The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-09-10
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

ne attempted ASSASSINATION Oh
President Mckinley is one of the
most grievous events in American
history. Lincoln was killee at the
close of a war of intense hatred and
the assassin's bullet was directed
by the desperate dispair of a follow
er of lost cause. Garfield was
shot by a maniac. man with a
fancied personal grievance. Pres
ident Mckinley was shot down by
man in full possession of his facul-
ties, man inspired by no personal
hatred, man whose act was the
direct and logical outcome of that
license of speech and thought,
which the American people have
allowed to grow up under the name
of freedom. The doctrine which
has been taught and reiterated by
thousands of men, that this has be-
come an aristocracy of the rich,
that the man with money or politi-
cal position is the direct enemy of
wage Garner and the poor, has
found ultimate expression in the
crack of the revolver at B2ffalo.
The original utterers of these libels
against Americanism intended no
attack upon thelife of the Presiden
they stand aghast at what has hap
pened and join in the universal an
genuine grief which it has caused.
In truth, had they but believed
what theyssaid, had they believed
Mckinley was a tyrant, that the
country was fast becoming intoler-
able for the man who had to earn
his bread by the sweat of his brow,
there would have been much more
palliation for them. The teachings
which have made such deeds as the
one at Buffalo possible, had no
such high aim. They were uttered
for partisan purposes. 1t was not
meant that they should be taken
too seriously. Beyond enveloping
people with sufficient of discomfort
to catch their votes at an election,
there was no higher object. One
can have more admiration for the
reckless malice of an Anthony,
when he said, "Mischief thou art
afoot. Take thou whatever course
thou wilt" than for these men who
have sown to the wind and who
now wiring their hands with griet
when they reap the whirlwind.
Men are responsible agents. They
know that every seed of discomfort
and distrust and malice that's sown
will bear fruit after its kind and
while the primary purpose may
have been but the enticing of votes
with view to a redistribution Of
ofdces,it is not surprising that some
perverted minds shonld carry on
the argument and say to themselves
eff Nc Kinley is an emperor, if he
has joined hands with oppressers
of the poor, if a continuance of his
life and his administration means
poverty and grief and dispair fol
the millions, while the few are tc
enjoy the fruits of others toll, lei
HIM die, die like the tyrant and the
knave that he is.
Who is responsible? Every
man who through the press or or
the hastings has proclaimed tha
the President was but the tool o
the rich, is responsible. Every
man who has deliberately incitee
envy and distrust in the people i.
responsible. Every man who ha!
used his influence to make The
American people believe that thei
government was for the few ane
against the many, is responsible
They are the more responsible be
cause their motives were not higl
and because they did not believe
their words even as they uttered
them. We will now be delugee
with eulogies of Mckinley from tn
same sources that have made thi
great crime possible. We will hea
that at such times as these parti
sanship must be thrown to the wind
Il n