New-York tribune., 1901-11-04
TgF COURAGE OF THEIR WICKEDNESS.

It is common enough to speak OF good men as
having the courage of their convictions why
should we not similarly speak of the wicked!
Or rather. why should we not recognize the Iact
that some men are just as persistent in" az
gressiYe in evildong as others are IN "eioolis'
and that they have the courage OF their wicked
ness sufficiently to endeavor to make thal
vickedness triumphant through organized anc
systematic effort: Good men organize for the
nromotion of good causes. and employ therein
all legitimate means within their reach 1t is
not unreasonable to suppose that wicked men
similarly organize, on an extended scale, ana
manipulate to their evil ends all means which
are within their reach and which are capable
of being thus prostituted. 1t is. indeed, mat
ter of confessed record that this has actually
been done. Hugo's depictment of the Court or
Miracles is as true in spirit 1t is grewsome in
letter And from the days of Chopin to those
of Tweed and of the Molly Maguires the utility
of organization has been clearly and practically
recognized by the criminal elements Of the race.
1t is thus TO be regarded as possible that Il
number of actual or potential murderers
throughout the country, or throughout the
world. should consider it 10 their interest to
form an organization for facilitating the prac-
tice of murder and for securing immunity from
nunishment There are. unhappily, many men
and women in the world who, for one reason
ar another are in esse in posse murderers.
Some are that through personal hatred. some
through sheer lust of blood. some for the sake
of srain some because Of a brain Matched maggot
which tells them that thus society is to be re-
generated Diverse are these and other mo-
tiyes and ends the militant means are the same
in all cases Thus upon that common ground
all might meet and form an organization Tor
the benefit of all. Men often unite in seeking
education. or wealth. or what not. each with
his own Individual end in view, but all resort
ing to the same common means Those seeking
education call themselves a school or univer-
sity and those seeking wealth firm or cor
poration SO those practising or aspiring to
practfse murder for whatever end, might call
themselves anarchists.
There are also those who, for one purpose or
another, wish to break down and TO nullify the
moral law against the dishonest acquisition OF
wealth. Some wish TO do it for the mere sake
of amassing wealth. some for the fancy horses
dogs and trappings that wealth can purchase,
some for the qualification of gross and sensual
appefites, some for the simple pleasure OF the
game-the thrill of daring and excitement felt
by the cracksman and the gambler. The motives
are varied. but not the quality of the means
They are all working for their own pockets
all the time" Nothing is more reasonable
than that instead of picking pockets fndivdu-
ally or committing burglary IL groups of two
or three they should unite in en- organization
covering a whole city for the general benefit.
Nor would 1t be strange it, when thus organ
lied Of course under a mask of respectablity as
a benevolent order or political party, they
should secure the adherence of many persons
not of criminal intent. and thus perhaps muster