The herald., 1897-12-13
What the Proposed Isolation of
Anarchists Would Really
Mean.
INFERNO OUTDONE.
Probable Attitude of the Powers
England and U. s. Will
Never Consent


establishing upon some island in the
Pacific! If the experiment were mere
ly to transport the Anarchists to the
island, patrol it with gunboats Of all
nations and let them manage their own
affairs ashore, the forced refugees
would have the best Of opportunities to
prove the superiority of their theories
OF no government in actual practice;
though they might instead quarrel as
furiously as the Kilkenny cats, and
with a like result. An island near the
equator, with plenty Of bananas and
bread-fruit and a natural spring of dry
champagne would be a favorable one
for such an experiment-unless it be
thought that this would be making the
penalties Of Anarchism altogether too
attractive.
It is not probable. however. that any,
thing SO picturesque is in contempla-
ton. Transportation for crime Is no
new thing. It Is the idea of interna-
tional action against an International
foe that makes the proposition an in
teresting novelty in penology.
FIRST FAMILIES" WITH CON-
vICT FORBEARS.
Great Britain used to send convicts
to the American colonies and sell them
as slaves, until the Revolution stopped
the chaste practice. Many Of our first
families are descended from such
slaves. The same is the case in Aus
tralia, where British convicts were sent
much more recently. Curiously enough,
the French took up transportation
about the time the English left it off,
and began, in 1872, sending prisoners
to New Caledonia, which is directly
east OF Australia, in latitude about 20
degrees south. Spain has used the
Philippines in the same way. Russia,
having apparently concluded that ST.
IBERIA is ready to be settled by ordinary
colonists, on lines somewhat similar to
our Homestead act in the West, will
probably move her convicts eastward
to the Pacific island of Saghalien,
which she took from Japan not long
ago by a sort Of forced bargain in ex-
change for the Kurile Islands. Sag
halien is full Of minerals, and Russia is
fond Of keeping her convicts under
ground. Japan herself, in panic fear
lest Russia shall similarly appropriate
Yezo, is sending colonists to that ISL
and, preparing the way for them by
convict camps, whose inmates are kept
in cutting roads through the
forest, in mining and in other rude
work.
If. therefore. an international An
archist asylum should be established
IN one Of the Philippines. there would
be a choice line OF island rascalism run
hing all down the east coast of Asia for
two thousand miles besides the lone
some French prisoners out in New
Caledonia.
THE IMPLEMENTS TO UNITED
ACTION.
The proffer Of an island by Spain
an be easily understood. in view Of
he recent assassination Of Canovas.
russia, whose Gear lives in daily ter
or Of the bomb, halls the proposition
nth an eager assent. Germany, whose
Dung War Lord brooks no criticism
the divine right by Socialists, Anar-
hists or even plain Republicans, would |
cooperate. Austria, which has the
lost turbulently divided population In
Europe, would follow suit, and so, no |
oubt, would lot Of little States, I'm.
err the influence Of their respective
Dig brothers." However, their accept
nee would not be necessary to the sue
,ss Of the scheme.
The greatest contrast is presented by
lie attitude of France and Great Brit
n toward the proposition.
France, nominally and really a Re-
lblic, inherits from a century of
ruggling royal and imperial dynas-
es all those clogs upon free action
i'd hindrances Of free speech which
e characteristic of monarchial ways.
er police regulations are almost Rus
an in their strictness.
Great Britain, nominally monarchy.
IT in effect far more Republican than ,
rance. has carried {
Freedom slowly broadening down IA
From precedent to precedent, u
a pitch that seems absurd upon the {
Great Britain will never consent to :
, into any such scheme for coping I'D t
le Anarchists. Neither would the c
nited States, for that matter: but cur
fusal would be less offensive to the
influential Powers. ,
BRITAIN'S ATTITUDE SELFISH? /
Great Britain's people have always 9
en Jealous of any interference with
litical freedom on the tight little {
and. Her politicians have shared {
e feeling particularly since Palmers- /
MS ministry fell In 1858 on the Con- '
iracies Bill, which was intended to t
otect Louis Napoleon against plots q
tched in London. r
Since that time London has been the /
se, wide open" headquarters of the s
,rld's Anarchists. They were num- I
BUS for q long time In Soho, and now I