The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-08
THE SUPPRESSION OF ANARCHISTS.

When il was announced, some time since,
that the respective governments of Europe
were considering proposition to suppress
Anarchists, it attracted little or no COM
ment here. If there had been much dis
cussion the opposition to such a plan
would have had the most strenuous sup
porters, holding that SO long a man does
not violate the laws he should be protected
in his liberty and in the right Of free
speech. To-day, in the shadow of great
crime by an Anarchist, the country may
have different opinions. The people de-
mand the prompt trial and execution of
the would-be assassin of the President but
while that might prevent men from becom-
ing Anarchists, it would not affect the
scores of wretches in this country who so
hate law, authority, virtue and religion
that they would repeat the crime. The
assassins execution would not change the
purpose of cranks who are melted by this
mans crime with desire to repeat it.
The time has come when the Anarchist
must be regarded an outlaw-a person
to be rid of on the same ground that mad
dogs are disposed of. They are fiends who
would destroy social order and who believe
that the assassination of presidents, kings
and emperors is the way to force society
to anarchism. We have been congratulate
ing ourselves with the pleasing assumption
that all the Anarchists we have come from
Europe and that We have very few OF
them. This is a terrible delusion. In no
co11nfrv in tho world cap tho rronaoatiop
of Anarchists be more safely conducted.
We permit society of loudly self-pro-
claimed Anarchists in Paterson, n. j., to
advertise meetings to applaud the assas-
sination OF the King of Italy, for which
crime one of it's members was selected by
lot. There is reason to believe that in all
the larger cities there are like associations.
They may not have a society in Indianapo-
lis, but doubt there are few fiends
here who gloat over the attempt to assas-
sinate the President. We have periodicals
and newspapers in this country which are
primary textbooks in the education of
Anarchists in that they inspire one element
to hate another and the government, which
these papers declare to be administered in
the interest of few. We permit ranters
to declare the heresy of hate on the street
corners. We permit societies to circulate
anarchistic literature. In most cities An
archists are permitted to lecture.
All these promoters OF anarchlsm the
state can suppress. except the newspapers
which give the first lessons. The State
can break up organizations like that in
Paterson. N. J., sending every one of the
members to the penitentiary for life by
declaring that the teaching Of anarchism
is the teaching of assassination But the
better way would be TO join hands with all
the governments of Europe to extirpate
anarchism root and branch-to make the
proclamation OF belief in the heresies of
Anarchists cause for punishment by death
or Punishment from civilized society If
oversensitiveness leads good people to OBJ
ject to the death penalty, those who are
found TO be Anarchists or to be circulating
their pernicious literature might be given
a ST. Helena, or some remote island to
which they could be banished. There are
islands in the sea which, by their isolation
and barrenness, seem specially fitted for
the congregation of these enemies to civ
ilization. What shall be done with Anar-
chists is. however, a consideration second
to that of organizing to hunt out assassins
who glory in the murder Of presidents and
kings because such assassination is a blow
at the civilization which these men would