New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-02
coprR SECOND THOUCHTS.

Therc are indications that the English pane
over the dynamite "tcrrOr,' which Tor timc
lod IN all manner of wild demands upon the
United States, together with equally VITA re-
proacbes. has subsidized. The leading English
papers at all events appear to be once more
"clothed, and in their right mind" ana they
now for the most part candidly acknowledge
that their own Government must put down the
dvnamitenrs, if they are to be put down. mus
Tbe SaturClav Reuicw admits that 10 ask the
American Government to crush the agitatOrs
"would indeed he simply asking it to do what
we have steadily refused TO do ourselves" and
it cites the parallel cases Of MazZini and Herzcn
1t also argues reasonably that "if the French
"GOycrnment cannot prevent foreign refugees
" from providing themselves with arms, 1T Is
futile, or nearly so to ask that service from
" the American authorities y; and 1t comes To the
practical conclusion that, we have, III TACT
@nOthing TO rely on but the vigilance and lntelli-
"gcnce of our own police. No Government or
Legislature can help us eflectualy except or
@own.n 1t is well that the truth has been rccog-
nized at last though the process has been rather
tedious
The Spectator on its part, begins to take a
very cool and philosophical view OF dynamite.
Ii argues that after all that explosive is not so
black as it has been painted: that ii does noi
even when ii goes off as intended, produce much
worse results than gunpowder; that it requires
particular conditions for successful explosion
that these conditions cannot be supplied usually
save at risk to the dynamitcurs, which expert
ence shows that they are prone to recoiI trom
and that even if explosions should become ire
.,,lf ,.YtlI
be to double the cost of insurance. Then again,
Saws he Spectator, it is going to be harder All
the time to surprise the police IhcY VIII pc
come more vigiant and more export cohtlhuail!'
and il will BE- almost impossible for any one 10
obtain access to any public building or oilcla
residence for miscellaneous purposes. II thinks
that even if dynamite should take its place
among the common weapons OF CRIMINALS no
orcat change or general danger would result
Something might be added to the sum OF
human suffering but it would be scarcely ap-
probable.
The attempt to blow mp the Canadian Parlla-
mcnt buildings seems to show that vigilance has
not yet become sufficiently trained, for that
discovery was too accidental to be regarded as
ANYTHING else but q narrow and lucky escape
Nevertheless, it is obvious that when the per-
centage of failures through discovery, treason
or watchfuluess is fairly considered, the posi-
bilities of successful dynamite warfare are mar
rowed down 10 brief limits. In fact. with the
elimination of panic and return to practical
methods of defence and prevention, it begins to
become evident that even with the vantage
ground of foreign headquarters the dyna-
niteurs are not at all likely to succeed in effect
ing anything important. The iniquity OF this
kind of warfare does not need demonstration,
but when it is seen that it is not only infamous
and immoral, but positively Ineffective and
futile, perhaps the promoters of it may perceive
the advisability of Il change of policy.