Libertarian

One who upholds the principles of liberty, especially individual liberty of thought and action. —Webster's New International Dictionary

THE NECESSITY FOR LIBERTY

Since life itself contains the impulse of physical growth and the development of faculties and therefore needs room and freedom to function; and since liberty is necessary to the exercise of faculties; and since the exercise of faculties is essential to happiness; therefore, to attain happiness one must have liberty. And since liberty, being essential to the individual, is also necessary to the race; and since this necessitates limiting the liberty of each to the like liberty of all, we therefore arrive at the sociological Law of Equal Freedom.

The Libertarian League is formed for the purpose of upholding the principles set forth below and of maintaining the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.

LIBERTARIAN PRINCIPLES

• Liberty of thought is essential to the discovery of truth.

• Liberty of speech is essential to the vindication of truth.

• Liberty of the press is requisite for the dissemination of knowledge.

• Liberty of assembly is essential for the discussion of public questions.

• Liberty in education is essential to the development of correct principles of study and teaching.

• Liberty in science is essential to the demonstration of fact, through investigation and experimentation.

• Liberty in literature, art and music is necessary for the highest expression of conceptions and emotions.

• Liberty in amusements and sports is essential to the fullest enjoyment of recreation.

• Liberty in religion is necessary to avert persecution (as, e.g., for adopting and professing religious opinions, and for worshiping or not worshiping, according to the dictates of conscience).

• Liberty of initiative and association is necessary for efficiency and economy in individual or co-operative enterprise.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.—Constitution of the United States of America.

The Libertarian League upholds and defends the liberty and rights guaranteed by the Constitution, and therefore insistently demands the repeal of existing Blue Laws of every kind and persistently opposes the enactment of new ones, especially the following proposed unconstitutional acts:

• Laws abridging Freedom of Thought, Speech, Press, Assembly, Education, Art, Religion, Science, or Civil Liberties.

• Laws repressing or suppressing Sunday newspapers.

• Laws closing news stands on Sunday.

• Laws closing gasoline and oil stations on Sunday.

• Laws closing the postoffice on Sunday.

• Laws restricting the liberty to work on Sunday.

• Laws censoring moving pictures or the spoken drama.

• Laws forbidding concerts, theatrical performances, motion picture shows or entertainments on Sunday.

• Laws forbidding games, sports, picnics or amusements in general on Sunday.

• Laws forbidding the running of boats, automobiles, trolley cars, railway trains or excursions on Sunday.

• Laws closing drug stores, soda fountains, confectionery stores or cigar stores on Sunday.

• Laws forbidding fishing, hunting, gun club shooting or any form of recreation on Sunday.

• Laws prohibiting dancing, either social or interpretive, or closing dance halls.

• Laws prohibiting the sale or use of tobacco at any time.

• Laws sanctioning sectarian or ecclesiastical teaching in the public schools.

• Laws that in any way conflict with the secular nature of the Constitution of the United States, especially those tending toward a union of church and state.