New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-07
prpcgtSIyG DYNAWIE SECRETS

The British Home Office has no new legisla-
tive proposals respecting dynamite CRIME under
consideration. The Explosives bill enacted
wear ago increased the penalties for offences OF
This clnss and enabled the courts to deal most
vigorously with dynamite cOnSplators. 1t was
a most stringent measure. Any person iouhu
in the unlawful possession OF explosives under
circumstances of reasonable suspicion was rem
dered liable To penal seryitude for fourteen
wears. Possession Of explosives, with intent to
use them maliciously, involved term OF
twenty wears. whether the explosion occurred or
no, and penal scrvitudc for life was dccrccd as
the punishment for an explosion maliciously
CAUSED, whether fatal to life or not. The TX
plo.iyes bill also provided means of detecting
crime of his nature and rendered accessories
liable to the same penalties as principals. ANY
person contributing or soliciting money OF
cOunselling, aiding and abotting in the COM
mission of dynamite outIagcs. was pronounced
an accessory, and the authorities were given
full mower To examine witnesses privately ana
to arrest suspects" 1t would be clearly i'm
practicable TO strengthen this stringent meas
nre although il has not had the effect of inter
runtinp the operations of dynamte-wOrkcrs.
The Home Office does not seek to amend the
Explosives Act. but in view OF the recent
audacious attempts to destroy lie and property
finds it necessary to take some aggressive ac-
ton. 1t has therefore advised the Government
to Mace at the disposal of the chiefs of police
large sum of secret service money for the pur-
chase of information from spies and lnformers
II seems almost incredible that this decision
of the Home Office should have been divulged
The detectives always have a large secret
service fund at Their disposal, and there ought
not tn have been any serious difficulty in in
creasing it without attracting public attention.
If secret information is to be purchased on
large scale, and money freely used in the detec-
ton aud punishment of conspirators, the plans
of the officials ought not to have been blurted
out. When the spies had been hired and the IN
eliminating evidence obtained, the processes
employed might have been explained advan-
tageously. As matters stand, the cOnspirators
will be on their guard ag inst treachery. That
the money will be well spent, if the detectives
succeed in securing important evidence ana ar
resting and furnishing these hideous miscreants
is indisputablc. 1t is a Russian method OF pro
cedure. but the English are dealing with lnsldi-
GUS and CONSTITUENCIES miscreants and many
will believe them justified in using Russian
tools.
The adoption of this policy will tend to in
crease the incomes of professional dynamite
organizers in the United States. AT present
they are trading upon the credulity of servant
girls and laborers. They write blOod-and-
thunder articles against Great Britain, and
enough money comes in to pay the running ex-
penses of their newspaper Offices and to give
them living. That these dcmagogues actually
plot against life and property in England no
gell-informed American supposes. They are
simply making living in a congenal manner.
Bat If they are to be believed, they are CON
stantly in possession of secret information of
the highest importance. Whenever a fresh
explosion occurs in London they are convulsed
with delight, and calmly appropriate : the
outrage as their original design and exclusive
property. If, therefore, the chiefs of the Lon
don police are prepared to purchase secret in
formation about dynamite plots and other crlm-
inal projects, without revealing the identity OF
the informers, these loud-mouthed dynamite
leaders will have a second means of livelihood.
They can dispose of their secrets for cash to the
British Government, and their regular patrons,
the servant girls, viii be none the wiser for 1t