Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-07-16
What Freedom for Anarchy
Means.

Uccl seriously upon the linplcallOns Vi
continuing freedom to the anarchist
propaganda in this country, We are
all SO habituatcd to regard what we un-
derstand by free speech rs Il sacred
right, that it is difficult to realize the
existence of a state of things which may
seem TO put the wisdom of our time
honored principle in doubt. Such
doubt is in truth not justified, for the
dissemination of anarchists ideas has
really nothing in common with the or
dered liberty, whose maintenance every
American citizen is pledged to. The
real question before the country is
whether Il propaganda whose avowed
purpose is the destruction of the whole
social and political system, and the sub
stitution of 'red ruin and the breaking
up of law is entitled to any liberation.
There is no pretencc. nor room for pre-
tence, that the anarchists if let alone
will ever accomplish anything but what
the nation at large unquestonable con-
sders unmiXed evil. This being the
case, it may be asked whether tolera-
ton for the propaganda is not plainly
liberation Of organized crime We have
laws for the punishment of arson, bur
glary. highway robbery. assault to muir
der, and murder. Can we consistently
permit schools TO be established among
us in which men are taught that it is
their right to perpetrate all these
crimes with impunity. and that society
is guilty of iniquity in forbidding and
furnishing them?
There is no analogy between the the
cries of the ordinary socialists and those
Of the anarchists. The former hold
that the present arrangement of society
is wrong, but they aim at what they
think reform by peaceful and legitimate
means. The latter hold that the whole
existing system ought to be destroyed
violently. They declare their open en-
nifty to civilization, in fact, and APP
prove assassination, massacre. incen-
diarism and pillage. Being. rs they
are, nearly all foreigners, few of whom
can speak English. most of whom are
densely ignorant and of low order of
intelligence, there is no prospect OF
their conversion TO reasonable views;
certainly so long as the fountains
which supply Their pernicious ideas are
permitted to flow freely. We must
therefore, if we maintain the present
nripoit,la of tn1.ra tin, no To,
pay the price of it, and that price will
be high If we allow these schools of
crime to flourish unchecked, we must
protect ourselves by taking on many of
the burdens which now Cypress the
older states OF Europe. We must in
crease our police force. We must keep
our militia in state of constant eff
ficiency and preparation. We may
have to enlarge our federal army. And
having done all this, we shall still have
to make our account with periodical
outbreaks of anarchist ferocity, which,
however quickly and sternly repressed,
will cost much blood and treasure.
Moreover, while harboring these foes
of humanity we shall be continually ex-
posed to panic fears. Every quarrel
between capital and labor will be pos
sible opportunity for riot. Every oc-
casion of popular agitation will have
the same sinister implication. 1t must
be expected too that the stream of for
eign immigration. distributed largely
in and about the centres of anarchist
propagandism, will be infected by
these poisonous teachings, and that the
dangerous element will increase and
not diminish. Nor must it be left out
Of consideration that the liberation ac-
corded anarchist doctrines will be La
bic to be interpreted by the more igno-
rant as proof of their legitimacy. The
effectiveness of law depends mainly up
the moral soundness of public opinion.
The effect of allowing anarchism to be
taught without let or hindrance must
naturally be to famiiarize the least in
telligent with the idea that there is no
particular harm in these attacks upon
society, in these reiterated indictments
to riot arson and outrage. The coun-
try has seen already what freedom for
anarchy means on a small scale. Is il
prepared to accept this malignant guest
as permanent resident? Is it prepar-
cd to bear the cost, moral as well as
material, which the exhibition of so
blind and reckless a hospitality will en-
tail upon it?-NctC York. Tribune.
A Debatable Point of Etiquette.
1t is always debatable point OF eti-