New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-11
THE RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH
Should It Be Flouted Merely Because
Lawlessness Exists?

/ To the Editor OF The Tribune.
/ Sir. Your editorial in Saturdays issue
referring TO the rights Of free speech its
relation 10 general conditions and espe-
clally 10 the sentence imposed upon Editor
! Scott OF The Passaic Weekly seems 10
! he an over-zealous Interpretation as TO
/ the rights and liberties Of but one class
OF people, Fully approaching the guar
antees Of the federal Constitution toward
! the liberty Of the press, II might be sug-
/ gested that the trainers Of our basic laws
never intended that the freedom Of speech
should cover the field OF license and OF
/ vicious statements for which neither
cause nor reason exists.
! Editor Scott would not be criticised nor
| punished II In the pursuit OF his business
! he published articles Ia his paper which
could be interpreted az reasonable and
! Just. but when Editor Scott publishes
articles that appear TO have no other in
tention or purpose than to excite class
hatred and riotous conditions. then II
would seem that such actions should no
/ longer be classified I'm the column ~ per-
sonal Liberties and freedom OF speech,
n an editor Of a newspaper Is 20 have
/ the privilege OF printing anything that he
feels disposed To-. without having good
warrant and proof then this SHOULD
/ cease 10 be considered a liberty OF the
press H. however, YOU are such cham
pion OF personal liberty and freedom.
would Il not be good policy I'm inquire
into the rights and liberties OF men who,
| entirely ignorant Of the conditions OF
/ the silk business, have come 20 Paterson
10 organize a revolt against the peace and
\ safety Of community and TO the detri-
ment and destruction OF an industry?
Where does personal liberty and freedom
exist under such conditions? The Judge.
police and officials OF Paterson are 10 be
/ congratulated and commended for at last
waking up 10 the disastrous consequences
which this element has imported into Pat
erson and for taking every justlhable
means OF counteractng conditions which
must ultimately develop into riot and
| anarchy. with farreaching consequences
to the Industrial stability OF this country.
Paterson for nearly four months has
been passing through one of the most Sc
rious labor revolutions ever experienced
and principles OF the Industrial Workers
OF the World exclude the possibility OF
any recognition OF this association from
the manufacturers, but even If this could
be done the demands made as TO hours
and pay would. If granted, spell absolute
ruin to the silk industry Of Paterson, as
even under present conditions Passaic
| County silk factories are paying from %
per cent to 10 per cent higher wages than
exist In Pennsylvania and other localities.
Now under such conditions 1 submit that
| Il would be judcious ethical and decorus
for Editor Scott to be more moderate and
logical and less vtriolic I'm his editorial
writings and to exert his influence toward
a truthful analysis Of existing conditions.
IL will then not be necessary 10 wave red
bunting and rave at the police as brass
| buttoned rutiians' You call upon the
higher courts OF New Jersey Ito do some
thing to show their disapproval of the
perversion OF Justice" Do you possibly
refer to the defenceless widow who last
week was brutally assaulted and thrown
into the gutter " a Paterson street by
three full grown men because she wanted
to work and refused TO return TO idleness?
Much intimidation exists. Many would
work, but dare not Sun. the Fourteenth
Amendment OF the Constitution provides
that no state shall deny to any person
within its Jurisdiction the equal protection
OF the law! What protection have those
who wish to work In Paterson had except
what the local police could give them.
THE brass-buttoned rufflans'! Perhaps 1t
would be timely II Congress should
properly step In and inquire whether cit-
Gems and residents OF New Jersey are en-
toying the full protection Of the guaran-
tees OF the federal Constitution" The