large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_00_belloc_64kb_16
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_00_belloc_64kb
English
7264
Very sincerely yours, H. BELLOC. VERY SINCERELY YOURS H BELLOC
one can do something in the way of political reform, and that even to-day there is room for something of free speech. I say at the close of these pages that I do not believe the new spirit we have produced will lead to any system of self-government, economic or political. I think the decay has gone too far for that. In this I may be wrong; it is but an opinion with regard to the future. On the other matter I have experience and immediate example before me, and I am certain that the battle for free political discussion is now won. Mere knowledge of our public evils, economic and political, will henceforward spread; and though we must suffer the external consequences of so prolonged a regime of lying, the lies are now known to be lies. True expression, though it should bear no immediate and practical fruit, is at least now guaranteed a measure of freedom, and the coming evils which the State must still endure will at least not be endured in silence. Therefore it was worth while fighting.  THAT EVEN TO DAY ONE CAN DO SOMETHING IN THE WAY OF POLITICAL REFORM AND THAT EVEN TO DAY THERE IS ROOM FOR SOMETHING OF FREE SPEECH I SAY AT THE CLOSE OF THESE PAGES THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE THE NEW SPIRIT WE HAVE PRODUCED WILL LEAD TO ANY SYSTEM OF SELF GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC OR POLITICAL I THINK THAT DECAY HAS GONE TOO FAR FOR THAT IN THIS I MAY BE WRONG IT IS BUT AN OPINION WITH REGARD TO THE FUTURE IN THE OTHER MATTER I HAVE EXPERIENCED AN IMMEDIATE EXAMPLE BEFORE ME AND I AM CERTAIN THAT THE BATTLE FOR FREE POLITICAL DISCUSSION IS NOW ONE MERE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR PUBLIC EVILS ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL WILL HENCEFORWARD SPREAD AND THOUGH WE MUST SUFFER THE EXTERNAL CONSEQUENCES OF SO PROLONGED A REGIME OF LYING THE LIES ARE NOW KNOWN TO BE LIES TRUE EXPRESSION THOUGH IT SHOULD BEAR NO IMMEDIATE AND PRACTICAL FRUIT IS AT LEAST NOW GUARANTEED A MEASURE OF FREEDOM AND THE COMING EVILS WHICH THE STATE MUST STILL ENDURE WILL AT LEAST NOT BE ENDURED IN SILENCE THEREFORE IT WAS WORTH WHILE FIGHTING
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_00_belloc_64kb
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