The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-08-08

{ v N guar. Lteeing the equality of
citizens before tie law, the
! trainers OF the national Con-
- stituticn considered it nee
essary to specify some OF the things
guaranteed. Among those thus
specified, and essential to that equaH-
ty, are freedom Of religion, freedom
of speech, and freedom of the press.
We have shown in these pages,
from issue to issue, the dangers that
threaten the first of these, freedom
of religion, and the combinations
that have been, and are now being
effected to control religious belief
and make religious practises matters
OF legal enactment. We have shown
the danger threatening the freedom
OF the press in the proposed legis-
lation that would exclude from
mailing privileges publications, un-
friendly to a certain church The
supporters of both these movements
have thus been working for ends
that were in opposition to what the
Constitution trainers considered es-
sential to the equality Of citizens.
The other Of the three guarantees
mentioned is being attacked in vari-
Gus parts Of the country One of the
most striking manifestations of OPP
position to this constitutional guar
anty-freedom of speech-was wit
messed recently in the city of ST..
Louis, Mo-, when Lieut.. Gen. Nelson
A. Miles, who has held the highest
military office in the gift of the ma
10
an audience of American citizens on
one Of the most vital issues of the
day, and had to leave the city with
his lecture undelivered.
General Miles has espoused the
cause of Constitutional guarantees,
and is calling the attention of the
public to the dangers which threaten
the rights Of the people. He stands
for the principles incorporated in the
Declaration of independence and the
Constitution Of the United States.
Standing upon such principles, the
people can not but consider as their
enemies those who attack him and
oppose and ridicule the principles
for which he is contending.
General Miles was scheduled to
deliver an address in the auditorium
of the Odeon in ST. Louis on the
evening of May "a on the general
topic of Americas Danger" He
also had contracted with the Second
Baptist Church to use it's auditorium
for a similar address. On arriving
in St. Louis. he found both his con-
tracts cancelled. Influences inimical
to the principles for which he stood,
and therefore inimica1 to the Consti-
tuition of the United States and to the
guaranteed rights of the people, had
been at work to stifie freedom of
speech in ST. Louis.
No theater can obtain a license to
do business unless it is properly
equipped with Horoscopes The only
way in which the Odeon could thus
be equipped was to secure permission
to extend it's fire-escape over some
property belonging to the Catholic
Church. When the pastor of the
Catholic Church, N. l.. Frazen,
learned that General Miles was to
speak in the Odeon, he notified the
manager that unless the contract
with General Miles was Cancelled,
the church would compel him to
take down the fire-escape. This
would mean that the theater would
have to be closed. The manager
very naturally succumbed to this
threat to ruin his business.
Why the Baptist Church Cancelled
it's contract we have not learned
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