Evening star., 1901-12-05
Mr.. McComas Presents His Plan to
the Senate.
POWERS OF CONGRESS- DISCUSSED
Right of the Government to De-
fend Itself Maintained.
MR.. HOAR'S PROPOSITION

cussion on the suppression Of anarchy and
anarchists filled the Senate galleries today
Before the routine business was taken up
Mr.. Hale of Maine secured the adoption OF
a resolution that when the Senate adjourn
today It be until next Monday. The heavy
influx of petitions. bills. etc, continued,
much time being taken in their formal re-
ception.
Mr.. Penrose Pa) favorably reported
from the committee on education and labor
the bill continuing the industrial commits
sion until February Is in order that it may
close up work now in hand and secured i'm
mediate consideration for the measure The
bill was passed
Mr.. McComas was then recognized in sup
port of his bill introduced yesterday, pro-
viding the death penalty for assaults upon
the President, or for melting, advising or
procuring such assaults Mr. McComas
said:
The Progress of Anarchfsm.
Within seven years President Carnot,
Prime Minister Canovas del Castillo the
Empress of Austria, King Humbert and
President Mckinley have been foully assas-
sinated by anarchists. Our homes are still
under the shadow of national grief for our
best-beloved President, and the heart of the
world is with us in our sorrow
inese tragic demonstrations In f1Ne COun-
tries, widely separate, in so short a time
show that this hideous crime of anarchy is
increasing. In every civilized country exist
evil men abnormally vain and envious to
whom brooding brings resolve, who are at
tracted by the scepter of power, whether
handled by king or president. as maniacs
are attracted by glitter. Conscious of their
own utter worthlessness TO human society,
they savagely hate human institutions be-
cause their defects and failures make them
hate humanity, ..-...
Meet Force With Force
"Anarchism is one of the worst errors ever
urged among men. 1t is entirely contra
dicted by human nature and the facts of
life. 1t is an error that may long endure.
1t is not political principle. 1t is cult
of crime. If anarchists spread their opin-
ions by writing and discussion only the
evils may be endured, but the criminal
propaganda of action mnst-be met by an
the resources of government. Arguments
emphasized by throwing bombs into thea
ters and cafes and killing kings and presi-
dents must be met with condign punish
ment. When anarchists appeal to force
they must be met with force They arro-
gate to themselves the right to KILL They
in turn must be killed by the state they
would destroy. The severest legislation is
not the wisest. Punishment does not deter
these fanatics, who regard punishment as
martyrdom. Many of these wild beasts
seek notoriety and indirect suicide by COM
mitting other crimes without scruple to Sc
cure their own death by other hands than
their own.
Capital Punishment.
First. We must provide that the person
or persons who willfuly kill or assault
with intent to kill the President or the Vice
President of the United States, or both, or
any officer upon whom the powers and
duties of the office of President of the
United States may devolve under the Con-
stitution and laws of the United States.
are guilty of felony, and shall be punish
able with death; shall be tried for such Of
fense in any of the federal district courts
to be given exclusive jurisdiction under
such statute and that the punishment
shall be executed under federal authority.
Also, such statute should provide that any
person or persons who shall counsel. ad-
wise, incite, or procure, or in any manner
aid or assist any other person or persons
to assault with intent to Kill the President
or Vice President or any officer upon whom
the office of President shall devolve
shall be guilty of felony, punishable with
death or Imprisonment for life or for a
term prescribed, in the disc -etion of the
federal court. Accessories after the fact
should be dealt with in such statute in like
fashion.
Mr.. McComas presented numerous in
stances where the right of the federal gov
ernment to take the action proposed was
maintained. He went on:
Congress may go further-it may enact
laws to protect the high executive officers;
il may even protect senators and members
of Congress. / am convinced IT is wise to
legislate now to protect the head of the
state-the President and Vice President and
the officers on whom the office of President
shall devolve-and now go no further.
Criminal Conspiracies.
Second. Congress should enact a law
to give federal courts jurisdiction to try
and punish by Imprisonment for a term OF
conspire to murder the President or Vice
President, or both, or any of the officers in
line of succession to the President, or two
or more who confederate and conspire to
advise, incite, or procure another or others
to willfully kill the President or Vice Presi-
dent, or both, or any Of the officers in line
Of succession to the President, or two or
more persons who advise or incite or pro-
cure any person or persons to overthrow or
to attempt to overthrow the federal gov
ernment or destroy it by force and violence
by willfully killing or assaulting with IN
tent to kill the President or Vice President.
or both, or any of the officers in line or
succession to the President.
This statute should make Ii a crime with
penalty of Imprisonment for term of
years for any person to knowingly become
or continue TO be a member of any associa-
tion, club or assembly where any person or
persons advise or incite any of the Of
fenses before mentioned
Plotting Against Foreign Rulers.
but this statute would be incomplete
unless it included one other feature. II
should make it crime punishable with a
term of Imprisonment for two or more
while in the United States to conspire and
confederate to commit any one of the
crimes mentioned upon any president, king
or other head of state, of any republic,
kingdom or empire, or other sovereign
state, or for any person to solicit persuade
or propose to any other person to murder
the head of a state of any republic king
dom, empire or other sovereign state In
ternational comfy requires this No one
doubts that a conspiracy in one nation to
Kill the head Of another state is an offense
against the law of nations.
Deportation Of Anarchists.
Third We should enact laws TO expel
and to exclude alien anarchists. We shall
AT this session with unanimity re-enact the
Chinese exclusion acts. I viii cheerfuliy
vote to exclude the hordes of China and
prevent the competition Of Chinese cheap
labor. Far more readily will vote to ex-
clude alien anarchists. To this subject 1
will soon return. We have alien anarchists
here now. We have naturalized and even
native anarchists in our midst. With these