Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-10-16
LIMITATIONS OF
FREE SPEECH

s-
On Saturday evening Judge A. =.
Vinje Of the wisconsin Supreme court
addressed the Fortnightly Literary
club at tie home Of Mr.. and Mrs. II.
E. Cole, on the subject Of "The Linn
tations of Free Speech !" This was
the opening meeting of the thirty-first
var uf II Z organic atm.
Judge Vinje said the permanent en-
durance of the family. tribal. and
state relations, involve the idea that
the right of the group is paramount
to the right Of the constituent in
dividual-else a part would be great
er than the whole, postulate equally
obnoxious to ethics and mathematics.
The idea may be summed up in the
fundamental principle that society
has an inherent right to protect itself;
that the preservation of law and order
lis paramount to the rights Of indiv-
dduals or property. This was well
illustrated in decisions pertaining to
the liquor question. Unrestricted the
sale Of liquor leads to drunkenness,
poverty, Iawlessness, vice and crime
of almost every description. Against
this result society has the inherent
right to protect itself-a right which
atedates all constitutions and written
laws, a right which springs out of
the very foundations upon which the
social organism rests.
AS to free speech in this country, it
is found in the first amendment to
the constitution Of the United States
that congress shall make no law res
pecting an establishment of religion or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press.
This has received liberal construc-
ton in favor of liberty, but not of
license. The law relating to libel,
SANDER, blasphemy, obsenity, and sed-
itious utterances has not been affect
ed by it, because to freedom mention
ed in the constitution did not, and
never was intended to, excise viola
ton of those laws. But three cases in
volving the question Of the freedom Of
speech have gone to the supreme
court Of the United States. Numer-
Gus cases have gone to the state
courts, however.
Conditions change with war, what
may be said in time of peace would be
a violation in time of war.
Questions have arisen and laws
have been made as to the freedom of
speech during campaigns, as to free
dom Of speech against the courts,
but these have in no great degree af-
fected the freedom which the people
of this country enjoy.
In the discussion which followed
Judge Vinje told an incident which
well illustrates the point. An Irishman
came to America and before long
struck man on the end of the nose.
When hailed into court the Irishman
said he always understood this was
"a free country. Eyes," said the Judge, !
your freedom ends just where the
nose of the man you struck begins"
Freedom of speech is permitted so
long as it does not interfere with the
rights, character, and the lake of
others.
Superintendent A. G. Kingsford,
Jack Boyle, A, S. Kingsford, Mrs. E.
August Runge, the only charter mem
Der present, and others joined in the
discussion.
Among the visitors were Mr.. and
Mrs. r. P. Perry of Reedsburg, Mr..
Perry joining in the debate of the
subject. Mrs. Vinje accompanied her
husband for visit in the city.
Mrs. G. w. Snyder, with Mrs. A. F.
Reiner at the piano greatly, pleased
the company with vocal numbers.