The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-18

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
/ surprised to read in editorial of
the Journal of the 10th that the fact that
one of the stock arguments OF the Bryan
Democrats is threat that If the schemes
of the Anarchists are not successful at the
polls. violence will be resorted to, is not
very alarming. 1t is alarming, and all the
more alarming because the watchmen on
our political walls laugh at it, signifying
nothing. When a leading Populist. the sec
rotary of their national committee. says
that the election of Mr.. Mckinley will I'M
doubtedy bring on bloody revolution in
the near future and simultaneous appeal
Ito the Masses in Indiana appears, to cry
havoc and let loose the dogs of war on
the same conditions, there is cause of
alarm. These separate utterances by politi-
cal leaders, acting without concert. but ut
tering a common sentiment. mean much
more to who is old enough to remem-
Der how 1.-The masses" were educated to the
point of shedding fraternal blood forty to
fifty years ago than they possibly can 10
those whose knowledge of the preliminary
preparations for what followed is derived
only from history or tradition. The parallel
ism between the animus of this canvass
and those of the early fifties is wonderful,
There is this difference, however: that re-
lated primarily to a matter that
tional and the final bloody settlement of il
must necessarily be along geographical
lines largely. but this finds its champions
alike in all the States. so that when havoc
and the dogs OF war are let loose. the
masses will be found at every mans door,
1t will not be sectional fight. but frater-
nal one in which every man who has moth
ing will be arrayed against every man who
has something. 1t will be the French revo-
luton reproduced. with the eloquent perora-
ton of candidate Bryan = the crown OF
slogan. The animus Of that speech. from
beginning to end. was the same that
which prompted the threat of the Rockport
circular to cry havoc and let loose the
dogs of war
Fifty years ago the threats of violence
as a means of settling political differences
were not half so frequent as they are now,
but they became more frequent rapidly. SO
that by 1850 even Daniel Webster trembled
before Them and the people of Indiana got
low in the dust and incorporated a most
humiliating concession to slavery into the
Constitution. But there were those then. as
now who said those threats are not very
alarming" 1t would have been better if they
had been alarming and had been met man.
fully and defiantly at once instead of being
terrified into humiliating concessions which
only emboldened those who made them, and
intensified the final struggle.
These threats are alarming II in no other
way that that they familiariZe the
masses with the thought OF violence as a
political factor. If the Websters of 1850 had
defied the Calhouns of that period bold
ly and resolutely as the Lincolns of ten
years later had to. defy the Davises OF his
period there would have been no call for
troops by the hundreds of thousands to
demonstrate the right of Americans to rule
by majorites. Our duty now Is plain. We
are not to be stampeded by threats Of
havoc and the dogs of war If the
masses" are not needed. And who are those
threatening masses? Mostly foregn-born
Anarchists, led by foreign-born desperados.
who denounce. even in "A Democratic con-
vention. American President who en-
forces American laws. as construed py an
American Supreme Court. and who would
be to-day led by Il foreign-born candidate
but for the accidental circumstance that
being foreign-born he is ineligible TO the
Office of President Is il not alarming when
this conspiracy against all that * Arneri-
can has already accumulated force enough
to elect a foreigner to the Office of Governor
just in time for him to pardon lot Of his
ilk who had been convicted under American
laws of the crime of assassination in the
interest of anarchism? Let no American be
deceived as To the issue of this campaign.
Free silver and free trade and their Oppo-
masses that element to which these So
cialistic harangues are made, and TO which
these incendiary circulars are sent. care
for neither the one nor the other: they have
nothing to lose or TO gain by either, their
only hone is i'm revolution and anarchy.
and he is unwise who does not recognize
this as the one single issue and subordinate
every mere economic measure TO Ii. II will
be time enough TO talk about the kind OF
money shall have. or the kind OF "A tariff
when il is settled that ballots. not bullets.
are supreme. L. l.. SEE
Martinsville. Ind, July IL.