The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-02-02
FREEDOM OF SPEECH THREATENED
BY i. s. SENATE AMENDMENT

The Republican Publicity Associa-
ton, through its President, Hon. JON
athan Bourne, Jr., today gave out the
following statement at it's Washing
ton City Headquarters:
"Civilization is based on education,
and education on interchange of ideas.
Any corrupt practices act that cur
tails the right of citizens or organiza-
lions of citizens to interchange of
ideas, expression of thought, or pro-
mitigation of doctrine, strikes at the
very life of desirable and successful
poplar government.
"There can be no question as TO
either the validity or the desirability
of Federal legislation guarding the
purity of elections of Federal officers.
Such legislation, however, should be
clearly within the scope of authority
conferred upon the Federal govern
ment.
"The desire has been expressed that
the corrupt practices act shall have
teeth in it. SO far as that expression
conveys a desire that the act shall be
of practical effect in the attainment
of it's legitimate objects, there can
be no ground for controversy, but if
those who use that expression mean
thereby that the law should be framed
in such language or draw in such
indefinite scope that the teeth shall
be a constant irritant and menace to
citizens who are pursuing legitimate
lines of activity, then the over-en-
thusiastic advocates of Federal con-
troll over elections are asking what
will not be promotive of the best in
terests of free government. AS be-
tween the corrupting influence Of
few evil political workers on the one
hand, and the officious dictation of
partisan prosecuting officers clothed
with a broad and vague authority, on
the other, there is little choice No
citizen can be corrupted unless he SO
desires. There are few indeed who
can be improperly influenced. But
from the power of the partisan pros
ecuting officer who has the govern
ment at his back, the citizen has no
protection unless his rights and duties
are clearly and fully defined in the
statutes.
"The goal of a desirable and eff
ficient corrupt practices act should
be the elimination of the corrupt use
of money either in the election or the
defeat of individual candidates, but
certainly should not he the curtail-
ment of the discussion of ideas either
by individuals or organizations desir-
Gus of promulgating their views as tC
the strength or weakness of pending
issues.
The proposed Senate Committee
amendment to House Bill 1892, il
construed as its language reads, limits
the scope of political discussion OF
every newspaper and periodical, the
Protective Tariff League, the Tariff
Reform League, the Equal Suffrage
Association, the Association Opposed
to Equal Suffrage, the Anti Saloon
League, the farmers unions, labor
organizations and all other organiza-
lions conducting campaigns of propa-
ganda upon subjects of national leg
islation. 1t would terminate the ac-
tivity of colleges that teach the doc
trine of either protection or free
trade.
INSTEAD of curtailing discussion, a
desirable corrupt practices act should
invite and encourage every possible
honest discussion of public questions
whether by circular, newspaper or
public speech, but protect candidates
from vilification and misrepresenta-
ton. How money shall be spent, is
more important than how much shall
be spent.
External viligance is as much the
price of liberty today as it ever was,
and no law should be placed upon the
statute books abridging freedom of
speech or of the press"