The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-13
Planas, the Leader of the Span
ish Anarchists,
Has Been Shipped to America
by the French Officials.
WILL SEND HIM BACK.
Commissioner POWderly Says
He Shall Not Land.
Difficulties in the Way of Ex-
cluding Anarchists as a Glass.

New York, Aug. 13.z-A special to the
Herald from Washington says:
The treasury authorities are keeping
a sharp lookout for the anarchists now
being driven from France, Spain ana
Italy by concentrated action of the
great continental powers. No pains
will be spared to prevent the United
States from being made an asylum for
these men
Terence v. Powderly, the new com
missioner of immigra ton said in an in
terV1eW that he would adopt every
remedy under the law to exclude PIa-
mas, leader of the Spanish anarchists
VINO mas been conducted to HaVre by
French officials and shipped to New
York
Ihe immigration authorities will no.
t1fy their officers at New York and all
large seaboard ports to be on the look
out for anarchists headed this way 1t
is expected that the United States con-
SUI at HaVre will give specific informa-
tlon as to the ship on which Planas and
his cOmpatriotS sail.
Mr.. Powderlys attention was called
to the subject because of the anarchist
excitement following the assassination
of Premier CanoVas. Gable reports
stated that the European powers were
combining to drive out the anarchists
Mr.. Powderly felt satisfied that if this
process OF exclusion were inaugurated
IN Europe a good part of the anarchist
element would be driven this way With
a copy of the exclusion law in his hand.
Mr.. POwderly pointed out the steps to
be taken and also showed the need of
strengthening the laws in order to
| deal with the anarchist class.
The law permits the exclusion Of
persons who have been convicted of
a felony or other Infamous crimes or
| misdemeanOrS involving moral turpi-
| tude." Also excludes persons likely
| to become a public charge" These are
the only provisions which even indi-
| rectly can be applied to anarchists and
| the bureau will be compelled to resort
| to them.
After the Barcelona anarchistic agi-
tation, the French sent to the state de-
| partnent here list of anarchists ex-
| PEELED from the country and who ex-
J pected to come to the United States.
| The list was sent to the Immigration
| officers in New York.Philadelphia, Bos-
| ton and other ports with instructions
to apply the law against the anarchists
| named on the list. None of them was
| apprehended, however, as they either
| did not come or were Smuggled in by
| way of the steerage.
| Mr.. POwderly was asked if he favor
| ed Strengthening the laws so as to spe-
| cifically exclude anarchists.
Il most assuredly would favor a law
excluding from the United States every
criminal incendiary and anarchist, an
| swered Mr.. Powderly.
| There is no trouble in fixing the
| status of the man who has been con-
| victed of crime, but the term anarch-
ist' has not been clearly defined, so that
| it is extremely difficult to ascertain
! who the anarchists are"
| Mr.. Powderly went on to show the
| difficulties in the way of defining an
| archist' The latter claims to be
philosopher seeking an IDEAL state of
| society. To this end he advocates the
| abolition of all law and the substitu-
| ton of individual effort Mr.. Powder
| ly points out that it is only when the
| anarchist carries his philosophy to the
| point of becoming an assassin or ad-
| vocate of assassination, or incendiar-
i ism that the law can deal with him. 1t
| cannot deal with him as an abstract
philosopher The commissioner says
! that many anarchists will not accept
| the title.
| I'm the case of Planas. the Spanish
| anarchist, there appears to be no doubt
! as to his character. Mr.. Powderfy mas
| long known of Planas. The fact that
| he, is expelled from France would pro-
| babIy bring him within the section OF
| our law excluding those who had been
! convicted of any offense involving NOR
| al turpitude.'