The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-10-03
4 Plea ron AxAscnnrs
To the EDITOR

To the EDITOR
Some people in the south, It il said.
thought Lincoln Yves s'higger." because
he advocated freedom for negroes. OF
course we are more diminutive; bat II,
like him, We should 20 far forget our
selves a. to say word for . desplsed
people, would that make M mulattos
We have read your editorials touching
anarchists with . feeling Of something
akin to ming ing Of everything. From
our youth up we have labored under tho
impression that most people were proud
Of this country because hero We are free
to think and free to express our thoughts.
We have even INDUCED iplsuch pastims
within sight Of the IsLANDER ofice. But
now we pause. You indorse tho quota
ton from the Pioneer Press that "It will
be some compensation for 20 calamitous
q national sacrifice II 1t shall be made inn
possible that the fiends who inspired and
have applauded his crime shall breathe
the free mir OF America" And add that
linen or women who profess the slightest
sympathy with anarchist deeds or doc
trines should be summarily dealt WITH"
Now that we have 20 short time LEFT In
which to think our thoughts and say
them, '.let's hurry up." On . former oc-
casion'a president was shot by Guiteau,
who was q Christian Republican and
claims to have been inspired by tho AL
mighty. Were the Christians or tho Re-
pubiicans or the Almighty deprived of
Americas free air? Ought they to have
been? Or does it make q difference whose
OK does the goringf
But you say the anarchists "applauded
his crime" OF course this is the season
in which anarchists may be hunted. and
we should use all diligence. But. don't
you think that such TAME game - you
talk about is mostly imaginary Have
you seen any. or, heard any Of tho APP
plaudingf How many have all the hunt
ers brought inf We had gun once and
shot cartridges; their applauding drum
ming) led US fright to tho spot" What
kind Of applauding can theee queer AN
archists be doing that It does not attract
peoples attention to their whereaboutsi
You mentioned Senator Wellipgton; but
we rule him out, firstly because he did
not applaud-he only refused to CRY, and,
secondly, because he is not an anarchist
He is a senator, and anarchists do not be-
lieve in government.
Ifa person can look around. him and
SEQ how fond people are Of domineering
over each other and then conclude, a. the
anarchists do, that no governments nee
essary or desirable, we do indeed think
that he has screw loose. But then, loose
screws may be found almost anywhere.
The proper screwdriver for mental
screws is logic. not shot guns or prison
bars. We are not talking Of asssssins,
whether they be anarchists, Repu blicans,
Methodists, or Norwegians.' II you wish
to hunt them, all right, but please do not
"shoot" 80 much at random. s
After all these centuries of struggling
to get freedom to think and speak, must
we now give it up? Do people know an
archist doctrines so well that it in certain
they would never advocate any of them?
We once knew an editor who said in
effect that the assassin ought to have been
shot on the spot. Can you imagine what
goodloOking men there are who would
have to 60 along if anarchists are ban
ished? John Stuart Mill says, 1--WE can
never be sure that the opinion we are en-
dsavoring to stifie is false opinion; and
If we were sure, sitting it would be m
avil atiIl - UTf the onin;On In rfuhA thav
those who stifie it) are deprived Of the
opportunity of exchanging error fol
truth; if wrong, they lose, what is almost
as great benefit, the clearer perception
and livelier impression Of truth, produced
by its collision with error.s
ASAEL LARSON.
Friday Harbor, Sept. 30, 1901.