The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-01-09


SEVERAL bills providing for the Punishment of
anarchists have been introduced in congress since
the opening of the session and now await the action
of that body. The best known of these proposed
measures, Senator Hoars bill for combining anarch-
lists in some far distant island, bids fair to die a
natural eath,-beng too radical and startling
the public particularly since the presidents message
was issued is debating whether not it is possible
to reach the evil through national legislation. The
trouble is that the anarchist does not differ ex-
ternally from the general of men. The mark of
Cain is not visible-he does not necessarily even
wear beard. And if evil passions are mirrored in
his face, why they in the faces of plenty of
men who have never given anarchy thought.
Anarchy is a condition of mind and must be ex-
pressed externally before it is lawful to Jail those
who tainted by it.
Take the offspring of the scourings of an op-
pressed and enfeebled race,-one who discerns that
things are not all as they should be as he is
able to think at all-give him that dangerous little
learning and good deal of freedom, place him in
straits out of which he is too feeble to exricate him
SELF give him chance to run amuck amidst morbid,
semi metaphysical literature, surround him with
more malcontents like himself and in short time
you have full-fedged. morose brooding anarchist,
who, when the weather is hot hunger pinches, is
apt to go mad like dog-and also like dog is apt
to bite his best friend while under the influence Of
his madness. He is not of necessity devoid of all
good qualities-he may love aged parent show
kindness the downcast and needy like the best of
manknd-but he is of necessity misguided, abnormal
and generally unwholesome. He is to crave
notoriety lin any form the mad dog Graves the
water that induces the commissions; he is object
to be judged serny and pitied from the heart. But
the point is this He cannot be transported or
fined until he has declared his hand to the author-
tes-until he gives vent in one way or another, to
the madness that rides the darkened soul within him.
AS soon as he does this, either by word deed, he
places himself in position to be reached by the
laws already on our statute books.
Since there is great capacity for sort of
perverted hero worship and rank egotism in the
makeup Of the anarchist, it is bound to do harm,
rather than good to elevate him to the rank of
martyrdom in the eyes of his companions-to give
them opportunity to class him with Father
Damien or Napoleon. Rather treat him as any
other criminal is treated. Send him to prison when
he becomes violent, and when his enthusiastic
tongue gets the better of him give him course of
that persuasive moving on" process few days
WORK on the cnaln gang IreaC MIN as Vagrant Or
common tramp not political prisoner of i'm
portance Root the anarchists out of the big cities
and the places where they have congregated of yore
and hale them quietly but firmly from place to place
until they learn that the trouble with the world lies
in their dstaste for honest labor The exercise
of walking will waken and refresh their sluggish
blood and clear away the cobwebs in their brains.
Eluding dogs and police officers will make them
tired, and they will welcome the night the time
for sleep, not for conspiring against the lives OF
honest men. Let each learn through hard
ship that his quarrel with society is in reality
but quarrel between the good and bad in himself;
that when he can make friends, and keep friends,
with himself the peace of God will enter his heart
and the universe will right itself And when these
lessons have been taught him, he will cease to be
wanderer the face of the earth; he will do his
days work with head and hand and be the man and
brother that all designed to be. Trans
portation will not root out anarchy It will merely
ldignify it in the minds of foolish people.