An Unworthy Appeal for Legislation
By Editor
A WICKED measure before Congress is the bill introduced by Mr. Gaines of Tennessee. It is entitled: “To prevent the Fraudulent Use of the Mail in Matters Concerning Duly Authorized Secret Orders and Societies.” It proposes to crystallize into law: “That it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to deposit or cause to be deposited in the mails, or send or cause to be sent, or print or cause to be printed for the purpose of depositing and sending, or deliver or cause to be delivered by mail, the ritual, or any part thereof, or rules, regulations, or works which are secret, of any fraternal order or society organized by law, without authority in writing of such order or society being first given.” The penalty for transgressing is a fine of not less than one thousand dollars and imprisonment for not less than one year. Grand juries are to be given inquisitory power to inquire into all violations of this act. It will probably go over at this present session, but will come up again. We can see no object whatever in the bill unless it is to prevent the publication of exposés of some of these secret orders. If there is any organization in this country that can not stand the light, it certainly ought to die. It is only another attempt to muzzle free speech and free press. If such a law as that were on our statute-books we could very readily understand what course officials would pursue who belong to secret orders. In the simple fact of the case, the government has no just right, and it ought not to have the power, to charter organizations which by their constitution and regulations are secret. The whole text of this bill is given in The Christian Cynosure of May. Every liberty-loving soul, whether he belongs to a secret order or not, ought to protest against such a measure.