New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-25
SUPPRESSION OF ANARCHISM.
OBJECTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CON-
GREsS IN ROME.
CONCERTED ACTION BIZ THE POWERS FOR PRO-
TECTING SOCIETY AGAINST a CRAVE


TECTING SOCIETY AGAINST CRAVE
PERIL PLANNED
To The Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir Anarchism is to such an extent peril to
civilized and well-ordered society in every part
of the world that the International Congress
convoked by the italian Government and which
meets at Rome to-day for the purpose OK dig
cussng collective means for dealing with this
danger. must necessarily excite both interest
and sympathy. The congress Will be all the
more important as II is the first Of these con-
certed movements against the declared foes Of
our social system in which Great Britain has
consented TO take part. That the Anarchist
movement has made enormous progress since its
origin just thirty years ago, when IT was found
ed BY the Russian baron and ex-conv!ct Bakou-
nine at Geneva. Is a universally admitted fact.
and 1t is likewise manifest that existing condi-
t!ons of police lamentably inadequate either
to arrest the growth Of this all-destroyng cult
to protect society against its outrages II IL
imperative therefore. that some new means
should he devised eficaciously to repress An
archism.
The programme for the congress drafted by
tho Italian Government and accepted by all the
foreign Powers taking part in the conference
comprises five principal points:
First-To define criminal Anarchist"
SeconG-To decide that Anarchist outrages
must be considered crimes against common
law and feIon!es. and not as political offences.
Third-To concert special measures against
the press which ircites 10 Anarchist outrages or
which carries on the Anarchist propaganda In
It's columns.
Fourth-To establish system Of special and
summary extradtion or expulsion Of Anarchists
or Of persons suspected on reasonable grounds
Of heinC engaged I'm AnarChical plots.
Fifth-To organize a police service comms-
stoned to keep up closer international relations
The Italian Government. IN submitting THIS
programme for the deliberations Of the congress
wishes it thoroughly to ne understood that II mas
NJ intention Of restricting bona hde political "p-
critics in any manner and that all the decisions
Of the conference will be- subject 10 subsequent
ratification by the Governments Of the respective
Powers taking part in the deliberations
THE MOST VITAL QUESTION.
The main point to be discussed at the con-
ference is one which is not included in the pro
gramme except indirectly. Yet it IS the MOST
vital If all. II is the question whether men ana
women can be arrested and punished for mercy
processing Anarchism or belonging to the move
mert or whether il is necessary 10 wa't uh'h
they have perpetrated some outrage some
actual offence against the laws Of the land. be-
fore being punished Until now Anarchism has
been regarded at any rate in this country, IN
England in Belgium. in Switzerland, In Scandi-
navia and in Holland. as in the nature Of A po-
litcal creed. In fact many people. pfooaply
the majority have cOnfounded 1t with social
ISM and some Of them even with the iapor
movement And in the countries just mentioned
II has always beer regarded as one % the
fundamental principles Of the national con-
ha
even prosecuted for his political opinion or for
his religious creed
If the congress can succeed in convincing the
Powers in question that Anarchism is not po-
litical creed. but cult Of crime. an association
formed with the avowed object Of outrage and
nurder-in short. that there is nothing political
about Anarchism nut that 4 Is solely ana en-
tirely criminal-then a great step will have been
achieved toward the suppression OF these foes or
our social system. For In the United states
England and Belgium. well as in the other
countries above mentioned. II individuals can be
proved to have conspired together 10 commit a
crime, they he punished for the criminal
conspiracy. even if they have not had time or
opportunity to put their nefarous designs into
execution. once this is established the authori-
ties will find il far more easy 70 deal with the
problem. for as soon as ever II Il Unanimously
agreed that Anarchism is not a political con-
spiracy but purely criminal one then An
archists can be hunted down wherever found
and placed under lock and key.
ANARCHISTS AND THUGS
This was always the opinion of the late Prince
Bismarck. who. at the time OF the assassina-
ton Of President Carnot. drew most interest
ing parallel between the Anarchists and indian
Thugs. The Thugs every one knows, were
q religious sect in India, who were taught ~
believe that the only way 10 2ropitiate their
goddess Nishnu was by killing PEG
pie in her honor irrespective Of their age. rank
or sen Every new victim was regarded in ire
light Of pleasing sacrifice 10 the goddess. and
it is alleged even millions--of
people were thus destroyed by the Thugs The
English in India found it impossible ~ suppress
Thuggsry by ordinary means. Yet they realized
that II was their duty shield their fellow
under their protection from assassns
ton Accordingly they adopted precisely mo
same principle and theory which 1t Is ~ ne
hoped and may be expected that the congress
will adopt. nancy. that the mere fact Of he
longing to the cult Of Thuggery. rs t" the cut
Of Anarchy constitutes crime each being an
association formed for the specific purpose ~
murder and rme. Acting on this theory. the
English authorities started IN by arresting and
either hanging imprisoning for life every
native that could be iudicialy proved to be
Thug. irrespective of the question whether n"
had committed any definite murder or not the
mere fact that he was a Thug was sufficient 70
brand him as a criminal and = foe Of So
'icty.f who. ns such, was deserving Of punish
ment. and who. in any case. II was the duty
" the state t. render harmless. by this means
he English authorities succeeded In entirely
out Thuggery in India. an empire
" hich 1t had devastated for hundreds ~ years
The determination OF the Thugs began under
he ainAarnnr. ianeralship OF Lnrd William BEN