New-York tribune., 1894-04-22
THE B1CILLT or ANIECHY.

The movement ~ organized bodies upon
Washington with intent 10 Influence legislation
has I'm II. as Senator Iawlcy says. the "bacilli
Of Anarchy" His remark applied directly 10
the speech Of Senator Allen. but was equally
applicable to the demonstration which that Sen
ator commended The very purpose and the
method Of this organized movement ar" hostile
to the spirit Of our Government, and at war
with the fundamental principles upon which
free institutions rest
Free government means the rule Of the ma Jor-
ity through constitutional and legal forms and
through duly chosen representatives. When
that majority has expressed its will according
10 the provisions Of law. the Representatives
and Senators elected are clothed with certain
powers and any attempt on the part of an
organized minority TO defeat the expressed VIII
of the people, by other means than those which
thc elections afford Is contrary TO the flinda-
mental law Of free government. No one can
reasonably claim that the army" which calls
itself the Commonwcal embraces majority
of citizens. or that II expresses The wish Of the
majority. In fact. all It's known and avowcd
purposes are those Of n small minority Of voters,
who tried at the last Congressional election To
obtain n balance Of power In the Government,
but farcd even in that moderate endeavor. lf
this small minority, by concerted dcmonstra-
ton Of its wishes N the seat Of Government.
can set aside the will Of the ma Jorlty legally
expressed in elections. the principle of free gov
crnmcnt is abandoned and Anarchy takes its
place.
This is the more clear when the methods Of
this demonstration are considered The men
who march toward Washington are orderly and
law.abidlng citizens, 1t is stated and their con
duet has been In many respects highly cred
liable: but they cannot escape the Inference that
they hope and intend 10 influence legislation,
not by their reasons, not by petitions duly sub
mittcd not by votes or the exercise Of any law
full right as citizens but by the imprcssivcncss
Of "A great assembly at the seat OF Government.
Because crowd Of some thousands is ply 81
cally imposing. and its spirit and will are iT
prcsslve to those brought into personal contact
with IT, though less than n thousandth part of
the voters Of the Nation. 1t is hoped that Sen
ators and Representatives may be swervcd
from thc execution Of the expressed will OF the
majority. and led to take such action rs may
please The mob.
Anarchy has no business in this country. The
spirit and the methods OF Anarchists must be
SUPPRESSED here If free government Is TO serve
It's purpose faithfully. The principle applies TO
any and every manifestation of numbers and
physical force at the National Capital, whether
in Il good cause or bad In this particular
the movement Of workngmen TO protest against
the Wilson bill is a mistake, for II Is also liable
To be- construed as an effort TO overcome the
wishes Of voters expressed at the ballot-bOx,
through the impressveness Of a crowd collected
before the eyes Of representatives. The effort
is out Of harmony with the principles upon
which free government rests. The people made