The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-25

G. w. Stivers's Address.
c. W. Stivers, editor of the Liberty Her
aid, spoke on Anarchy and Newspapers"
as follows:
1.-THE theme assigned to me for consid-
Grafton before this association is one of +
such pertinence TO the times in which we I
live and the profession Of newspaper edit /.
ing that / approach its consideration with /.
no small degree of reluctance, lest l shall /
not rise TO the requirements of the theme
and your expectations as to discussing the
subject. That there has been anarchy in
the newspapers of America needs no reit-
Grafton here. Within the past year we
have witnessed one of the results of an
archiStic teaching, and the whole world
stands aghast at the deed of an assassin
who claimed to be an Anarchist and who
was inspired by the teachings of false lead
erS and their emanatiOnS in newspapers
and publications, which are permitted TO
circulate freely through the mails of this
free government.
Webster defines anarchy as: Absence
or utter disregard of government; an I'M
regulated and chaotic condition of society;
social and political confusion and disOr-
der An Anarchist is defined a mall
content respecting all existing institutions,
regarding them as essentially tyrannical,
either as aristOcratic or plutocratic; espe-
cially one who would use violence to de-
stroy the existing social and civil order of
things; one who advocates anarchy or alb
sence OF formal government as a social
and political ideal Among the synonyms
for anarchism are chaos, communism, con-
fusion, disintegration, disorder, insubordi-
nation, laWlesSneSS, rebellion, revolution,
riot, seditiOn. tumult.' Surely these def
nitions of anarchy need only to be stated
10 insure the opposition of all sane minds
TO anything in the nature of anarchy; new
ertheless we witness men and newspa perS
tacitly encouraging and promoting an
archism by INDUCING in Incorporate and
lncenGiary speech and publication through
the press. But am reminded that l must
not attempt TO discuss every phase of this
subject: be it mine to consider more par
n IA
out OF political discussion and controversy
through the newspapers. Anarchistc ma
hgnance often has for its basis the unjust
and defamatOry denunciatiCn of speakers
and newspaper writer's who, if charged
with promoting anarchy, would deny it
with every manifestation Of innocence.
The denunciation Of Mckinley as an i'm
perialist and a pUppet in the hands of plu-
tocrats and millionaire trust magnates in
partisan newspapers was the basis for the
denunciaton of the beloved President in
anarchistic societies as an enemy to the
people who deserved death. Emma Gold
man misdirected denunciatiOns that de-
VelOped the assassin in CZOlgOcZ was but
the logical echo from the utterances of
editorials in certain yellow newspapers of
bitter partisan cast, helped along by
vicious caricaturists.
A POLITICAL MURDER.
"LincOln's assassination was a political
murder, plotted by desperate traitors to the
government; but the assassin's arm was
nerved and his brain guided by news
paper denunciations that the great and
good Lincoln a tyrant-a bloodthirsty
userper who deserved to be removed by
violence.
"Garfeld's murder, by partially insane,
disappointed place-hunter was the result
of bitter fractional newspaper controversy
and vicious ideals of party suhservIency:
at least, Guiteau was melted TO his crime
by vicious newspaper denunciations thus
/ he Of Irniu
and inhammatory newspaper utterance.
Hence the necessity of mOdera ton and rea-
son in discussing all questions through the
press. AS an illustration OF anarchistic
speech and sentiment L will quote the fol-
lowing:
8" The capitalists of this country have no
business to involve us i'm a war with
Spain. The common people do not want
war. The blowing up of the Maine is
no excuse. Ii is no crime TO blow up
warships. All of them belong at the bottom
of the sea. So-called patriotism is nothing
more than idiOcy or slavery
ITO newspaper readers there is some
thing familiar in the sentiments of that
paragraph. and you can't just make out
which spell-binder used IL in the last pres-
Dental campaign. When i tell you it is a
quotation from an address delivered by
Emma Goldman at Cleveland in the spring
of 1898 you are probably surprised. but
you know that very similar expressions
were made by the Bryan school of orators
in the fall of 1898 and 1900. and you are
willing TO be qualified that you senti-
/
Sentinel. Iakeago American and the Tiger
town Journal in the same campaign
Turning 10 another phase of anarchistic
sentiment from the same source, the es-
sence OF which we have met with in but
one class of partisan newspapers. we quote
as follows. In no country save America
is there a thinking man or woman who
will admit n belief in the God of the Bible
The church has been succeeded by the law,
but the law is as criminal as the church.
If we take the laws of society or the
statute books for guidance we shall
be as corrupt as if we followed the teach
ings OF the Bible. 1t makes no difference
whether the law is made by the majority
or not. IL is equally vicious. The only
true standard of morality is that estab-
lished by the individual. l do not favor
killing, but we are human and cannot help
being desperate when we hear of such
things as the acquittal OF Sheriff Martin
and his deputies Under such circum-
ing the law into his own hands not from
an ethical standpoint. perhaps. but in self
defense
VICIOUS ATTACK ON THE BIBLE.
Here we have vicious attack on the
Bible and sacred moral law, as well as on
the legally constituted authorities upon
whose fidelity depends the public peace
and protection of life and property.
''In the controversies between labor and
/ capital often due TO professional agitators,
/ II is often necessary in order to preserve
| life. property and order, TO call on the
| constituted authorities. civil and military
/ Any denunciatory TRADE at these methods
/ IS anarchistic and deserves rebuke equally
\ with attempts TO overthrow the moral law
/ based on the Bible and its sacred teach
/ ings. No newspaper which has right
| conception Of its duty 10 good government
/ and the laws under which we live will give
| utterance To or uphold such lawless SEN
/ timents. AT the risk OF being considered
/ partfsan | assert that the Democratic
/ press in some instances led into an
/ attitude of opposition To the government
during the war OF the rebellion in such a
/ way as 10 become practically anarchistic
| in the trend CT its discussion OF war meas
ures and I'm support OF party platforms
/ and policies. AS we look back at the atti-
/ fude OF the New York World. the Cincinnati
/ Enquirer the Louisville Courier-Journa
| the Indianapolis Sentinel and others we