The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-11-01
CRIMINAL ANARcHlSM.
Is a Constitutional Amendment Nee
essary for Its Suppression?

The maxim that self-preservation is
a law of nature, is as applicable to
States as to individuals. Anarchism is
of two forms, one theoretical and spec
ulative, the other, criminal and sam
culinary: that seeks the extinction of
civil government by reason, this by as
sassination. Criminal anarchism has
reached such proportions in the United
States that the safety of the Republic
demands its speedy check and suppress
sion. This can be accomplished only
by Congressional legislation, to which
several objections have been inter-
posed. These will be noticed in their
order
1t is objected by some of our wisest
statesmen and purest patriots that such
legislation would necessarily abridge
the freedom of speech and of the press
which are essential to popular govern
ment. The legitimate freedom of speech
and of the press is sacred and should be
held inviolable. But unbridled license
to advocate assassination is not more
the legitimate freedom of speech or OF
the press than is the license to advo-
cate burglary, arson. highway robbery,
or any other class of felony. Organized
societies or groups to disseminate the
doctrine and incite to the practice o.
assassinating public officials are more
frsught with peril to. the common wei
fare than organized bands of bandits OF
pirates. Legislation to restrain Of
suppress societies or associations, of or
ganized assassins does not nor car
abridge or interfere with any legiti
mate freedom. Beyond this the legis
lation need not and should not ex
tend.
In the first place no legislation whicl
does not decitizenize and take ava,
the electoral qualifications of homicid
al anarchists can be effectual. 1t
probably true that many and it may b.
the more dangerous of these fanatic
are alien born and never naturalized
but their descendants reared in tn
same school and taught the same Grim
inal doctrine, are native and to tn
manor born, and clothed by the Con
stitution with all the rights and quail
fcations of native citizenship. 1t doe
not seem reasonable that they shoul'
continue in the possession of the righ
to choose public officials whom the,
arg sworn to slay when chosen.
But they can be deprived of sucl
rights only by Constitutional amend
ment.
In the second place it may be diff
cult if not impossible to secure the en-
actment OF any adequate or efficien
statute without such amendment
Hitherto the political parties hav'
been too cowardly or too much engross
ed in securing party ascendancy to pro
vide safeguards against the growing
peril. Homicidal anarchism was origin
ally an exotic transplanted here from
foreign soil. Legislation tending t
. exclude its adherents from naturaliza
, tion and citizenship was resisted, ant
without the Constitutional Amend
ment may be successfully resisted, b.
legislators in whom the partisan dom
mates the patriot, through fear tina
giving it support, might in certain dis
. tricts and localities array against it
supporters an electoral class of citizen
whose political influence is essential t.
their political success. Extinguishins
this influence by Constitutional dis
qualifications will most certainly secur,
larger measure of congressional pat
riotism, especially in our large munic
ipalities where Homicidal anarchisn
most abounds and exerts its baneful in
Auence. Besides it is improbable tina
Legislation sufficiently drastic to be ef
fectual can be enacted, which fails II
command the approval of the legisla
lures of three-fourths of the severa
States.
}, For these reasons and to meet ant
overcome the objections stated tn,
! sub-joined Constitutional Amendment
is suggested for consideration. Withou
abridging or in the slightest degree in
fringing the legitimate freedom O.
speech or of the press, it proposes Il
!, strike at the root of the evil by cloth
inu Conpress with plepary mower t<