Arizona daily citizen., 1901-09-23
A TEST OF NATIONAL CHARACTER.

The country has passed through
another great crisis. For two weeks
the American people we're under a
strain which afforded the sever
est possible test of the national char
actor. The murderous assault up
on their President which resulted,
after days of patient suffering on
his part, and OF weary public sus-
pense, in his death, was not aimed
at him as an individual, but was a
blow at the very life of our govern
ment, and was so recognized by
the people. Yet through all that
most trying period of anxiety and
excitement the most admirable
self-restraint had been observed.
In every city in the republic ex.
cited crowds had gathered night
after night before newspaper of
fees, eagerly devouring the bulle-
tins which came from the house of
suffering and sorrow; yet there
had been no lawlessncss, no mob
violence, no disorderlv dcmostra-
tions. There has been some in
temperance of speech on the part
of good men who, aroused to right
Gus Indignation by the foul deed
of the wretch Czolgosz, have pro-
posed the adoption of unconstitu-
tional and inhuman methods of
dealing with anarchists; but these
suggestions have not been taken
seriously, and it is doubtful if
many of them were so intended.
But not drop of blood has been
shed. Peace and order have every
where prevailed.
All thoughtful and patriotic men
and women are agreed that more
effective measures than have yet
been adopted must be devised for
dealing with the international con-
spiracy against society, of which
the assassination of President Nc
Kinley was a manifestation. Yet
they are also agreed that the safe
guards of the constitution must be
preserved and the guarantees of
the bill of rights sacredly main
tanned. The American people are
confronting a serious problem; the
problem of REFRESHING license with
out infringing liberty, of fsuppress
ing an organized propaganda Of
murder without trespassing upon
the.liberties of the citizen. They
recognize the gravity of the
problem and are considering it
in spirit of moderation and of en-
lightened common serse, which
presents the highest evidence of
their fitness for self-goyernment.
a Today the assassin of the Prcsid-
ent will be placed on trial. 1t is
safe to say that oil the safeguards
of the law will be thrown around
him, and enemy of society that he
is, that his every right will be
maintained.
The nation may well be proud
of tho record it has made during
these days of stress and trial, Let
us hope that it may not be marred
by any outbreaks of lawlessness,
or any resort to extra legal meas
ures in the days that lie before US.
Let everything be done decently
and in order. Let the supremacy
OF the law be upheld, and its mai
esty be respected. Let it be
strengthened and its administra-
tion be improved; but let the law
be ever supreme.
That individual 10 most truly
great who maintains the highest
degree of self-control in the crisis
of his existence. And go of ma
ton; it's greatness can only be
lnsasafed Aby the test of vital
emergency. Certainly the strength
and solidity Of the American char
meter have never stood out in bold
~ relief than since that awful mo-
lnent at Buffalo eighteen days ago.
which brought our, people face to
facs with an insidious = enemy
which d seeking TO destroy our Or
eanized existence. 4