The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-08-03
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Since the days N The discovery n The
Gnn.rowder not the idea NJ blowing poIlt'
lru opponents into atoms hos eti.iod with
more or lssi fofcp Zoo different eu', and Las
been corfc,ponllngly dreaded II Las
on reserved fDr the enlightenment Of the
luicr quarter Of tho Rineteenth century,
however, 20 give this tremendous political
force is greatest perfection. Nihilism ana
dynamite in Russia have almost become
ANONYMOUS and the influence and ex.
plolts OF the Russian reyolutionists have
rapidly made in other countries converts
10 the theory of swift success through this
powerful and secret means. II was hardly
to be supposed though, that the prepare
ton and study OF dynamite as political
force would be transplanted to free and re-
publican America, but such seems to be the
case. On several occasions recently the
attempt has been made to use it here, and
number of Internal machines have been
discovered Added to this, the intelli'
gence within the last few days has gone
abroad, seemingly from reliable
source, that there actually exists IN
the United States to-day school
whose only study is the Investigation
Of the various ways in which deadly ana
powerful explosives may be prepared and
handled for the avowed purpose of blowing
the ships and strongholds of certain Euro
pean nations into pieces. The Lonaon
Times, so our recent dispatches inform us,
Oh the 9th inst, has this to say editorially
with reference to the subject: The license
that the American criminal law allows to
dynamite projects is scandal and shame
to American legislation. A more enor-
nous scandal is the attitude which public
opinion in America assumes toward them.
Never was there body of national opinion
so inauisitive and keen which could have
shown itself more feeble and inert in the de-
Tense of public morality than the opinion in
America since the dynamite school became
notorious. Americans must determine IL
they will continue to be subject to this re-
proach." If the fact is so that school
with such purpose exists, and, as the Times
saws. public opinion is feeble and inert
hereto, then it is, indeed, a reproach to us,
and the criminal laws should at once be SO
remodeled as absolutely to prevent the
further prosecution OF such project In any
section of this great country. Whatever
NAV be the wrongs and grievances OF peo-
pie or class, the higher thought and hu-
manity of the day must condemn resort 10
such cruel and barbarous weapon OF re-
dress. To slaughter indiscriminately the
guiltess with the guilty, the weak
with the strong; to steal stealthily like the
savage upon the foe and like the yandal
glory simply in creating ruin, is mode
of warfare that all minded and brave
men must deprecate and oppose. Inc
public opinion which would encourage II
must be gross indeed. Great principles are
not established by such means. The bru-
tality and violence of the attack produce
conservative reaction and sympathy which
oyeryheln the cause and chains are only
riyeted the tighter. Principle is thing OF
growth, a force that gradually works its
way to the surface through the ever
developing intelligence and sense OF
right of the masses, who when
fully aroused need no violent meas
ures to correct abuses. What the
people or the majority of them are agreed
upon will be done, but this unanimity OF
feeling can only be brought about by the
long. and steady. though moderate pull
Dynamite will never establish principle,
nor terror ever accomplish lasting re-
form. Society and social and political laws
arise from experience, a perception oil me-
cessity and fitness, and revolutions never
go backward only, when in general and
proper uprising they demand the realization
of o long felt want. The continued use OF
destructive explosives for. purposes OF as
sassination and otherwise, by rabid
revolutionists, will only serve to put the
better and conservative portion of the
worldsttainst them, and if such school as
before mentioned exists in this country, it
should be speedily closed and its professors
and students punished. In the meantime
it is safe to say that the London papers as
that towards these projects pub
lie opinion in the United States is
"feeble and inert" is gross
and ignorant misrepresentation. Pub
lie opinion with us is always
keenly alive to abuses, and would urge
leir correction, but by fair and honorable
means. We would never be found in sym
pathy with the assassin, unless, perchance,
bis victim were CurnurA or RonT-
SPHERE. 1t is possible that the fears of our
English cousins, as TO the wholesale study
and preparation of dynamite here are un
founded, and that our people think SO. 1t
Is from this reason, If any, that little inter-
est is manifested in the premises.