Middletown transcript., 1901-09-14
M1ppIHrowH, DEL, SEP. "A, 1901.
THE CRIME AT BUFFALO

On Friday last the whole world
was shocked by the news that
President Mckinley had been
shot twice and seriously if not
fatally wounded by an American
born Anarchist, named Leon
Czolsgolz. Fortunately, thelater
news Indicate that all the chances
are in favor of a rapid recovery
on the part Of the President, for
which the earnest prayers of
millions are daily uttered. No
cause existed for this dastardly
attempt, except that the teach
ings of his sect are to the end
that all rulers should and must
be killed, that law and order
should cease and Anarchy reign.
Much discussion has arisen over
the fact that in the event Of the
Presidents recovery, the maxi
mum penalty for the deed is ten
years Imprisonment, and tho
sentiment is largely growing that
this country is no place for such
men and women. Anarchy's an
idea of recent birth and growth
dating back only about twenty
five years to 1876 when the Berne
convention formulated the. plan.
OF course, extremists, holding
some of these ideas were occa-
sionally met before this time, but
they had no organization and
were not dangerous except as in
dividuals. In 1881, another con-
vention was held in London,
which decreed the destruction of
all rulers as an article of faith.
It was not until 1886, when the
Anarchists attacked the police
in Chicago, that the people of
this country were given an ex-
ample of what these teachings |
led to. And even this lesson
Am het generally learned, bat |
fhere was, on the other hand, q
belief that while these fanatics !
did not like the American police,
that they were foreigners who
did not know any better and that
they would soon get over it.
Such a rude awakening as that
of last Friday and Saturday
will probably arouse the Ameri-
can people to the seriousness of
the problem facing them and lead
to an adequate restraint being
placed on these fanatics. Just
how this can be done is a ques-
ton. Other countries have tried
to meet the problem, and France
is probably the most successful.
She has made it criminal any
utterance of Anarchist senti-
ments. ''Any individual who
shall be convicted of having by
any means whatsoever done an
act of Anarchist propaganda by
preaching up attacks on persons
or property shall be punished,
provided it constitutes provoca-
tion to crime or the apology of
crime or incites one or more per-
sons to commit the crimes of
murder, pillage incendiarism or
theft" An attempt was made
by Congress in 1894 to exclude
Anarchists from this county but
failed, chiefly because of the op-
position of John Dewitt Warner,
of New York and Representative
English, of New Jersey. If there
were some way by which these
people after a crime had been
committed, could be placed, as
the Cubans were placed under
Spanish rule, incommunicado,
and have their trials in private,
it would be the greatest blow that
could be struck. For they live and
thrive on publicity, and get glory
enough out of seeing their names
appear in the headlines, to repay
them for any punishment that
can be inflicted. But such can
not be done under our constitu
ton, which guarantees a free
and fair trial to every person.
The only. plan that has a chance
of being successful is to exclude
and deport all avowed Anarchists,
and to infict heavier penalties
for the spoken and written
word inciting attacks on persons
or property.
rsNR. LYNN THE LEVY coUR