Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-16

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Il message for mankind and the un-
! KIND editors won't let YOU print II:
IL YOU have invented a new ism and
want TO tell the world about il: il
you iecl called upon TO conduct a
propaganda for anarchy. uniycrsal
peace or the abolition of high collars:
II. In word. your greatest Joy is to
hear yourself talk and make others
near YOU, come TO New York This is
your earthly paradisc--the home OF
Tree speech You can set up step
i'"dcr on a street corner and talk as
long az YOU want to about anything
! YOU please. The police will not inter
fore with YOU; they will protect YOU
And out of the endless mob that tramps
past Your perch YOU can get sympa-
thecc listeners for your creed IL any
ih"r" be earth.
There Is a general impression about
tho police. often shared by the poIicc-
men themselves. that it is their duty
10 dispense any gathering which shows
the slightest sign of becoming noisy
or excited. In a good many cities such
* tho police practice. Not so In New
YORK The policemen hero are told
that free speech is AN inalienahlc, con-
stitutional right. that II is TO be pro-
tcctod. and To be regulated only so
Tar as necessary for it's preservation.
The Police Commissioner and tho Chief
Inspector have both treated these sub
jccts at length in tho Police bulletin
They take the advanced ground that a
speaker on the streets has a right 10
lamhast the existing order Of things
Just as vchcmcntly as he wants to. and
to advocate any other order he chooses
just as enthusiastically as he likes
provided only he does not recommend
anything more dangerous than words
and votes as means OF making the
change.
II II is your honest aud sincere opin-
ION that all millionaircs should 10
made 10 divide their money among tho
people. and that the working day
should lie limited to three hours with
TWO hours for lunch. YOU have a per-
ieci right !" recommend these things
10 show NJ the millionaircs for tho
h"artlcss land pirates that they are.
and t" weep for the toilinE masses
You can found national party. adopt
Your propaganda as a PLATFORM and
vote il into effect. Eut YOU cannot
recommend throwing bricks at the
mii!lonaircs or closing the shops by
main force.
tnI"Ss YOU are a religious speaker.
YOU do not need a permit. You merely
tell tho police where you want to hold
your meeting. and IL the place is not
convenient. they will assign YOU am
other. II YOU wish. they Will assign
YOU several corners.
Religion Requires Permit.
Religious speakers must have a per-
mt. When asked why this distinc-
tion was made tho Deputy Commits
sioner in charge Of street speakers adj
United he did not know. lie suggest
cd asking the Alderman who passed
the law. Eut he admitted that il was
n good thing TO have some means of
Keeping track OF the religious orators.
IN a town where aboHt every religion
on earth * represented. a perfectly
wcii-meaninC sermon delivered at the
wrong corner may result in lot of
broken glass and black eyes. This was
proved by certain Italian Protestant
who went to the Italian quarter in
Hrooklyn. and began telling the why
and how Of this conversion to his
ialth. There we're some people around
that did not enjoy the recital. and tho
speaker had to leave suddenly and re-
turn no more.
There is II" discrimination in The
granting of these permits To hold re-
ligious meetings. You arc not allow
cd to take up II collection, and you
must have three references. That is
about all that is required. If YOU
make trouble in ono place, YOU will
he moved to another hut you will not
be suppressed unless it appears that
your only object is to make trouble.
One Of the most persistent street
speakers in New York is Theodore
Nelson. n West Indian. who addresses
crowds in Madison Square almost
every daS. Tic talks with real e1O-
Qucnce and keeps his large crowds in
tcrcstcd. He is 81 religious speaker
and his religion consists in the lam
baSting. cXCoriating and dcnouncing
OF all other religions Every once in
while the police get q long petition
from the Jews: or the IIindoos or the
Holy Rollers or the Greek orthodox
people. asking that Nelson he prohih-
tied and restrained from standing on
Il soap box and calling them names.
Then Deputy Commissioner Pearson
has Nelson up OH the carpet, and urges
him TO he Il bit more restrained in his
remarks. But inasmuch as Nelson
seems to be perfectly sincere in his be-
lief that all religion is pihle. he is
not suppressed.
Permission Sometimes Refused.
Now and again a wou1d-bc preacher
is refused u permit Not long ago
wild looking chap from somewhere In
the West applied to Mr.. Pearson for
his fitness he displayed n little four
leaf newspaper which he had pub
lished somewhere in ;nc West This
organ proved that lie was prophet.
who had forctold the European War.
the Johnstown flood and many other
great calamitics. 1t also limited that
he had share in the management and
staging Of these. But he could not
get any references. He told the COM
missioner that he didn't need per-
NIT from the New York police, that
lie had one from the Ituler ~r the Uni
verse. Il am afraid the po:-Ie won't
recognize It," said the commissioner.