The sun., 1901-09-09
SHOOTING OF THE PRESIDENT.

4
The horror of the tragedy ut Buffalo /
grows
With the unraveling of the mystery Of
the attempted assassination of l'resl-
dent Mckinley, it is revealed thar .
in this country, in this land of
liberty and prosperity. and under /
government of laws made by and for the
people, anarchy, that breaches il creed Of
hatred. and practices murder. stalks 1T
noomtde, in public places, choosing fcs.
tive occasions and crowded thorough |
fares to strike down the nollest and best
Of Americas citizens. I
With the full story of the shooting Of
the President comes the assurance that |
every prccalItoIi that could be thought of |
and suggested to safe guard the august
guest of the festive occasion. WAS take,
and that the President was literally suit
rounded by Sigilant, experienced and
faithful guardSmen; and that outside II
these was Il great concourSe of honorable
and loyal people, honoring ana ready e
protect the chosen victim of the aSs;,s-
sin; and vet, devil in human form
with fendiSh hate and desperation
masked under a calm exterior. walked
amid those thousands Of loyal men altl
women and passed all those experienced
guards 10 within touching distance Of the
President. to kill him.
The horror of all this is not developed
iii the shooting Of the President. 1t is
rather i'll tile discovery Of laws inability
to awe these muidrrcrs into submission
and the inability Of the authorities 10 pre-
vent the accomplishment Of their hellish
leSignS. Ii the facts are to force this
kind Of concession t. outlawry. il would
seem rs il civilization mad reached its
limit, and that humanity mt the point Of
its highest development had turned back
ward toward harharism. These murders
ers are what is called the fruit Of civil
zation. They talk glibly Of God and nf
liberty--of duty to one and devotion 10
the other. They have been subject to the
legal ana moral restraints which civil
zation imposes and religion endorses; ard
ye1 they make patriotism Of murder: do
that iii the assassination Of the President
Of the United States. who is not. and wilo
cannot lie IA ruler" III the sense Of
tyranny: who claims and exercises no au-
thGlity originating in and Of himself, but
does what the people in whose hands il;
the power and authority Of government,
directs him to do. 1t would seem rs if
the dullrst Of comprehensonS would dis
tingush between the man and the ruler
iii such il ease; and understand that by
reason Of the machinery Of the govern.
nlrt which does not, and cannot stop
because IT the removal of the executive.
is not changed either in its character or
purpose by such removal. That these
mufdererS do not 50 comprehend things
is proof Of their moral and mental mad
ness he madness of hate the hate Of
failure for success. They know moth,
ing about the philosophy Of anarchy, but
catching the word make it the conycn-
lem vehicle uf hate. and the mask OF II
lellish desire to be avenged upon some
one whose eminent success inspires thcil.
cnyytlc envy and hate that is insepcr-
able from incapable and dishonest amhi-
tion.
This horror ut Buffalo has raised the
question and made il presently pertinent.
how shall tins madness he dealt witli.
II isn't the madness Of irreSpptlsihility n
which WE impriSon. ii Is the madness
Of murder and treason which we destroy.
and should hc 50 dealt with. Anarchy
rs these mrtl.dcrprs define it should be
made treason. The law should 50 define
IT, An avowcd anarchist who advocates
thu destruction Of governments by the
murder Of their rulers. is a traitor to any
and MI governments whether he commit
murder with his own hands. or whether
he. or she, incite others weaker but moi
worse than themselves. 10 40 the killing
The confession Of such il creed ought IL
b. made proof Of treason. and the con
foSscd traitor ought to he hanged %
slot. If there was such il law III every
State Of the Union. vigorously executed
''anlrlly'' rs these murlrrrrs undrrstatt
il would 10 cNtlpated.