Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-07-07
CHE 8ismartk Trihnne.
BY NJ. H. JEWELL.
THE DAILY TRIBUNE.
HOW THE PARDON Is Considered

HOW THE PARDON IS CONSIDERED
Gov. Altgeld Of Illinois, has made for
himself a reputation and a name. The
exact character of the reputation he has
constructed is rather doubtful, but such
as it is, it is a reputation which will
bring him an unenviable n%otoriety. His
%17,0Oo-word pardon Of the Chicago an
archists, two of whom were serving life
sentences, and the other fifteen years,
does not seem to have been very kindly
received by the press of the country,
and .Altgeld is justly scored for his
action.
The crime for which the marc hists
were serving time was not directed
against persons, not against any faction
or party, but was aimed directly at the
government of the country. 1t was the
beginning of a disaffection, which, had
it not been thoroughly discouraged at
its inception by the hanging Of the par
~ticipants, would have resulted in the
downfall of the government of which
Americans are proud. 1t was the action
of men, insane. it may be said, upon the
subject of government, mel whose sole
avocation was the promulgating of anar-
chistic doctrines. whose endeavors were
toward the overthrow of government,
and whose fiery speeches and harangues
were the prime causes of riots and dis.
turbances. And when Altgeld pardons
these men. he necessarily assumes either
their innocence, or that their actions
were %justifable. The former belief can.
not stand. The proof against them was
clear, and convicting. The latter as.
sumption makes martyrs Of the men who
were hanged, for their guilt was of the
same %ofense, although in probably a
little different degree, al that of the men
just pardoned. The pardon goes to re-
vive the anarchy which was dealt almost
a death blow by the hanging of the
leading conspirators. Most, Schwab-
all of the anarchists colony in New York
held a jubilee when then heard the new
Riotous carousings and fiery addresses
were the order of the day. ANARCHY is
only in its infancy" said Schwab, "but
Gov. Altgeld has helped 1t on to ma
turity." Fine expressions these, for
residents of a law abiding community!
Fine comments upon the action of the
governor of a state so powerful in the
coterie of states as Illinois.
The governors message, too, is an in
suit to the trial judge and jury. He
censures them, because, forsooth, they
were prejudiced in favor of the country
under whose flag they live and by::whose
laws they are protected. He s%scores
them because they were Jealous in their
desires to protect their government from
anarchy and overthrow!
In a leading editorial in the "Freheit,"
the organ of the anarchists, Johann
Most says: "We must have a reckoning
With this b%loodsucking crowd, but, COM
rades, let us be prepared the next time
they attack us, and give them a heartier
welcome than that accorded Bonfield
and his horde in 1885," Does this look
as though Altgeld's action thas had a
healthy effect? Does it %notrather prove
that the same spirit who prompted the
Haymarket riot has been but, dormant,
awaiting some action like that of Altgeld
~ &,1l,, ~1,k~~o - ko n1%&C ~,
Altgeld may be verbose, but it will re.
quire more than 1900 words for him to
explain satisfactorily the pardon of men,
whose liberty means the breeding of
dissent and disturbance, and whose par
don tells them in effect that the hang
ing Of their associates was an act of in
justice, perpetrated by a prejudiced
Judge and jury: