The Leon reporter., 1901-10-10
Con1111oner Comment.
Extracts from W. j. Bryan's Paper
Dolliver on Anarchy.

OlASCE Oh fAudrCny.
Senator Dolliver of Iowa made a
speech at the Memorial Services held in
Chicago on Sunday, September 22d. In
the course of his remarks he took occas-
ION to discuss two phases of the ques-
tlon OF anarchy, or rather two remedies.
Some seem to think that anarchy can
not be suppressed without limiting the
freedom of speech and the freedom of
the press. 1t is refreshing to find one
so eminent in the republican party as
Mr.. Dolliver challenging this dangerous
doctrine. He says:
"a government like ours is ALWAYS
slow to move, and often awkward in its
motions, but it can be trusted to find
etfectlve remedies for conditions like
these, at least after they become intoler-
able. But these remedies, in order to
become effective, must not evade the
sense of Justice which is universal, nor
the traditions of civil liberty, which we
nave inherited from our fathers. The
Dill OF rights written in the English
language, stands for too many centuries
OF sacrifice, too many battlefields salts
ned by blood, too many hopes of man
kind reaching toward the ages to come.
to be mutilated in the least in order to
meet the case of a handful of miscreants
whose names nobody can pronounce. %
Anarchy can be overcome without i'm
pairing the liberties of the people or
trenching upon those rights which are
essential to the republic. His sugges-
tlons go further than temporary sup
preston of anarchy. He deals with
some of the causes which lead up to and
develop the spirit of anarchy. He says:
"lt ought not to be forgotten that
conspirators, working out their nefar-
lous plans in secret, in the dens and
caves of the earth, enjoy an unconscious
cooperation and side partnership with
every lawless influence abroad in the
world. Legislatures who betray the
commonwealth, judges who poison the
fountains of justice, city governments
which come to terms with crime-all
these are regular contributors to the
campaign fund of anarchy"
There is food for thought in what
Senator Dolliver says. Lawlessness in,
high places breeds lawlessness among
less conspicuous individuals, and it will
be ditfienlt to teach the humber mem
bers of society respect for law and gov
ernment if there are men or corpora
tions SO great that they can with i'm
punity defy the law and the authority
OF the government.
The senator also refers to the burn
lngs which have taken place in several
sections Of the union and declares that
they do not contribute to the safety of
society. Lynch law is either rehec-
ton upon the government orit is an in
dlcation of unrestrained passion upon
the part Of the mob. If the government
is efficiently administered there is no
occasion to resort to lynch law, and if
It is not efficiently administered it is
better to reform the government than
to set aside it's authority.
But when the mob, not satisfied with
taking the life of the victim, adds tor
ture, it betrays brutality that shames
our civilization. The assaults upon
women which have been the cause of
most of the burnings, are indescribably
wicked, but tits enough that the guilty
party should atone for the deed with
his life. The taking of human life,
even in the enforcement of the laws of
society, is a grave and serious thing.
10 torture a human being to death
amid shouts of revenge is debasing and
cannot butresult injuriously to society.
The assassination of the president
will bring about q discussion of law
lessness and lead to an investigation of
the influences which lead to lawless-
ness.
Senator Dolliver has gone deeper into
the subject than many of the republi-
can editors who have sought to hide
their own responsibility behind col
umns of partisan abuse. He is to be
congratulated upon the courage which
he has manifested and the breadth Of
view he has shown.
There is much talk now about so
amending the immigration laws as to
exclude anarchists, and it is hoped
that this will be done. The law should
be strict on this point and the immi-
grant should be compelled to assert
his belief, not only in some form of
government, but his belief in our. form
of government. And, while he is
swearing, it would not hurt him to de-
clare that he accepts the Declaration
OF Independence as his political creed.
Mr.. Hearst's papers-the New York
Journal, the Chicago American, and
the San Francisco Examiner-have.
since the assassination been made OBJ
jects of attack by all the republican
papers. From the manner in which
Mr.. Hearst is returning the fire it is
evident that he intends to continue his
crusade against monopolistic wealth
and entrenched privilege.
The men who advocated lynch law
IN the case of Czolgosz should ponder
well on the outcome of the assassin's
trial. The assassin was given fair trial
and the spectacle is one calculated to
increase respect for law and order. A
IyyN N~I.