The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1920-01-02
SEDlTION LAWS
ARE uN AMERICAN
Proved Disastrous and Were
Repealed During Term Of
President Adams.

The state of the National Nonpar-
tisan league at its recent convention
In st. Paul against sedition laws in
times of peace calls to mind the
fact that the only sedition laws Amer
lea has attempted in its century and
third Of existence, until the espion-
age and sedition laws growing out Of |
the war with Germany were enacted,
were the Infamous "Alien and Sedition
Laws" passed in 1893, during the adj
ministration of President Adams.
These laws have been branded by prac-
tiaclly every historian since that
period as blot and stain on Ameri-
can history. They caused such re-
volt of the people that the party guilty
of placing them on the statute books
was wiped out and utterly destroyed
| and passed away forever, although it
was the party which took the leading
part in the foundation of the republic
and was supreme up to the time it
made this fatal mistake.
The present espionage and sedition
laws are remarkably like those re-
moved from the statute books and cast
aside by an indignant race Of freemen
12O years ago. It remains to be seen
in the results of future elections how
much of that original spark of Ameri-
can liberty is still alive in the hearts
of the people.
Origin Of Laws.
The "Alien and Sedition Laws We're
enacted when we were at war with
France in 1798. This war had never
consisted Of anything but overt acts
: by France against the American navy
and merchant marine on the high seas
! 1t was the result of the quarrels be
{ tween France and England for tn,
e support of the United States. Thu
d federalist party under Adams an.
K Hamilton favored England: The re
publican party under jefferson AM
n Monroe sympathized with France. TIL
l. criticisms of the administration by tn
e republican party becoming PARTICULAR
e bitter and virulent and being suppOrte
S by many men of foreign birth, tn
e it and get rid of what they considere
h dangerous foreign element, passe
e four alien and sedition laws in Jun
le and July, 1893.
ID People MuzzIed.
s. The first increased the length {
W residence necessary for naturalizatio
le from five to fourteen years. The othe
|
Is tation Of turbulent and dangerou
d. aliens at the discretion Of the pres
" dent. even in time of peace, and til
arrest, trial and punishment OF thos
who would either unlawfully combir
10 with others to oppose any measure
N Of the government, or write, prin
If utter or publish anything with inter
no to defame the president or the hous'
ofl Of congress, or to weaken their autho
- ity or bring them. into contempt"
alien act passed in July, 1898, autho
lied the president in time Of war
=. restrain. secure or remove from Il
- country, as he pleased, all subjects
a hostile power.
- President Wilson, under whose a
- ml0lSCTdLlOIl laws SIAAA6OAy AAAA~ eAAN
80 have been passed, is frank and Gle
~ in denouncing these laws Of 121 yea
=, $50 in his 'History of the America
or People,
q, Wilson's Opinion.
e. He says: 'The. sedition act cut pc
81 lousy near the freedom of the pres
:. There was no telling when such ext
~ cises of power would stop. The or
'ps limitations and safeguards lay IN
% temper and good sense Of the preside
~ and the attorney general"
- - "Clearly the federalists had gone
al far. The indictment Of their enem1
~, seemed proved-they were the party
7at power. Of autocratic power, and r
ces the party of popular privilege.
no. So great was the Indignation of
American people over what they e
hat sidered a blow at their most sacr
aid liberties, that in the election OF Is
son Jefferson, the avowed bitter zoe
the these laws. was elected president, a
Is Adams. who signed them, recelv
.es- only about one-fourth OF the eIecto
uce votes. The federalist party, Wh
tre- had dared to sponsor these laws ne'
BOD received the support Of the peo
tes again. and disappeared from hlsto
a to KEPT PRESS METHOD
-, nr orrrl inc cTQll