The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-04-28
FREE SPEECH, FREE PRESS
AND FREE CONSCIENCE
(By William H. Cundiff.)

The principles of full and complete
democracy are the definitions, and
axioms of free society.
To substitute the autorratic power
of a Federal execution, like the
United States Postmaster General,
for the first amendment to the FEEDER
al Constitution, is subversive of the
principles of Democracy.
This Amendment reads as follows:
Congress shall make no law re-
specting an establishment of religion.
or prohibiting the free exercise there
of, or abridging the freedom OF
speech, or of the press, or the right
of the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the Government for
a redress of grievances"
In these days OF militarism and
war madness 1t behooves all neutra's
and all sane people to use voice and
pen to prevent brain panic and to
save civilization form material and
moral wreckage.
Free speech, press and conscience
are the landmarks of freedom AMI
Democracy, and the conservators OF
truth, justice and intelligence.
Tyranny and injustice, ignorance
and superstition, and despotism OF
state or church cannot always abide
where there is freedom of thought
and discussion.
Ignorance, superstition despoisn
and corruption flee froln free pubic
discussion to the haunts of priest
craft and the abodes of political cor
ruption.
Both political and religious des-
potism are at war with truth, justice
and the right, and fight and perse-
cute all movements for more free
dom and a greater democracy for the
people.
Reason and free inquiry are the
foes of error and dark superstition.
The truth can stand alone, while
error needs force and coercion to
sustain it.
Investigation informs, and discus
sion enlightens. But the repression
of despotic power exercised by church
or state darkens truth, denies the
right, and keeps the world in ignor-
ance and bondage by lies, sophistries
and superstitions.
Free and untrammeled speech,
press and conscience prepare the way
for knowledge which enlightens,
truth which defends, and the mental
and moral light which illumes the
worlds dark places.
It is education, free speech, free
press, and free assemblage for free
discussion, that alone can dispel men
tai darkness, and finally light the
fires of that social revolution which
shall exalt man from ignorance,
prejudice and superstition and place
him upon the pedestal of an enlight-
ened civilization.
All liberty, all Democracy, all
economic justice, all moral uplift,
and all true civilization and social
progress depend for advancement
and perpetuity upon free speech. free
conscience.
Speech, press and conscience must
have free and normal expression to
save the world from war frenzy and
savagery.
Right education, high mental ex-
preston of speech, press and consci-
ence are demanded in the interests
of the common good and sane Soc
iety.
The spirit of arrogance and intol-
erance, born of ignorance. bigotry
and despotic power, must be forever
prevented from invading American
Rights and free institutions.
Not only free speech. press and
conscience, as guaranteed by our
Federal Constitution, must be pre-
served from all foreign power and
evil influences. as well as from all
encroachments by organized greed
and autocratic plutocracy; but also
our free public schools must be pre-
served and fostered for a free bases
and a full preparation for all the re-
quirements of reedom and funda-
m antal Democracy