The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-12-06
THE PRESIDENTS ANNUAL MESSAGE

country do not auOrQ opportunity ~
every honest and intelligent son Of toll
then the door of hope is forever closed
against him. The anarchist is every
where not merely the enemy Of system
and of progress, but the deadly foe OF
liberty. If ever anarchy is triumphant
it's triumph will last for but one red
moment, to be succeeded for ages by
the gloomy night of despotism.
For the anarchist himself, whether he
breaches or practices his doctrines, We
need not have one particle more con-
Germ than for any ordinary murderer.
He is not the victim of social or politi-
cal injustice. There are no wrongs 20
remedy in his case. The cause of his
criminality is to be found in his own
evil passions and in the evil conduct or
those who urge him on, not in any fail
ure by others or by the state to do
justice to him or his. He is a male
factor and nothing else. He is in no
sense. in no shape or way, a product
of social conditions" save as high
wayman is 'produced'' by the fact that
an unarmed man happens to have q
purse. 1t is a travesty upon the great
and holy names of liberty and freedom
to permit them to be invoked in such
, a cause. No man or body Of men
preaching anarchistic doctrines should
be allowed at large any more than If
preaching the murder of some specified
private individual. Anarchistic speech
es. writings and meetings are essential
ly seditious and reasonable.
Legislation Against Anarchists Urged
I earnestly recommend to the con-
gress that in the exercise Of it's wise
discretion it should take into considera-
alton the coming to this country of an
archists or persons protesting princi-
Piles hostile to all government and JUS
tifying the murder of those placed in
authority. Such individuals as those
who not long ago gathered in open
meeting to glorify the murder of King
Humbert of italy perpetrate a crime,
| and the law should ensure their rigor-
our punishment. They and those like
them should be kept out of this coun-
try; and if found here they should be
promptly deported to the country
whence they came; and far-reaching
provision should be made for the pun
ishment of those who stay. No matter
calls more urgently for the wisest
thought of the congress.
The federal courts should be given
jurisdiction over any man who kills or
attempts to kill the president or any
man who by the constitution or by law
is in line of succession for the presi-
dency. while the punishment for an un-
successful attempt should be proper
toned to the enormity of the offense
against our institutions.
Anarchy is crime against the whole
human race; and all mankind should
band against the anarchist. His crime
should be made an offense against the
law of nations, like piracy and that
form of manstealing known as the slave
trade; for it is of far blacker infamy
than either. 1t should be so declared
by treaties among all civilized power.
Such treaties would give to the federal
government the power of dealing with
the crime.
A grim commentary upon the folly of
the anarchist position was afforded by
the attitude of the law toward this
very criminal who had just taken the
life Of the president. The people would
have torn him limb from limb if it had
not been that the law he defied was at
once invoked in his behalf So far from
his deed being committed on behalf of
the people against the government, the
government was obliged at once to ex-
ert its full police power to save him
from instant death at the hands of the
people. Moreover, his deed worked not
the slightest dislocation in our govern
mental system, and the danger of a re.
currence of such deeds, no matter how
great it might grow, would work only
in the directions of strengthening and
giving harshness to the forces Of order.
No man will ever be restrained from
becoming president by any fear as to
his personal safety. If the risk to the
presidents life became great, it would
mean that the office would more and
more come to be filled by men of a
spirit which would make them resolute
and merciless in dealing with every
friend Of disorder. This great country
will not fall into anarchy, and if an
archists should ever become a serious
| menace to it's institutions, they would
not merely be stamped out, but would
involve in their own ruin every active
or passive sympathizer with their doc
trines. The American people are slow
to wrath. but when their wrath is once
kindled it burns like a. consuming
flame.
The Country's Prosperity
During the last five years business
confidence has been restored, and the
| nation is to be congratulated because
| of its present abounding prosperity.
Such prosperity can never be created
by law alone, although it is easy to de-
stroy it by mischievous laws. If the