abridging the freedom of speech or.
of the press?'
Thomas Jefferson in letter to Ell
bridge Gerry, 1899, said among other
things: 81 am for freedom of reli-
gion and against all manoeuvers to
bring about legal ascendency of one
sect over another; for freedom of the
press and against all violations of the
Constitution to silence by force and
not by reason the complaints or crit
icisns, just or unjust, of our citizens
against the conduct of their agents. y
In a letter to Washington in 1892
Jefferson made this comment on the
subject of the press: Mature has
given to man no other means of sift-
ing out the truth, either in religion,
law or politics.
If Congress shall accede to the
wishes Of the society above mention
ed. it would establish by law an Index
Librorum Prohioitorum, which is
manifestly in opposition to the genius
Of our American system of govern
ment. It IS to be hoped, therefore,
that Congress will refuse the legisla-
ton desired. SANFORD B. HORTON
There Is more Catarrh in this section OF
the country than all other diseases put
together and until the last few years
was supposed to be incurable. For great
many years doctors pronounced it a local
by constantly failing to cure with local
treatment, pronounced it incurable. Sci
ence has proven Catarrh to be a constf-
tutional disease, and therefore requires
|. constitutional treatment Halls Catarrh