[untitled]

     WE think the matter of punishing those misguided or careless persons who speak disrespectfully of the late President McKinley is being somewhat overdone. Men are dismissed from their positions for uttering sentiments adverse to the present state of public opinion, soldiers are drummed out of the army, citizens are thrown into rivers, and in Kentucky a man was killed the other day for making an alleged irreverent remark. It should be remembered that this a [sic] free country and that all men have a right to free speech, even if it is contrary to a popular fad. It is a matter of exceedingly poor taste, of course, to abuse so good a man as the late President, but it is not blasphemy, nor even a crime.