The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-05-25
Wilson Defeating Own Purpose

Wilson Defeating OWn Purpose
The time has arrived when it is no longer pa
triotic for the newspapers of the land to main
tain their silence as to the acts and intentions OF
President Wilson. Today; in view of the presl-
dents letter to congress asking that body to re-
consider it's action and now grant him autocratlc
RIGHTS of censorship over the American free press
and the American individuals right OF free
speech, the imperative patriotic duty OF every
American newspaper loyal to the plain people of
the United States is quickly to arouse the public
to the fact that their president is seeking to de-
Drive them of the very foundations of liberty and
self-government.
In the beginning Of his fight for press and
free speech censorship, the president acted
through his cabinet members, Lansing, Gregory
and Burleson. These men were sent. to caJoe or
coerce congress into what really amounted to
betraying the rights of the people by granting
President Wilson, in . censorship law, powers
that would make him potentially the despot OF
America. The loyal newspapers OF America,
patriotically DESTROYS of maintaining the true inn
preston abroad that the American people were
united behind their president in this war for
we were and still are 80 united-were silent as to
the presidents part in this attempt. Their criti-
cism was directed at Messrs. Lansing, Gregory
and Burleson, the presidents advisors-as criti-
cism in foreign monarchies is directed at the
kings ministers and never at the king unless
revolution is brewing.
AS result of the fight the newspapers waged
and the pressure hundreds Of thousands of citi-
zens all over this land brought to bear on their
congressman, as well as due to the loyalty of
bare majority of the senators, Democrat as well
as Republican under the leadership of Senator
Hiram johnson, to their oath to uphold the con-
stitution Of the United States this first attempt
of President Wilson's to gag the free press and
stifle free speech met defeat in the senate.
Encouraged, possibly by the fact that his de-
feat in the senate on this measure was by the
close vote of 80 to 80, President Wilson, this time
openly, is seeking again to force congress to
grant him, unconstitutionally, this dangerous
power that no one at the head of the American
people has held since George III of England
ceased to be their ruler.
It is fair to compare the great Lincoln and
President Wilson. Lincoln was the countrys
leader in its greatest crisis an Independent ma
tion In his time hostile armies of the oligarchial
slave power Of the South Numbered at the gates
of the North and terribly threatened the unified
existence Of the nation.
At no time, however, during the trying days
from 1861 to 1865 did Abraham Lincoln indirect
ly or directly demand of congress autocratic pow
er or censorship control of the press and free
speech.
The crisis and war confronting the country
today is not one whit less serious than that which
President Lincoln so manfully faced and over
came. Unlike our great martyred president how
ever, who patiently put up with the most calum-
NOUS criticism and vilification almost the first
act Of President Wilson, who so far has had the
finest kind of loyal support from practically all
citizens and from the press Of the nation has
been to ask for dictatorial powers over the free