New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-20
L4WLESS TONG YES.

Probably to every law-abiding American who
reads the accounts of anarchstic and violent
demonstrations nOminally in behalf OF unem-
ployed workingmen there occur the questions ::
"Why are such things permitted? Why do
the police refrain from are>ting and punlshlng
such persons? Why are speeches intended d.
rectly to instigate lawbreaking permitted IN
public halls and streets? Why are malevOlent
people allowed to play upon the passions the
prejudceS and the necessities of the more lgno-
rant and needy, and to plunge them into law
less violence, to their own injury and to the
detriment of civilized society,""
1t must be admitted that these questions
are not quite answered by saying that this is
a land of free speech Even here the laws do
make distinctions between the speech that IS
permitted and the speech that is not permitted
1t is an of ence under the laws even here to
incite to acts of violence or lawbrealSng. Ii
is an offence under the laws Of this country to
instigate riot or acts of vengeance upon law
abiding individuals. 1t is only right to admit
that the police have perhaps been somewhat
remiss. They have been at times too slow to
watch for and to prevent performances the
consequences of which 1t may cost the police
and society far greater trouble and risk to
arrest after the somewhat shadowy limit be-
tween lawless words and lawless acts has been
passed Yet it may be said, on behalf OF the
defenders of society, that the whole theory OF
American civilization has ever been adverse
to any unnecessary restriction OF the freedom
of speech Public opinion is not readily IN
clined to intriist TO any policeman, or police
captain or chief arbitrary power of deciding
what utterances in public are contrary to law
or calculated to insigatc lawlesS violence. The
reason is obvious. There is a general desire
to maintain as far as possible the liberty of the
individual wherever public safety is not en-
dangered.
Within the last twenty years. and especially
within the last decade there have arrived III
this country vast number of ignorant and
lawless persons from other countries This has
brought home to the sober consideration OF
Americans the question how far 1t is practicable
with due regard for the welfare OF society
or desirable with due regard for the welfare
of the ignorant immigrants themselves, To
suffer the same measure of license in speech
which has been for nearly century permitted
among people of Anglo Saxon blood. II has
become clear that indictments to riot and VIC
lence are far more frequently successful than
they formerly were and for the obyiou, reason
that they are addressed to far greater mum
Der of persons who have never learned what
American freedom means or what duty it i'm
poses on citizens.
The anarchists talk of the duty OF society
or Government to give them bread. There is
no such duty Nobody compelled them to
come here. Nobody compelled their misguided
dupes, the ignorant and needy thousands who
listen, to come to this country. Nobody com
PEELED many OF them TO waste part OF their
substance when employed, so that the first in
dustrial reverse which closes many shop and
mills leaves them in want Workingmcn who
have received no larger wages than thousands
of the riotous and noisy have been thrifty and
understanding, and thus have frugally saved
in good times enough to protect them against
suffering when industries arc Frustrated. More
than five million depositors in savings banks
alone have now at their command abou0
Sl,7OO, 900, 900 thus saved as their defence
against want. If others have not taken the
same precaution, it is in nearly all cases be-
cause they have preferred to indulge appettos
without thought of the morrow.
Society does owe to all citizens reasonable
protection The safest and cheapest way TO
prevent the destruction of life and property by
riots is to lock up or ship ont Of the country
the notorious persons who instiga.c riots.
They are seldom Americans by birth or blood,
and never by instinct or education. The place
for them is somewhere else, where people are
less tit for freedom than the great majority Of
Americans, and where stern measures of re-
preston arc always needed