The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-11-30

PALLADIUM AND
ment mankind has yet known. Our
federal system admirably preserves
the balance between local and national
affairs and our bill OF rights upholds
the safeguards of liberty. But owing
to the progress of human society,
many amendments have been made to
our constitution and others will be
required 1t provided for negro slav-
cry; that had to go. The race and sex
limitations of the franchise imposed
by many states have both been swept
away Senators are no longer chosen
by state legislatures but by the people
and taxation is no longer based upon
population alone. ALI these things
have had to be repealed Other amend.
college is obsolete. Even the equal
representation in the senate whereby
Nevada with her thousands equals
New York with her millions may have
to be modified.
I'VE must not shrink from making
such changes as may be necessary.
How far they are necessary we cannot
say, but to determine that question
wisely every man should be free to ex-
press his opinion no matter how radi.
cal. 1t is only from the freest discus.
sion that the best conclusions will be
reached. For myself. am opposed to
socialism, still more 20 communism,
and still more to anarchy, but those
who advocate these things have just
as good a right to the lawful express
sion of their opinions as l have, the
only just limits being that no man
shall advocate the forcible overthrow
of society or violation of the laws
Lawbreaker Enemy
at is the lawbreaker and not the
Socialist who is the real enemy Of
American institutions And SO it is
that in the trial of the Michigan com
munists the issue should be not the
principles they advocated but the sa.
botage and violence which they en-
couraged. Free speech is guaranteed,
but incitment to crime is not per-
mitted. Emma Goldman, who advo-
Gated anarchy (the most dangerous
doctrine l know was stopped by the
Chicago police before she could speak
word. This was a violation of one
of our fundamental rights. The mo-
ment she advocated violence they haa
the right to intervene and not before.
l protested then and l protest still
against such perversion of police au
thority. For the federal constitution
declares that congress shall make no
law abridging the freedom of speech or
of the press; the constitution of our
own state and nearly every other state
provides that no law shall be passed
restraining the free interchange OF
thought or opinion or restricting the
right to speak or print freely on any
subject whatever
We hear much of hundred per cent
Americanism but there can be no sur
er test of this than adherence to its
fundamental principles. There are
only three limits to the right of free
speech and of free press; first, a man
must not utter a libel upon another;
second, he must not, in time of war,
speak or write those things which will
paralyze the military operations of his
government; and third, he must not
instigate or encourage others to over
throw the government by violence or
to resist by force the execution of its
laws. This is not free speech, it is
q step in forcible revolution There
fore when the Michigan communists
are indicted for the things they said
and wrote at their recent convention
the dividing line is very clear. They
had a perfect right to support the prin.
ciples of communism by every lawful
and peaceful means, but if they insist
ed on an armed uprising or the forci
Bile violation of the law they ought to
convicted OF n w hoU
these distinctions in our minds The
man who provokes or participates in
lynch or instruction is guilty. the mar
who advocates even anarchy by law
full peaceful means is innocent. Oul
duty is to tolerate every kind of pc
litical opinion.
Religious Liberty.
And now We come to the most i'm
portant field of intolerance, the sub
! ject of religion. All history is filled
with accounts of wars, prosecutions
tortures, martyrdoms and massacre:
due to religious fury and hate. Ameri
ca has heretofore been singularly fire,
from these Affections Even befor,
our independence, religious liberty hat
acquired warm support It's first en-
trance came by way of the Catholi
colony of Maryland in the charte
granted in 1882 to Charles Calvert
first Lord Baltimore, who though
! Catholic was friend of religious tol
Grafton. While the Puritan in New
England were boring the tongues O
Quakers with red hot iron, lashin
them at the cart tail, transporting
them and even hanging them; Will