The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-04

died fn that city on the 18th Of that month.
OF the last seven elected Presidents, he
vas the tnlrd VINO mas been muraereq' ana ana
the bare recital of this fact Is sumclent
10 justify grave alarm among all loyal
American citizens Moreover. the circum-
stances OF this. the third assassination of
an American President. have a peculiarly
sinister significance Both President Lin
coin and President Garfield were killed by
fassassius OF types unfortunately not un-
common GA history. President Lincoln fall
Ing "a victim TO the terrible passions aroused
By four years OF civil war, and PRESIDENT
Garfield 20 the reVengeful vanity OF a dis
appointed Office-seeker. President Mckin-
ley was killed by an utterly depraved Grim
inal belonging 10 that body OF criminals
who object % all governments, good and
bad alike. who are against any form OF
popular liberty If 10 IS guaranteed by even
the most just and liberal laws, and who
are as hostile 70 the upright exponent OF
3 tree peoples sober viii TO the tyran-
meal and irresponsible despOt.
il IS not too much TO say that at the
time OF President AIcKinley's death he was
the most widely loved man In all the United
States, while We have never had any public
man IN his position who has been so Who'll
j. free from the bitter animosities incident
10 public life His political opponents were
the first 10 bear the heartiest and most
generous tribute 20 the broad kindness
OF nature. the sweetness and gentleness
Of character which SO endeared him TO his
close associates. To a standard Of lefty
integrity IN public life he united the ten
der affections and home virtues which are
al-impOrtant IN the makeup Of national
character gallant soldier in the great
war for the Union, he also shOne as an
example 70 all our people because of his
conduct IN the most sacred and intimate
of home relations. There could be no per-
sOnal hatred OF him. for he never acted
with aught but consideration for the well
fare OF others. No one could fail 70 respect
him who knew him in public or private
life. The defenders OF those murderOus
criminals who seek 10 excuse their GRIM
inality by asserting that IL is exercised for
political ends, enveigh against wealth and
Doe FOR AL 81
alton even this base apology cannot be
urged
BLOW AT HONEST TOLL.
President Mckinley was man of moder-
ate means a man whose stock sprang from
the sturdy tnlers Of the soil, who had him
self belonged among the wage-workers, who
had entered the army as private soldier.
Wealth was not struck at when the Presi-
dent was assassinated. but the honest toll
which is content with moderate gains after
a lifetime of unremitting labor, largely in
the service OF the public. Still less was
power struck at IN the sense that power Is
irresponsible or conferred in the hands of
any one individual. The blow was not aimed
at tyranny or wealth. IL was aimed at
one Of the strongest champions the wage
worker has ever had at one or the most
faithful representatives Of the system or
public rights and representative govern
ment who has ever risen TO public Of
fee. President Mckinley filled that polit-
zeal Office for which the entire people vote,
and no PTesident-nOt even Lincoln him
self-was ever more earnestly anxious to
represent the we'll thOught-Out wishes Of
the people; his one anxiety in very crisis
was 10 keep in closest touch with the peo-
ple-tO find out what they thought and TO
endeavor TO give expression 10 their
thought, after having endeaVOred to guide
that thought Alright lie had just been re-
elected to the Presidency because the ma
JOrity OF our citizens, the majority of our
hr,Ifa hot
he had faithfully upheld their interests fOr
four years. They felt themselves in close
and intimate touch with him. They felt
that ne represented SO well and so honor
ably all their ideals and aspirations that
they wished him TO continue Tor another
four years TO represent them.
And this was the man a whom the as
sassin struck That there might be moth
Ing lacking to complete the Judas-like in
fanny OF his act, he took dYantage Of an
occasion when the President was meeting
the people generally; and advancing as If
10 take the hand Outstretched to him in
kindly and brOtherly fellowship. ne turned
the noble and generous confidence of the
victim into an opportunity TO strike the
fatal blow. There is no baser deed in all
the annals or crime.
The shock, the grief Of the country, are
bitter IN the minds of all who saw the dark
days, while the President yet lowered De-
tween life and death. At last the light was
stfIled in the kindly eyes and the breath
went from the lips that even in mortal
agony uttered no words save of forgive
friends, and OF Unfaltering trust in the will
OF the Most High. Such a death, crOwning
the glory OF such life, leaves US with in
finite sorrow, but with such pride in what
he had accomplished and in his own per-
6Onal character, that we feel the blow not
as struck at him, but as struck at the Ma
ton. We mourn good and great Presi-
dent who is dead: but while we mourn
we are lifted up by the splendid active
ments OF his life and the grand herOism
with which he met his death.
HARM DONE THE NATION
When we turn from the man to the Ma
tion. the harm done is so great as TO ex-
cite our gravest apprehensions and to de-
mand our wisest and most resolute action.
This criminal was a professed Anarchist,
infamed by the teachings of professed An
archists. and probably also by the reckless
utterances of those who on the stump and
IN the public press, appeal to the dark and
evil spirits of malice and greed, envy and
sullen hatred. The wind is sowed by the
men who preach such doctrines. and they
cannot escape their share of responsibility
for the whirlwinu that is Teaped. This APP
plies alike TO the deliberate demagOgue. TO
the exploiter of sensationaIsm and to the
crude and foolish visionary who, for what
ever reason. apologies for crime or eXcltCs
aimless discomfort.
The blow was aimed not at this Presi-
dent, but at all presidents; at every symbol
o. government President Mckinley was as
emphaticauy the embodiment of the pop
ular viii OF the Nation expressed through
the forms of law as q New England town
meeting IS in similar fashion the embOdi-
ment OF the law-abiding purpose and prac-
tice OF the people of the town. On no con-
Ceivable theory could the murder of the
President be accepted as due TO protest
against inequalities in the social order. v
save as the murder Of all the fTeemen en-
gagged in a town meeting could be accepted
as a protest against that social inequality
which puts malefactOr 81 Jail Anarchy
Is no more an expression of social dis
content" than picking pockets or wife-beat-
ing.
The Anarchist. and especially the Anar-
chist I'm the United States is merely one
type OF criminal. more dangerous than any
other because he represents the same de-
pravity IN a greater degree. The man who
advocates anarchy directly or indirectly. in
any shape or fashion, or the man who
apologies for anarchists and their deeds
makes himself morally accessory 10 muir
der before the fact. The Anarchist is a
criminal whose perverted instincts lead
him 10 prefer confusion and chaos to the
most benedcent form OF social order. His
protest Of concern for wOrkingmen is out
rageous IN its impudent falsity; for II the
political Institutions Of this country do not
AFFORD opportunity TO every honest and IN
telligent son OF toll. then the door Of hope
IS forever closed against him. The An
srchist IS everywhere not merely the en-
envy OF system and OF progress, but the
deadly foe OF liberty. II ever anarchy is
triumphant its triumph will last for but
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