Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-09-12


the situation and should take measures
to moro cffectually safeguard our inter-
csts in that region.
What Can he Done With Anarchists
The problem is not n simple one nor now
riercnted for the first time. 1t is an easy
thing to say these anarchists must be put
down." but how are they to he put down?
We believe in free speech. in this country.
We believe in the right of men 10 assemble
for discussion and exchange of view on
all questions, political, social ana moral.
Extreme views, untempcrCd language, Bit
ter denunciation of men and measures
these things are often mischief Gus, tend
ing to the REORGANIZATION Of society and
disregard of law. but how Gre they 20 lie
uppressed-especially in a free country?
Where can the line be drawn by statute,
between liberty and license. IL plotters
against the public peace and the lives of
public men are forbidden to meet and or
gon'ze in public how can they be prevent
cd from meeting in secret? If men who
plot assassination and the man VINO is
selected as the instrument of the crime
hold their tongues how are the officers Of
the law to know their plans and forostall
the execution Of them? Such questions
as these are not easy to bn answered. No
government In any country has yet been
found strong enough to utterly suppress
anaf chism or prevent assassinations
There things prevail the most in the most
despotic countries. The government Of
Turkey was long ago defined to be "a
despotism tenn cred by assassination"
Ana rchists arc more numerous and more
desperate today in the realm of tho Car
thar in any other country. Hitherto we
have supposed that the fact that our land
was the refuge Of the oppressed, the
home of free institutions, the land of all
others where the individual man was
fieest to work out his own future, UNI
hampered by oppressive laws or fuedal
exections or crushing usages. was our
best protection AGAINST anarchy and aa,as-
siration. This hcliet, apparently. we must
dismiss Here, not in a time of war as
when Lincoln fell not after a heated po-
litical struggle, as when Garfield was shot
by a disappointed Office seeker, but in a
time of general peace and moro abundant
prosperity than was ever before known
the life of a President Of high and pure
character, unostentatious, kindly to a
fault, without n personal enemy IN the
world has been ATTACKED and as it may
prove has been taken 1t is a horrible
crime; that it could he possible in
orr country and In our day, and that such
crimes must be reckoned with and guard d
against, is an appalling reflection. Doubt
less some additional legislation is needed
to meet cases like this An attempt upon
the life of President. or the chief magiS-
trate Of any State, though it be unsucccss-
full should be made a capital crime. Red
mouthed and known advocates of violent
lawlessness dynamite and murder of
rulers. may well he shut up or banishcd.
The woman, Goldman, whose teachings in
spired this attempt on President Mc<in-
leys life. when last in Boston was quot Il
as saying The Individual is supreme,
governments are but AN cxcresence on ma
tire. No man. no set of men, have right
to say what l may or what | may not do
| am responsible to no one but myself "
open teaching of anarchy, like this. can
be made a legal offence, and the teach +
thereof made to contne his or her instruc-
tions to the limits Of some prison yard. or
perhaps deported say to the Islagd of
Guam.
The Philadelphia North American has
polled Congress upon the following ques-
ton: "Do you favor the following lcgis-
lation, viz a law forbiddng the entrance
into the United States of these men called
anarchists who believe in the destruction,
ovorturnng and subvcrsion of establish
I'd government, and also an amendment to
tn, naturalization laws making these
principles disqualification for citizen
shlp?'
The North American informs us by wire
that every answer received to this inquiry
promises d vote for such legislation. Such
precautionary legislation as this, would
keep out of the country no desirable clti-
zen; and might once in while keep ont
, some dangerous criminal or teacher Of
crime. The country at large will no doubt
feel somewhat safer under such laws. our
Presidents will never submit to be shut
away from the public, or to appear only
when closely surrounded by armed guards
but some additional police measures can
and probably will be taken for their safe
~. II is not likely that any unknown mar
Will hereafter be permitted to approach
the President in a crowd or procession
unless both of his hands are in view. un.
muhlod; and other safeguards may pos
sibly be devised and provided. But after
all one of the penalties of high once vii
still be the liability to attacks from III,
assassins knife or pistol. No ruler is alb
solutely secure from such attacks, anc
none Is likely to be, on this side of tn,
millennium.
Dairy Boards of Trade Evanescent
The dairymen Of this State who SOM
years ago engaged in the project of es
tablishng the Vermont Board Of Trad
with headquarters II Burlington, had al