Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1901-12-11
o o ACTION.

i'm relation to anarchy and anarchists
without giving his words hearty ap-
prevail. He treats the question with
that vigor Of expression for which he
was noted long before he became
president. If he al be accused OF
moderation in his views on some oil
the questions now before the Ameri
can people and upon which able minds
honestly differ owing to the different
interests to be considered and local.
ties to be recognized. II does not hold
good upon this all-absorbing issue Of
the people versus anarchy. In earn
est words and with deep feeling he
recalls the greatest crime, the mos'
foul and wanton murder OF the pas
century, when our beloved president
was stricken down while extending
the hand of greeting and OF friend
ship. With equal clearness he shows
that the infamous act was not the re
suit of our social condition. The
presidents earnest words should ap
peal to the judgment of every Ameri
a who is not too embittered to
weigh the facts. He says:
THE blow was aimed not at this
president, but at all presidents; at
every symbol Of government. Pres.
ident Mckinley was as emphatically
the embodiment Of the popular will
of the nation expressed through the
forms of law as a New England town
meeting is in similar fashion the EN-.
bodiment of the law-abiding purpose
and practice of the people of the
town. OF no conceivable theory
could the murder of the president be
accepted as due to protest against
'equalities in the social order save
as to the murder of all freemen en-
gagged in a town meeting could be &C
cepted as a protest against that so,
cial inequality which puts a malefac'
tor in Jail.
Anarchy Is no more an expression
of social discomfort than picking
pockets or wife-beating. The anarch.
list, and especially the anarchist in
the United States, is merely one type
of criminal more dangerous than any
other because he represents the same
~deprayity in a greater degree.
The man who advocates anarchy
! directly or indirectly, in any shape OF
fashion. or the man who apologies
for anarchists and their deeds, makes
himself morally accessory to murder
before the fact.
The anarchist is a criminal whose
perverted instincts lead him to prefer
confusion and chaos to the most bene,
ticent form of social order. His pro.
test of concern for w%orkingmen Is out.
rageous in its impudent falsity. for il
the political institutions Of this coun.
Try 10 not afford opportunity to every
honest and intelligent son of toll, then
the door of hope is forever closed TO
him. The anarchist is everywhere
not merely the enemy of system and
Of progress. but the deadly foe Of lib,
crty.
IF ever anarchy is triumphant. It's
triumph will last for but one red mo
ment. to be succeeded for ages by
the gloomy night of despotism. For
the anarchist himself, whether he
breaches or practices his doctrines,
we need not have one particle more
concern than for any ordinary muir
dcrer. He is not the victim of social
o. political injustice. There are no
wrongs to remedy in his case. The
cause of his criminality is to be found
in his own evil passions and in the
evil conduct of those who urge him
on, not in any failure by others or by
the state TO do justice to him or his.
He is a malefactor and nothing else,
He is in no sense. no shape or way,
a product of social conditions save
as a highwayman is produced by the
fact that an unarmed man happens to
have a purse.
1T is a travesty upon the great and
holy names of liberty and freedom to
permit them to be invoked in such a
cause. No mar or body of men
preaching anarchistic doctrines
should be allowed at large any more
than If preaching the murder Of some
specified private individual. Anarch.
istic speeches, writings and meetings
are essentially scditious and treason
able"
In concluding this subject the pres
ident says anarchy is a crime against
the whole human race and all man,
kind should band against the anarch.
ist."
The president urges upon congress
the necessity of prompt action by
laws and treaties to stamp out anar.
ohy in this country.
As several bills have already been
offered in both houses dealing with
the question it is to be hoped that a
law equal to the emergency will be
swiftly passed and as rapidly enfor.
oed. The people are not in a mood
to stand any dalliance. Our digniied
senators may be excused for dilatory
speeches upon other matters but in
this they know the sentiment of the
country and should meet 1t promptly