The record-union., 1891-10-20
RUSSIAN JEWISH ANARCHISTS.

RUSSIAN JEWISH ANARCHISTS.
In the case Of the Chicago anarchists,
when 1t was proposed to enact special
laws to prohibit them from preaching
their destructive doctrines upon the high
way or in assembly halls, the first inn
pulse of the public mind was to respond
sffirmatively.
But had that feeling been realized in
the form of law, it would have been a
most dangerous proceeding. The public
mind very soon came around to compre-
hension of this truth. 1t was recalled
that we have no political crimes in this
republic; that if a majority may to-day
prevent the radical socialists from preach
Ing, another majority might tomorrow
prevent patriotic citizens from preaching
loyalty to the republic. So it was agreed
that the constitutional guarantee of free
speech should not be disturbed, but that
whoever invaded the public peace, in
cited to riot, advised to crime, or in any
way infringed upon the laws Furnishing
ofenses, should be held amenable to
those laws. That is to say, we would
make no discrimination between crimi-
mails, whether anarchists or not
This decision was wisely reached, it
was the calm judgment of the second
thought of the American people, and ran
in accord with the substructural princi-
pies of free government. But it never
has been conceded that the liberty of
speech secured 10 American citizens
should be construed into license to
preach crime, nor that it amounts to a
waiver of the right to exclude from the
country anarchists, radical socialists, enc
mics Of the republic and advocates of the
doctrines Of the torch and dynamite
bomb.
In Philadelphia on Friday three re-
Gently arrived Russian Jews planted
themselves upon the highway, began to
distribute anarchist circulars and to
preach the same old doctrine that brought
Spies and his fellows within the pale of
the criminal laws. They shouted the
same old cries, "Stab the law, down with
the police, death to the President" The
miserable creatures were at once arrested
for melting to riot and advising to crime
If these Russian Jews represent a con-
siderable element in the new immigra-
ton pouring in from Russia, the doors
should be shut in the faces of the entire
lot. People who come here with no bet
ter conception of our form of government
than that the President is a ruler whom
to kin is virtue, and that the laws ema-
nate from a ruling class and therefore
ought to be doomed; that the police are
the hirelings of an oppressor and should
therefore be mobbed, are fit only for ex-
clusion.
But it is very difficult TO separate these
mad creatures from those who are not of
their kind. The roaring anarchists may
at the immigration dock be as mild as q
sucking dove and as gentle and appar-
emily harmless as babes. The safe way
will be to utterly and wholly exclude the
Russian output of Jews, and all others,
the German drift of radical socialists and
bomb-throwers, and all others who come
here to stir up strife and make public ex-
hibitions Of their assininity. That is, we
those who affirmatively convince US that
they will make good citizens shall be per-
mitted to climb over.
If these Russian Jews of Philadelphia
who, while their boards were yet wet with
salty spray of the voyage; who found theii
first employment here in preaching an.
archy, assassination and the torch, are OF
the kind for whom money has been raised
in America to emigrate from the Cars
domains, then the coin has been put tc
basest uses. If, therefore, there is among
the Russian Jewish refugees any consid
erable number of the Philadelphia stripe
the true policy will be to bar out The
whole lot. Better that all be excluded
from the privilege of freedom in Amer
lea than that even half hundred of th,
Philadelphia brand should be admitted
The American people need but tn,
slightest provocation to crystalline senti
ment into law and close the gates in th
face Of all immigration of refugees, open
ing them only now and then to the fey
who can give guarantees for their decen
behavior.
No Russian nihilist, German socialist
French petroleuse, Austrian anarchis
or Italian mafiaite possesses the right t
come within our borders. be they jew
or Gentiles, Protestant or Catholic, inf
del or religious devotees. The doctrin
that this land is an asylum for tho on