The Iola register., 1902-02-28
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.


Washington, February 22-I think
have already alluded to the fact that
numerous anti-anarchist bills have
been introduced, and that some one of
them will doubtless be favorably re-
ported and probably passed. 1t is
serious question with the best lawyers
whether underou presentconstitution
so carefully safeguarding freedom of
press and of speech, and so closely
hedging about all the civil rights of
he individual, any measure can be
enacted which will be effectual. In
view of this uncertainty, was much
interested in proposition outlined
here the other day by Hon. VIM.
Springer, formerly of Illinois. Judge
Springer's suggestion is that the con-
stitution be amended in such way as
in effect to make the anarchist an out
law. The amendment will provide
that no anarchist shall have any
standing in either civil or criminal
action in any court of the United
or property alleged to be due him, the
judge is to instruct the jury to bring
in verdict against him, provided the
defendant can prove that the plaintiff
is an anarchist. If his person is as
saulted, similar proof will acquit his
assailant and let him go free. In
other words he shall have absolutely
no rights which any other man in the
United States shall be bound to re-
spect.
OF hand this seems shocking prop
osition, so radically opposed as it Is
to all our Anglo-Saxon ideas of jus
tice and fair play; but on reflection
how delightfully."- poetic the justice of
it is. The doctrine OF the anarchist is
that there should be no law, eithor
human or divine, in this world or in
the world to come, but that every man
should do what is right in his own
eyes, as did the peopleof Israel in the
old time underithe judges. The anar-
chist believes that it is not only his
right, but his duty, to make war
against government and his favorite
method of conducting this war thus
far has been to assassinate the chief
representative of government. These
things being true, what moral right
has the anarchist to claim the protec-
tion of the government or the laws
when he is accused of a crime, or when
some one has committed crime
against him ? What could be more
exactly just than to set him outside
the pale of the law which he despises,
and by which, when it puts its re-
straints upon him, he refuses to be
bound ? What right has he to com
plain if society provides for him the
condition of no law which he demands
shall be imposed upon society
That is the line of argument by
which Judge Springer defends his
proposition, and it certainly has the
attraction of originality and ingenuity.
He argues further that II such an
amen dment were adopted it would be
automatic in its action, self-enforcing
and self-executing. Men would be
slow to proclaim themselves anar-
chists, he thinks, if by such proclama-
tion they would make it impossible to
collect a debt or TO punish any offence
against their person or property.
Those who hold to the tenets of anar'
chy as a mere academic propositio n
would keep mighty still about it, while
those who were too fanatical
to be willing to keep still
would very soon find it to their ad-
vantage toibetake themselves to som
place on theI earth's surface where the
constitutional with the Springer amend
ment) could notfollow them.
AS stated in the beginning it is a
serious question whether any of the
nero statutory enactments now con
templated can be:madeat at all effectual,
and the best of them will be open to
the serious objection that the rights
Of patriotic and law abiding people
may be infringed. This last objection
could not lie against the proposed
amendment, because by its very terms
IL could be applied only to those who