The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-07
SHOOTING OF THE PRESIDENT.


death of the peoples rulers? Must the
blessings of liberty be sacrificed in
order that the head of the nation may
find protection for his life by the adop-
ton of the safeguards common in Euro
pean monarchies? Must the taking of
the oath as president of the United
States come to be the equivalent of a
self-inhicted death sentence? Must the
modern American republic be in peril
OF its own existence because miscreant
foreigners, smarting from real or fancied
wrongs, may here conspire against law
and order and in safety elect men to
carry out the decree of congregated as
sassins and strike down the idols of this
people as an expression of some mad,
frenzied notion of vicarious retribution?
In other words, is there too much fire.
dom under freedoms banner?
These are questions which naturally
suggest themselves to the men and wo-
men of a grief-stricken nation as they
partially recover, only to recoil again,
from the shock of the presidents at
tempted assassination. To indulge on
such an occasion in the language Of
euogy touching the private and public
character of William Mckinley gives no
relief to the outraged sentiments of the
nation, to it's grief, it's Indignation, its
alarm, it's CONSERVATION at this moment
of supreme peril. That the victim of the
assassin, while yet in the prime Of life.
has become one Of the greatest of Amer
leans, that his administration has
brought prosperity and happiness to the
people of all classes, that his private life
has afforded an example of tenderness
and devotion which have won him the
infinite love and respect Of the American
people; that conspicuously and undenia
bly, he has been the most popular presi-
dent since the great L:nlocln. whom he
greatly resembles in his own affection
for the masses and theirs for him-these
attributes to his goodness and greatness
will rise simultaneously and naturally
to the lips of every man and woman
who knows or understands the character
Of the president. Many of our own citi-
zens give expression to their respect
In, 10y, ,o1,
is typical of popular sentiment from
Maine to Texas, for in such a time as
this there is no thought in any mind
that is not the result of affection and
solicitude.
Mingled with the general horror is one
CLEAN, Of satisfaction which grows out of
the fact that no American is responsible
for the deed. No American could be re-
spsnsible for it. There is the same pass
ing sa tisfaction in the fact that no Anglo-
Saxon can be charged with the crime. To
none of the immigrants from Great Brit
ain which seek American shores to par
take Of the blessings of free govern
snert can the offense be charged, one
which the foul fend himself would not
insLigate. 1t was the deed of some
wretch from Poland, where the minds
OF men have been warped by centuries
of oppression, and whose lower classes
can not distinguish between the priv
leses granted by monarchial and repub.
lican governments. They come here be-
lieving that all governments are tyran.
meal and that assassination, force agains
torce, is the only remedy. After thei!
arrival the American people themselve.
must take part of the responsibility fol-
rnsults, for beyond a doubt the so-calef
ye,low press is not wholly guiltless Of
ntfenses growing out of misconceptions
Of the policy and character of the Amer.
lean government. When a foreign an.
archist lands at New York he read:
in the yellow press that the administra.
fion is an aggregation of thieves anG
tyfa"s' mat II Is seeking TO build w
military power to over-awe the people
that the whole country is in the hands
Of half 4 dozen corporations bent or
plunde: and coercion. Not only the vel.
lew press but the pictorial press is en-.
EaScd in the same work The effect O,
the depra' ed and ignorant anarchis
Immigrant can be imagined. He .natu
rally believes that he has left on,
tyranny for another, that conditions ar,
~ better here than in Poland or Ital,
or Austria. Soon meetings are held ant