T H E TORCH OF REASON, S IL V E R T O N , OREGON, OCTOBER 12, 1S99. F reethought, which is the necessary condition of political freedom, which was and m ust be preserved as the foundation of the R epublic itself. Never has any tim e or occasion more im pressively called for the assertion of this fundam ental Lib- * i I . i .. to AAV | ’ A ~ ' 1J • ■ ways this is true we d are not begin to state, for our space and tim e fail to cover w hat m ust rise in the m ind as the shadows darken the future, w hich future was m ade clear to us by the teachings an d exam ple of the great Liberal, Thom as Paine and his co-workers. At one tim e we th o u g h t th a t the only way for whom we are pleased to call the real S ecularists to have th eir ideas fairly represented and pushed to th e front was to build an o th er n atio n al organization, but we look forward to th is tw enty- th ird Congress with great hopes, an d believe th a t the most im por­ ta n t questions will be settled in a way satisfactory to the workers and to the interests of m ental liberty. We u n d erstan d th a t am ong the im p o rtan t m atters to be passed upon by th is Congress will be th at of fu rth er and thorough organiza­ tion of Liberals in each S tate. The time for th a t g reat m easure was never more opportune. All the differences which have troubled and unsettled the past have scarcely left a ripple behind. The ad m in is­ tra tio n of Pres. Rem sberg seems to have been like th a t of Pres. Monroe, “ the era of good feeling” and recon­ ciliation. Such is the time when the fu tu re m ay be placed upon a solid basis of S ecular harm ony in each and every S tate of the U nion. Let the L iberals from the Pacific Coast who can atten d prepare to be candidates as delegates, and those who may be in the E a s to n business or pleasure, signify th a t they will act as such if appointed. For the great W est ought to be well represented. To The Freethinkers of America. The tw en ty -th ird A nnual Con­ gress of the A m erican Secular Un­ ion and F reeth o u g h t Federation will be held in Boston, Nov. 17th, 18th an d 19th. For the first tim e in the history of the society a Con­ gress is to be held in New E ngland. Paine H all has been tendered for the occasion and Boston F re e th in k ­ ers will do all in th eir power to make it a notable gathering. The success of the com ing Congress is assured. W hile the results of the present year have not been all th a t could be desired, the society has accom­ plished much good. T housands of pam phlets and papers advocating the principles of F reeth o ught have been distributed. Docum ents re­ lating to state Secularization have been sent to m embers of Congress and State Legislators. In C alifornia, M ontana and other states, legislation inim ical to re­ ligious liberty have been defeated. In several states bills for the repeal or m odification of the Sunday laws were introduced and found m any supporters. In N ebraska a bill • - V 1 «-X 1 1 J 1 V» X V I i t A tX t i t / i i O 1 C u / t »5 LIBERAL^ w U • C lJ property was passed by the House. The society is preparing for more effective work in this field. In nearly every state com m ittees have beeu appointed to look after legis­ lation and other m atters of interest to the society. In every state, a bill for the taxation of church pro­ perty, the repeal of the Sunday laws, or the prohibition of religious teaching in the public schools, should be introduced a t the next session of the Legislature. The Union is now’ in a condition to render efficient aid in this work and all efforts for th a t or sim ilar p u r­ poses should be reported to the sec­ retary , so as to receive the support and aid of this national organiza­ tion. The further organization of the L iberals in every state will be pro­ m inently brought before the Con­ gress, and representatives from every section of our country are necessary to m ake this union of the friends of intellectual liberty effec­ tive, both for our own defense and the furtherance of the cause they have a t heart. Let every E astern F reethinker atten d this Congress. Let as m any as possible of our W estern friends atten d . Able speakers will address the Congress, inspiring music will be furnished and good fellowship will abound. W ith the roses of joy will be mingled the rue of grief. Since we last met two of our Presi­ dents have died our great and be­ loved leader, Col. Ingersoll, and our able and worthy brother, Dr. W estbrook. A rrangem ents have already been m ade for an Ingersoll M emorial m eeting to occupy one session of the Congress. The expenses attending a great N ational Convention are large. To meet these expenses we shall rely as heretofore upon the generosity of our L iberal friends. C ontribu­ tions for the purpose should be sent at once to the T reasurer, Otto W ettstein, Rochelle, 111.; to the S ecretary, E. C. Reichwald, 141 S. W ater St., Chicago, 111.; or to the E ditor of this paper. J . E. R emsburg , Pres., Atchison, Kas. E. C. R eichw ald , Sec., 141 S. W ater St., Chicago, 111. 5 $ UNIVERSITY ® OREGON. The (D is MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ MZ ÿf/ IInstitution of- th e Ji{ind. F a c u l t y — i S q q - ’ o o . J. EARL HOSMER, Ph. L>., B. S. 1)., P res ., S u p erin ten d en t D e p artm en t of Cosmology. Mathematics, Physical Sciences, ’ Dynamics. •/