The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-12-18
THE HOMICIOAL MANIA.

The Pail Mall Gazette declares that the
murder of Mayor Carter Harrison of Chi
cago is ian object lesson against the
methods of municipal government prevail
ing In the United States" In simpler
phrase, this is to say that universal suf-
frage leads to assassination. Yet some of
the most celebrated assassinations in his.
tory, such as that of Henry " in France,
GaleaZzo SforZa of Milan, the Duke of
Buckingham in England and the late En-
peror of Russia took place ct times and in
places in which universal suffrage was I'M
known; nor is it easy to conceive process
of reasoning by which dminution of the
murderOus spirit in this country could be
predicted as likely to follow a restriction
Of the suffrage. In fact, the two things
have no possible connection. Men imbued
with the homicidal appetite have existed
under all forms Of government. and. ex-
cept that liberal Institutions may be as
sumed to promote higher moral tone in
society, it is not easy TO discern why they
should be more numerous under one sys-
TEN than under another.
Mr.. Astor's editors display imperfect
acquaintance with the history of their
own country when they say that our syS-
tenn of government leads to murder.
There was no such thing as popular self
government in England when Mr.. PercivaI
was shot. or when the Queen could hardly
drive ont without being fired at 1t might
just as well be said in this country that
these outrages were IAN object lesson
against the existence of queens. lords and
Commons" There is certain class of
minds " ncn 1noiaal oh
fuse that they cannot distinguish between
coincidence aud cause and effect. Men,
bers of that class must have gone into
journalism in London.
The prevalence of homicidal attempts in
this country is melancholy feature of the
times. and it cannot be said that any one
has discovered a formula to account FOR
them. Beginning with the assassination
of Lincoln we have witnessed long series
of attacks upOn prominent individuals,
some of which have destroyed, while
others have merely threatened life and
the victims of these assaults have belonged
TO every class in society. Garfield, the
Rev. John Hall, Jonn w. Mackay, Henry
e. Frick. Russell Sage, aud now Carter
Harrison, were all the objects of attack by
persons who had o substantial grievance
to aveDge, and apparently no purpose to
achieve. In the language of Marion
Crawford the assailants were "a rabble of
fanatics and cranks. hysterical from fail
ure, poverty, vice and al indigestion of
so-called free thought" Is there any
method by which this rabble can be an
ticipated in its aims. and placed where it
can do no mischief?
The subject might perhaps engage the
attention OF alienists, with view to ascer-
tain whether we have not drawn the
limits of insanity too closely. and whether
a proper regard for society does not die
tate the supervision of persons who are TO
all intents and purposes sane, yet in whom
malignant nature uncontrolled by prln-
cple may generate homicidal attempts.
Prendergast, the assassin of Mayor Harri.
son. had The reputation of being crank,
but be did not show it in marked degree
till his trial. His actions at the Mayors
house were deliberate, and showed calcu-
lation and forethought. He shot his man
cooly and deliberately, and dispersed the
crowd which would have torn him in
pieces with another shot from bis revol-
yer. Yet the purpose he had in view
showed an unbalanced mind, which,
coupled with his brutal instincts, should
have set people On their guard against
him. The Chicago papers say that since
this outrage a number Of persons who
were lowering on the dividing line be-
tween sanity and insanity nave been con-
fined in asylums by way of precaution.
That is step in the right direction il
might be initiated in other States besides
Illinois.