Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-10-03


and never will be perfect. and there
are plenty OF individuals who are
deferred from robbing their neighbors
only by fear of the legal punishments.
Indeed, il may be true that the only
reason why man has risen above the
brute creation is that he has substituted
forms of government in place OF the
rule OF might. There is plenty of
liberty left under the law, especially in
this country. No person need ehafe
under the restraints in which he is
placed. There is full opportunity
for the exercise OF all those virtues
that should prevail, without infringing
a single statute. A good person may
grow in grace under the law until he
reaches absolute perfection. And in
addition, the evil disposed, with which
the world is and always will be
plentitully supplied, are held back
from preying upon their fellows. The
worst law and the worst government
in the world are infinitely better than
no law and no government.
But the belief in Anarchy, bad as it
is, in itself, encouraging as it does a
lack of patriotism. obedience and
respect for the established order,
becomes a live danger when its
adherents 90 so far in their madness
as to kill rulers. What is to be done
is a serious question, We can visit
the fun penalty for such crimes on the
assassins, but they expect that. and
glory in leaving behind them a record
OF tmartyrdom for the cause" that
their fellow-believers may honor In
time to come. There are. doubtless.
many Anarchists who stop short OF the
creed OF blood; many who see the
utter futility OF killing rulers in the
hope OF advancing their cause but
their doctrines lead to that end.
inevitably, and there are always some
weak brains, who, like Czolgosz, burn
to immortalize themselves by desperate
deeds. If there were some effective
method of banishing Anarchism
altogether; if every yestige OF it could
be rooted out in this country where
there is absolutely no excuse for its
existence a great end would have
been achieved.
But how? Even the most oppressive
OF governments during all history
have found it impossible to eradicate
human belief. 1t is thing that law
cannot reach. Even the horrors of the
Inquisition and all the prosecutions of
the past failed to extinguish belief.
On the contrary. it has seemed to
thrive under such conditions. Our
government set as its cornerstones the
independence of thought-religious and
secular We have held that a person
might believe as he chose and even
express those beliefs publicly, by
speech or press, so long as he behaved
himself; so long as his acts were in
accord with laws framed for the
protection of all. We have boosted OF
the freedom of speech that has
prevailed, and held il to be a source OF
strength to our institutions. We have
resented all attempts at curtailment.
However much others have differed
from us, we have accorded them the
same right to be heard that we have
claimed ourselves. But the Anarchistic
propaganda is the worst stumbling
block we have yet encountered. II is
so generally execrated as vile and
dangerous to the very government
under which the enjoyment OF our
liberties is possible that it should be
dealt with in the most effective
manner, whatever our abstract theories
have been. 1t is not that the govern.
ment is likely to suffer from the diffusion
Of the principles of Anarchy. There
are no symptoms OF that. If it were
simply political movement. depending
upon the Roadway il could make
among voters for strength, contrary as
it is TO human reason, it would suffer no
interference. Faith is strong enough
in the wisdom and patriotism of the
majority of the people to rely on that
alone for protection. But the danger
comes from the Czolgosz stripe. who.
crazed by crazy ideas. set Ont on their
mission of death. Cannot something
be done to keep such ideas away from
such minds? 1t is a difficult problem.
TO attempt to curb propaganda by
law has never succeeded. Men think
in secret, and it is not easy to keep
them from meeting in secret The
more they are opposed, the more
hitter and 1esnprafe fhpy hQrofna anil