Evening star., 1901-09-11
BRYAN CONDEMNS ANARCHY.

No Room Here for Those Who Adv0-
cate Murder.
In an interview at Lincoln, Neb., w. ].
Bryan made the following statement re-
garding the shooting Of President McKin-
ley:
The nation bows In sorrow and humilia-
tion. In sorrow because its chief executive.
its official head, Is passing through the VAL
ley Of the shadow Of death: In humiliation.
because the President Of our republic has
fallen q victim to the cruel and cowardly
methods employed in monarchies where
helpless and hopeless subjects sometimes
meet arbitrary power with violence.
In morals ana in the contemplation OF
law all lives are OF equal value-an are
priceless-but when seventy-fve millions Of
people select one OF their number. and
invest him with the authority which at
taches to the presidency. he becomes their
representative, and a blow aimed at him Is
resented as an attack upon all.
Beneath the partisanship Of the individual
lies the patriotism OF the citizen. sometimes
dormant. 1t Is true, but always active In
hours OF peril or misfortune. While the
Presidents life hangs In the balance there
are no party lines. The grief OF personal
friends and close political associates may
be more poignant, but their sympathy Is
not more sincere than that extended by
political opponents. Although none save
his family and his physicians are admitted
to his room, all his countrymen are at his
bedside In thought and sentiment and their
prayers ascend for his recovery. It was
characteristic OF his thoughtfulness. that
even amid the excitement following the as
sault. he cautioned his companions not to
exaggerate his condition to his invalid wife.
And the humiliation. Are our public ser
vants-those who are chosen by the people,
and who exercise for limited time the au-
thority bestowed by the people-are they
Nlxyo In nf nG ocCfr
tion2 Is there to be no difference between
our constitutional government and those
despotic governments which rest not upon
the consent OF the governed but upon brute
force? There Is no place for anarchy in the
United States. There is no room here for
those who commit, counsel or condone mur-
der. No matter what particular excuse
may be urged In it's defense. the line be-
tween peaceful agitation and violence Is
clear and distinct. Let no one imagine that
he can improve social or political condi-
ticns by the shedding Of blood. Free gov
ernments may be overthrown. but they
the commandment Thou shalt not muir
der" Under q government like ours every
wrong can be remedied by law, and the
laws are in the hands OF the people them
selves.
Anarchy can be neither excused nor toll
Grated here The man who proposes to
right public wrong by taking the life OF
a human being makes himself an outlaw.
and cannot consistently appeal to the pro-
lection Of the government which he re-
pudiates. He invites q return to state OF
barbarism In which each one must, at his
own risk, defend his own rights and re-
yenge his own wrongs. The punishment
administered to the would-be assassin and
to his coconspirators II he has any, should
be such as to warn all inclined to anarchy
that while this Is an asylum for those
who love liberty, It Is an inhospitable place
for those who raise their hands against all
forms OF government.