The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-23
A DANGER OF THE TIME
POLITICAL AssAsSINATIONs AND
THE ANARCHIST MOVEMENT.
Calm Discussion by Hon. james
Bryce, N. p, Author OF .sThe Amer
icnn commonwealth Etc.


The assassination Of King Humbert. all
the more detestable. because he was per-
sonally possessed OF many noble qualities
and had faithfully walked in the steps OF q
father OF whom ali Italy was proud. has
recalled the mind Of Europe TO the danger
which threatens the heads Of all states.
whether monarchieal or republican. from
those who are commonly. though perhaps
rather loosely, called Anarchists. Yet the
impression of horror made by this deplora-
BILE event seems less than might have been
expected Peoples have become so much
accustomed TO see crimes OF this kind per-
petrated as to have grown comparatively
callous. Since the murder OF the Car
Alexander III. in 1852. sort OF epidemic OF
political assassination has prevailed In Eu-
rope, like that which marked the latter
part OF the sixteenth and early part OF the
seventeenth century. King Henry " in
France and the Regent Murray in Scotland
were only two of the most conspicuous
among its many victims. The massacre CT
ST. Bartholomew eve and the attempt TO
blow up the English King and Parliament.
which is called after Guy Fawkes. were In
stances on great scale OF the effort to at
tain political objects by the slaughter in
time of peace OF political opponents. and
both were approved or condoned by the
public opinion of large sections OF Europe.
Many plots were formed to kill Queen
Elizabeth and again to XIII Oliver Cron-
well, but so far as England is concerned
the habit practically died out tin 1t was re-
Gently revived in the plans directed against
Mr.. Gladstone and Mr. w E. Forster and
in the murder of Lord Frederick Cavendish
and Mr.. Burke in 1852
All these cases. however. were cases in
which there was some hostility 70 the in
dlvidual victim, either on personal grounds
or because he exercised a power which tho
conspirators desired to remove from their
path. The significant feature of the pres
ent assassinstive epidemic is that it is die
rected against persons merely in respect To
their position as rulers or connected with
reigning families. altogether apart from
their personality. There was no personal
hatred of President Sadi Carnot, an esti-
mable man and merely the titular head OF
free nation: still less to the Empress OF
Austria, a woman whose character and
misfortunes would have been expected 10
win sympathy from the hardest heart. In
deed, it is remarkable that the victims
have usually been the most amiable and
beneficent men. OF President Lincoln
there is no need to speak. The Car Alex
ander had liberated the serfs. and was.
when he persisted, trying 10 liberalize Rus
sian administration. Lord Frederick Cav
endish had gone to Ireland on mission OF
Cancellation.
TWO EXTRAORDINARY POINTS.
There are two phenomena about these So
| called Anarchlst-the word must be used
.'under protest DEMONSTRATION which ara
felt to be specially formidable. One Is the
! fact that, as just observed. the victim is
| lected quite irrespective Of his or her per-
| sonality and merely in respect OF his or
| her position. Sipido. the Italian-Belgian
boy who tried to kill the Prince of Wales.
| had no animosity to the prince, but merely
| knew he was the Queen Of England's SON.
| The other is that the assassin is. in many
| cases, Indifferent TO his own escape. He
would doubtless prefer TO escape. but he 10
ready to attain his object at the cost of his
own death or lifelong Imprisonment.
| Against such assailants it is almost impos~
| sible to take complete precautions. ana
punishment has comparatively little de-
terrent effect. Here again we are reminds
cd of the assassinations Of the sixteenta
century They were largely due 10 rec
ligious passion. and the man who thinks no
is rendering a service to his religion thinks
litue of his own life. Mohammedan fanat-
les. such as was the man who killed Lord
Mayo Cviceroy of India), in the Andanasu
islands, are equally disregardful Of their
own safety and willingly accept a death
| which secures their entrance 10 Paradise.
Something like this is evidently the case
| with men like the assassins OF President
| Carnot and the Empress OF Austria and
| King Humbert. They are possessed by a
hatred OF society and government as at
present constituted which had all the eff
| fects Of religious fanaticism and takes M
| heed of the consequence TO themselves
notwithstanding the excitement caused
by these assassinations and the attention
! which has been directed 20 the whole subj
tect the European public knows extremely
little about what il calls the Anarchist
/ movement il has no data for finding even
how far the assassinations are 10 be con-
| nected with the speculative doctrines of
anarchy, and probably exaggerates. in it's
! Ignorance. the extent Of such connection
as exists Many OF those who hold ans
archism as a speculative doctrine are pers
| fectIy harmless and well-meaning men who
would give no encouragement TO slaughter.
| II is unjust TO them to brand them with re-
] sponsibility for deeds Of violence. Some, AZ
least. of those who plot or perpetrate mur-
| ders seem to be persons with a strong nat-
ural propensity to crime, who need specu-
| lative theory 10 spur them on Probably
the police OF some European countries
know more than they have given or think
1t wise to give to the public. But II may be
! doubted whether even the police can deter
| mine what relations the criminal side OF
the movement has with the theoretical or
| doctrinal side.
A REVOLUTIONARY AGE.
Novel and alarming as the phenomena
are, little reflection shows US that they
might have been looked for in an age like
our own. II has been. regards moral and
social ideas, a revolutionary age. Over
many parts OF Europe the old restraint
| which religion had imposed have complete
~ vanished from the minds OF a large part
I OF the laboring class in the towns. and
have been replaced. TO great extent, by a
positive hatred OF religion and those who
are specially associated with II. This has
been particularly the case IN France. in