The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-03-18

''' wv. l'''l'''Ni quo W VIVA bNN
is cowlpd with the kilt and the
other is kilt with the cowld."
EXtradition of Nihilists.
Phila. Record.
There is in this country Society
of American Friends of Russian
Freedom, with headquarters in
Boston, and with aims which are
in the highest degree praiSeworthy
Anything that can be legitimately
done to promote the cause of liber-
| ty in Russia, or elsewhere, de.
serves commentator. In II circu-
lar just issued this society protests
against the eXtradition treaty with
the Russian Government which
has recently been ratified by the
Senate. So far as this treaty is
concerned the protest comes tOu
late, since the agreement awaits
only the official certification of the
President. And as President Harri-
son negotiated the treaty, he
would scarcely fail to give it his
official sanction in this last stage
of the proceedings.
In this protest much stress is laid
upon the barbarous and suspicious
criminal code of Russia in respect
to attempts against the life or per-
son of the Emperor. But the
Courts Of the United States would
not be bound to administer the
eXtradition treaty in accordance
with the Russian laws. No Court
in this country would be likely to
deliver up n Russian fugitive ey-
cept upon the clearest proofs of his
guilt. Should the Russian author
tiles claim the surrender of Nihilist
cOnspirator they would be obliged
to show that he had been guilty of
an attempt upon the life sof the
Car, or Il member of the Cars
family. This, in most cases, would
extremely hard to do, and the fuei-
tive would not be surrendered.
But should II wrongful delivery of
Il fugitive he made, public opinion
would soon demand an abrogation
of the treaty.
The people of the Uuited States
would have Il right to demand the
eXtraditiOn of an assassin Of their
President, and no country, whether
civilized or semibarbarous, would
hesitate to deliver up such II crimi-
nal. AS this right is reciprocal, it
would make no difference whether
the head of the Government should
he Il President, an Emperor or
Prime Minister; nor would the sit
nation he altered by the fact that
Russia swarms with Nihilists, who
regard murder as II legitimate po-
litical agency. But assassination,
instead of mitigating the despotiSm
Of Russia, tends only to tighten the
chains of the unhappy Russian
peasants. Hence the Nihilists who
go about with dynamite bombs de
serve no protection nor sympathy
when they escape to this country.
Political assassination is much the
same in the forum of conscience as
any other murders, and should
suffer the same penalty.
This eXtradition treaty was not
negotiated with Russian Govern
ment for the sake of the Czar, but
in order to insure the return to
this country of fugitives from
American justice. If this Govern
ment should refuse to deliver up
Russian assassin on the plea that
in killing the Emperor he was en-
gagged in political crime the
would be an end of eXtraditiOn.
Russia could not, of course,
assent to II doctrine which should
hold political murder to be no
crime. 1t is urged, however, that
this treaty makes Il concession to
Russia which this Government has
refused to Great Britain, and
which is contrary to the general
practice of civilized nations" Let
the concession be extended to
Great Britain, then, and let this
r0untry thus set an example to all
nations by withholding
hospitality and protection from the
singers of dynamite,
no matter with what pretcXt they
may cloak their crimes. IT. Is too
Ihtein the day to make heroes of !
The Brutus type out Of this class of
igitat0rs.
To reduce flesh mussage, Turkish
,aths and plenty of exercise, with
in regard 10 drink and !
the use of sweet and oily foods, nre
4. IA.