The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-09-13
Protection for Our President

1t Is matter Of regret that. I'm the
event or h Presidents recoyery from
the murdefous assault made upon him
last Friday, the most that can be done
with the anarchist Who tried to KIN
MN Is punishment by Imprisonment.
Inc question has been raised by a law
yer II he cannot be tried under the
United States statutes for treason. and
after conviction hanged, but this seems
to be answered in the negativ by the
washington dispatch in yesterdays
paper, which stated that the law off,
GERS or the government feel that there
is little assistance which the federal
laws can give in the prosecution. the
president teings in the eyes OF theH :
laws, only a citizen. The old seditIop
laws, IL was added. made II a serious
of1ense to attack a government official
on the theory that IL was an injury to-
the country as we'll as the individual.
but these laws were long ago swept
away" md yet there should be laws,
10 cover cases OF this character. Tins
was not an attack upon Mr. Mckinley
as such. II he had remained merely
MIR. Mckinley he would have been In
no more danger than were the thor
SANDS or other people who attended the
M expo lion last week. Ii Was
the life OF the president of the United
states which was sought and II il n
mere incid- t that the present incum-
D1At u AhAS olIlEe happens TO be MI
Mckinley. The theory of the alien ana
sedition law that an attack uYon a
government Cffcial is more than an at
TACK upon an individual was sound.
and II there was a reason in the dis
tant past fOI formulating his theory
INTO q law there are many thousands
OF reasons for it now. for theI. there
were TO anarchists in this country and
now there are thousands OF them. We
have to IeckC', with the demonstrated
fact that so lC1g as the brood finds a
refuge in the country the sword OF
amocles hangs over the heads OF our
presidents without regard to their
politics or their personality. These
vermin are tie enemies. not Of the In
dfvidual but Of the officer: they want
his life not for who he is but FOR what
he is; because he embodies the Law. be-
u he represents the state. An at
tack upon him is then an attack mon
u American system and for this rea-
son the law should throw additional
safeguards around him.. How impotenS
the efforts ~ officers to protect a pre-
ident has Just been shown. When Pres
ident NICK nley was shot he was UNI -
the and protection of policemen
and ty secret service men,
but none of these officers could foresee
the assault which was in fact commits
ted before even the president himself
had a suggestion that IL was confem-
plated.
1t may be remarked In conclusion
that, reasoning from the editorial ex-
pressions, OF the leading newspapers Of
all sections. from the resolutions OF
town meetings and the words OF Gov
eronr and other public men in many
states, there is good reason to hope for
such prompt legislation by as
will minimize the danger Of the opera
lions of anarchists In America hereaf-
ter. These care nothing for their lives
and the punishment. eve by DEATH, OF
one Is not a deterrent to another: be-
sides the execution OF justice does not
undo the consequences Of the unlawful
act and what is needed Is a policy OF
prevention. This should take the form
Of deportation of the anarchists here
and Of legislation 10 prevent the land
ing OF others Unde our too free cyz-
tenn. and the sentimental idea, already
carried 10 excess and run to seed. that
his ounT should be the maven for
o. 1ressed OF every Cline" the law
K O. all nations have been admitted
Il ithout hindranee or Question
re country has see the reckless. in
sane folly CT this laxity, and there has
been within these three DAYS an avail
ening OF public sentiment which, there
Is every reason to believe. win result
In euectve preventive meascrea.-
Charlotte Observer.