The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-09-17
SOME LEADING EDITORIALS.
The Assassin and the Law.

From the Florida Times-union
Hitherto law has regarded the president as only the
FIRST of American citzensas but the ruler because he
the that majority wherein the constitution
vests certain limited powers In accordance with this view
the murder Of president attempt upon his lie can
only be punished when the like crime affects any other
citizen Let be forgotten that the proposition to make
attack upon the president within the legal mean
ing of the word would be violent departure from esab-
ished precedents and long step in the wrong direction
To make the attempt the crime punishable with death
under the State law would accomplish the purpose and
be IN harmony with the spirit of our institutions Can 1t
be doubted that the State would reach the same CON
illusions jury of like citizens would find in Federal
court?
The governor of New Jersey declares that law is being
formulated which the legislature of his State will that
will fully the purpose. New Jersey should lead be
she has been made notorious nest for these out
laws Can it be doubted that other States will follow the
suggestons We have anarchists OF the violent school
in the South but hope all Southern States will imme
diatey take measures to keep us free of them
We it to ourselves that do not meet outrage by
awlesness should forget that to cure better than
to punish, Even to the law against harmless opinion
is abhorrent to the spirit of institutions and is proved
by experience that martyrs propagate doctrines of evil as
well as holiness Therefore would close the mails the
printing and the lecture halls to the teachers of
anarchism as the first precaution.
| Mr. Bryan says:
'fhe who proposes right public by
taking the life of human being makes himself outlaw
and consistently appeal the protection of the
eminent which he repudates. He invites return to a
state of barbarsm in which each his risk
defend his rights and avenge his own wrongs"
But crime does at the bidding OF lawessness
whether the criminal has the moral right to the protection
of the law is beyond beside the point Law exists for
the protection of society whole and society suffers
much when punishment is unlawful as when it is unjust
Henry George Jr, has all history support him when
he says:
Imprisonment exile, torture, certain death itself has
not through all deferred from enstng in what
they have invariably regarded the holy of helping
their fellows and without essenng general pow
to pass exclusion expulsion and to surround
high officials with military paetorian bodyguard as
had the Roman should but delay the catastrophe
and make it the when it should come-bu down
the safety valve and have pitch and resin under the boiler
Russia has system of repression vigant and stern
than possibly organize yet Russia is full of auarch
lists Let make mistakes here. Mr.. George says crime
is the child of suffering and the will always produce
the other but suffering has other effects, and dare
crime till the millennium has made happiness
the normal condition OF humanity. We support the law
in its purpose repres guilt and protect virtue and
can stay the power OF the bad teach the weak to
the appliances OF progress evil purpose and enlist ig-
and passion in the service Of wrong Not all
archists would kill but the teachings of anarchs produces
crime and therefore anarchy become handmade
of civilization.