ae By Artemas Ward HAVE received a number of letters “(written at the request of its publisher), protesting against the ex- clusion of a certain paper from my newsstands, These letters were sincere enough, no doubt, but “0 des- perately biassed as to be quite unreasonable. Having neither the time nor.the inclination to start a controversial corresponden od 3 : liberty as a citizen and a merchant, I take this method of replying, which may show that I-have a right to my own freedom of action, and that none of these correspondents are justified in calling my ‘Course out- Tageous, tyrannical, destructive to the liberty of the press, and other extreme-characterizations. Is not this the first time in the history of the world in which it is demanded that a merchant should buy and sell an article which he pref af “not to handle? If such a procedure were eatushele: Syould it not greatly limit individual, liberty, which is surely more a important than the liberty. GF the press? If I am not at liberty to décide what I shall sell on my newsstands, to whom shall this power of decision be relegated? Would it be the duty of the mayor, or would it be open to every publisher of a periodical, and every manufacturer of confections? Is it conceivable that a man who pays a rent of over half a million dollars should have his liberty limited in a way that would be intolerable to a news dealer -Whe® pays a $600 rental, or to an honest Catholic boy, who has secured a free privilege through his alderman. Liberty, as I understand it, consists in personal free- dom under the law, and not in making other people give up their liberty—either for millionaires or masses. Must Wanamaker sell Ingersoll’s books, or Blooming- dale put anti-Semitic publications on his counters? ~Huyler would be equally entitled to force his choco- lates on the stands of the New York Central Railroad. I have no desire to limit the liberty of anyone, and I cannot conceive that any careful thinker should be so biassed as to hold it just that I should be forced to buy, sell and profit by a publication which insults and ° derides the religion which is not only mine, but which was handed down to me by my parents? Without venturing a personal opinion, or starting a controversy, I will say that the United States census shows that a pr of our population is Chris- tian. If, under our system of democracy, the majority is to rule, my course will be widely upheld. Is it not absurd to accuse me of interfering with the liberty, of the press because I personally decline to aid this sheet by selling it? Do I muzzle the editor, stop the press or hold up the edition? Do these protesting subscribers ize the difference, or is it a case of mental blindness? It is ail absurd. The so-called “Friends 0: rty” fail to distinguish between their iberties, 1 ge not impinged upon, and the liber- ey Pagatilessly, seek to limit. ess without interf Which Do You Agree W: Ward & Gow vs. The Public By Our F EARLESS publicity is the only remedy for wrong conditions, social, moral, or political. The subway stands have become the most important and necessary avenue of free communication in the greatest city in the world. Any such inhibition on the right of free speech and popular interchange of ideas, right or wrong, is a cowardly and underhanded blow at the onward prog- ress of the race. Frank P. WatsH. For private corporation to have such power over dissemination. of intelligence is outrage. Newsstands must be impartial if freedom of the press is to mean anything. If THe Masses is good enough for me to read, I think it will “not harm subway patrons. Heren Keizer. I am opposed to arbitrary action on part of anyone in excluding Masses or any other magazine from sale by newsstands engaged in selling. publications.— Senator Harry Lane. I read Tue Masses regularly and have great confi- dence in the judgment of’ the editor recognizing the necessity of free speech for the education of the people of this country. I consider it an outrage to discrimi- nate against you. Atva E. BeLMont. It seems to the preposterous that THe Masses should be excluded from newsstands on the hypocritical grounds alleged, and I wish I could be among those “prominent citizens” Wednesday. I would have been only too glad to have been there and cheered for THE Masses. Hoping it all comes out all right. CHartes Dana Grsson. No journal of our country is imbued with higher idealism, intellectual sincerity, and courageous devo- tion, to the truth as it conscientiously sees it than Tue Masses. Whether or not. they may agree with it, all well-informed, impartial citizens must admire its splen- did integrity. I beg to submit my emphatic endorse- ment of its great public value. Percy MAcKAyE. I should heartily sympathize swith any measures to coerce the company controlling the stands. Pror. JaMEs Harvey Rosinson, Columbia University. Certain business men in control of a private corpo- ration are not the proper agents for exercising a cen- sorship in matters of taste. If you will look at the publications now sold on those newsstands you will find any number which are more obscene, more un- patriotic, and more vulgar than anything that Tue Masses has ever been. THE Masses has never com- mercialized licentiousness nor es patriotism: as Readers I believe that Tue Masses is of | munity and ought to be placed on the is the age of frankness and sincerity. not believe all the principles en Masses, I certainly believe that any a’ the refusal of Messrs., Ward & Gow to lication on their newsstands, is in prin to curb the liberty of the. press, is small against the best American principles, ; F. De Wirt- Justice of the: Municipal Cou of New York. If the news vendors of New York can what not to read: then some intelligent aut to choose the vendors. : CLAREN That Ward & Gow should be judges of be distributed. to the public is as ridicul rageous, I question the fitness of the p La Parisienne, ‘etc,’ to determine for me- w moral. I challenge under any condition Such right, even when exercised by publ js dangerous... When exercised by priva prejudice-is intolerable. | Jonn Haynes” Pastor Church of ~ I have read Tue Masses from the begi not. consider it immoral or blasphemous. — for alleged damage done thereby is to be sot courts, I deprecate as fundamentally ‘iied American any interference with its circul than by due process of law. : Rev. Cease! P F Union Theological Me Ears ‘Restriction likesbarring Masses from violation of the right of free speech and $0 an assault on freedom of the press and | general, I can not believe it will su should be and I believe will be some such oppression and injustice. Wish you” <> Ben - Am extremely sorry that I can not Wednesday and express in public my opi pardonable interference, the Ward & with the liberty of the press. The er Masses. > G& Acting Warden of S Formerly Dean of the Columbia Univers Last number of Masses the mo -tion to sane Hunley should be in Russia? — -Pror.