The Washington times., 1901-09-17
The Government,. Strength.

Nothing could have more satisfactor-
publican Institutions, as developed in
the United States. than the actions of
the American people, when, with the
unexpected suddenness of a thunder
clap from a cloudless sky, the news
was flashed over the land that the
head of the Government had been
stricken down by an assassin. There
was speculative tremor in Wall
Street, and everywhere there was an
outburst of indignant denunciation of
anarchy, the teachings of which were
directly responsible for the foul deed,
but in all this vast continental Repub-
lie there was not whisper of doubt as
to the perfect stability and safety of
the Government. That the shooting Of
the President could give the slightest
check TO the ship of state as she sailed
on her way was an idea utterly foreign
to the American mind Men did not
argue or discuss the proposition. They
did not even think of it. With a su-
preme confidence that was a stranger
to all doubling and fear, the great body
of American citizenship knew that al
though the President might die the
Government would live and move
grandly on in the fulfillment of its des-
tiny.
The almost universal demand that
has gone up for the wiping out of an
arcby was not born of fear No one be-
heves that the incendiary teachings of
the sect could ever influence a sufficient
number of people to endanger the Gov
ernment. The demand has been simply
a manifestation of the horror and de-
testation of a creed which leads to such
crimes as the one at Buffalo that has
shocked humanity in every quarter of
the civilized world. The formation of a
free and beneficent Government is in
Itself a magnificent triumph of civiliza-
ton. II all government could be de-
stroyed without at the same time de-
stroying civilization, the first thought
Of mankind would be to restore gov
ernmsnt in some suitable and desirable
form. The condition advocated by the
anarchist could not exist for any ap-
preciable length of time. There is not
the slightest possibility of the anarch-
fist scheme being successfully carried
beyond the point of the mere butchery
nov and then of some person occupying
high official station. II is to prevent
such deeds to the fullest possible ex-
tent, and 10 protect the lives of those
who are placed in positions of trust and
authority. that the demand for the
crushing of anarchy is so earnestly
made.
The force of what is here said re-
specting the strength of our Govern
ment becomes the more apparent when
we consider the attitude of the Demo-
cratic party. which stood in opposition
TO the late President. and is antagonis-
tic TO his successor upon some very i'm
portant questions of national policy.
But 1t Is an opposition which goes
merely to the point of what the Govern
ment should do respecting those ques-
tions, and not one which strikes at the
foundations of the Government itself
The Democratic party is prepared to
yield the same obedience to thu Govern
ment when controlled by the opposing
party that II would with its own Ad-
ministration in power. and it has no
desire for power that is not obtained in
lawful and orderly way.
Nothing, we may say with propriety,
could have been finer than the course
Of the Democracy generally during the
whole OF the tragic period which began