Evening star., 1901-12-03

IN the PUBIC press, appeal 10 the anu
evil spirits Of malice and greed, envy and
sullen hatred The wind is sowed by the
men who preach such doctrines. and they
cannot escape their share of responsibility
for the whirlwind that is reaped This ap-
plies alike to the deliberate demagogue. to
the exploiter of sensationalism, and to the
crude and foolish visionary who, for what
ever reason, apologies for crime or excites
aimless discomfort.
The blow was aimed not at this Presi-
dent but at all Presidents; at every SYM
boil OF government. President Mckinley
was as emphatically the embodiment of the
popular will of the Nation expressed
through the forms of law a New Eng
land town meeting is in similar fashion the
embodiment of the law-abiding purpose and
practice of the people of the town. On 10
conceivable theory could the murder Of th1
President be accepted as due to protest
against Inequalities In the social order"
save the murder of all the freemen en-
gagged in town meeting could ue accepted
as a protest against that social inequality
which puts a malefactor In jail. Anarchy
Is no more an expression of social discon-
tent than picking pockets or wife beating.
The anarchist and especially thc an
archiSt in the United States, Is merely one
type of criminal. more dangerous than any
other because he represents the same de-
pravity in a greater degree. The man who
advocates anarchy directly or indirectly,
in any shape or fashion, or the man who
apologies for anarchists and their deeds,
makes himself morally accessory to murder
before the fact. The anarchist Is a crimi-
nal whose perverted instincts lead him to
prefer confusion and chaos to the most
benehcent form Of social order. His pro-
test of concern for workingmen Is out
rageous in its impudent falsity; for if the
political institutions of this country do not
afford opportunity TO every honest and in
telligent son of toll. then the door of hope
Is forever closed against him. The an
archist Is everywhere not merely the enemy
OF system and of progress, but the deadly
foe of liberty. If ever anarchy is trium-
phant it's triumph will las> for but one red
moment 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 murderer. He is not the
victim of social or 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 con-
duct OF those who urge him on, not in any
failure by others or by the state to do JUS
tice to him or his. He is malefactor and
nothing else. He IS in no sense. In no shape
or way, a product of social conditions,
save a highwayman IS produced" by
the fact that an unarmed man happens to
have a purse It is travesty upon the
great and holy names of liberty and free
dom to permit them to be invoked in such
a cause. No man or body of men preach
ing anarchistic doctrines should be allowed
at large any more than II preaching the
murder of some specified private individual.
Anarchistic speeches. writings and meet
ings are essentially seditious and treasona-
BILE.
To Keep Out Anarchists.
1 earnestly recommend to the Congress
that in the exercise of It's wise discretion
1t should take into consideration the COM
ing to this country of anarchists or persons
processing principles hostile to all govern
ment and justifying the murder of those
placed in authority. Such individuals as
those who not long ago gathered in open
meeting to glorify the murder of King
Humbert of Italy perpetrate a crime, and
the law should ensure their rigorous pun
ishment. They and those like them should
be kept out of this country. and II found
here they should be promptly deported to
the country whence they came; and far-
reaching provision should be made for the
punishment of those who stay. No mdtter
calls more urgently for the wisest thought
OF the Congress.
The Federal courts should be given juris-
diction over any man who kills or attempts
to kill the President or any man who by
the Constitution or by law is in line of sue
cession for the Presidency, while the pun
ishment for an unsuccessful attempt should
be proportioned to the enormity of the Of
fense against our institutions.
Anarchy Is a crime against the whole
human race; and all mankind should band
against the anarchist. His crime should be
made an ofrense against the law Of nations.
like piracy and that form of manstealng
known as the slave trade; for 1t IS Of far
blacker infamy than either. 1t should be
so declared by treaties among all civilized
powers. Such treaties would give to the
Federal Government the power of dealing
with the crime
A grim commentary upon the folly of the
anarchist position was afforded by the attf-
tude of the law toward this very criminal
who had just taken the life of the Presi-
dent The people would have torn him
limb from limb II IT had not been that the
law he defied was at once invoked IN his
behalf. So far from his deed being COM
mitted on behalf of the people against the
Government, the Government was obliged
at once to exert its full police power to
save him from instant death at the hands
of the people Moreover, his deed worked
not the slightest dislocation in our govern
mental system. and the danger of a recur-
renee of such deeds. no matter how great it
might grow. would work only in the direc-
ton Of strengthening and giving harshness
to the forces of order. No man Will ever
be restrained from becoming President by
any fear as to his personal safety. II the
risk to the Presidents life became great,
II would mean that the office would more
and more come TO be filed by men of a
spirit which would make them resolute and
merciless in dealing with every friend of
disorder. This great country will not fall
into anarchy. and IL anarchists should ever
become serious menace to its institutions.
they would not merely be stamped out but
would involve in their own ruin every ac-
tive or passive sympathizer with their doc
trines. The American people are slow to