The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-06-08
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.

The Constitution of the United States guarantees not only free
speech but free press One indeed cannot exist without the
one impaired suppressed the other will suffer or die win IT,
naienbe rights have been the foundation on winch our
free institutions have built and without them America would
exist only in name.
question of freedom of the has been brought to the
attention of the people within days by ruling OF POST
master General Hays who has passed avorab upon the application
of The Lberator admission the secondcass privilege
berator filed its application February H. 1913 three ana
half wears ago. when magazine established The former
administration acted in the matter Mr. Burleson evidently
holding opinion that The Lbeaor savored too much OF socialism
The New York Call and other papers OF like character
had been the mails month after month and year after
wear because some of the eased Mr. Buson and he
resolved that people under his guard anp should not be tanned
with false injurious doctrines he could help It, Inc law gave
the powe-a unwise povisonto bar from the mails any
issue any publication which his Judgment rangressed the rules
under which the department operated But he used the power TO
bar all of the publication thereafter on general principles
So berato denied rather ignored which amounted
to thing However strange seem every issue OIL
the publication the day of its founding accepted for mall
ing by month the hass rate of postage pending action
on the application for secOnd-cass entry
Mr. Hays says that Classification Act specific and pa
and that matter entitled to the secondcas mailing privilege IT
originated and published for the dissemination OF public mfom
devoted literature the Sciences arts or some special uu
try there question be raised as to whether
the information disseminated of public benefit Much OF the
news in any daily might barred public benefit essential
The arbitrary power decide what is and what is not public
benefit was intended lodged in the Postmaster General
Ii shall not be assumed"
Mr. Hays goes make the following important observa
ton which carries refresment with after the
long years of Burlesonsm:
The Posoce Department hold no brief for The oerator or
sny other publication foot conspiracy to destroy
established form by force and violence claimed by
the heretofore for not granting this permit
and this publication involved in it, then the Department OF JUS
tce promptly and effectively with the conspators In the
manner prescribed The Department of Justice organ
lied can be depended upon absolutely to do that
The war We return to the ordered freedom Our
method of safeguarding public welfare while at the time
maintaining freedom press has been found through long
period of stable civil liberty better for the public welfare and per-
sona security citizens establish bureaucratic censorship
which in its nature of individual opinion prejudice
or caprice certain cost in free institutions in which the
institution freedom of the press shares but this country
preferred pay such costs from time to time rather than
seek protection through the historically dscredted devices OF
bureaucratic governments
Mr. Hays strikes when he that have always
willing pay whatever costs from our policy OF
free press unlimited public discussion rather than seek the
protection of the historically dscredted devices of bureaucratic
ernments'
American people not feeble minded They are not i'm
mature undscpned needing guardian and Our free
dom is secure and have since kept
hands We believe that fresh air the best for vagaries and
herese ecclesiastical and political social and economic
is the true tombstone democracy Let have bureau
cratic government"