The daily tribune., 1903-06-15
A JUsTIFIABLE ~ KILLING.

1t would perhaps be matter Of no
surprise to read in Johann Most's
paper. an article seeking to Justify the
brutal assassination of Servia's king
and queen. the kings cabinet and the
queens brothers. II would be expect
ed for Herr Most proclaims to the
world that he is an anarchist and the
enemy OF all rulers.
But The Tribune is surprised and
shocked TO see one of Colorado's
greatest dailies. the Denver Times.
come out in double-column editorial
under the caption of "a Justifiable
Killing and attempt to justify the
regicidss because "the king WAS pro-
fiigate and cruel, and the queen had
been his mistress before they were
married. To qnote further from The
Times: WAS it murder? Or was
the killing of King Alexander, Queen
Draga. her brothers and the kings
cabinet self defense? The deed was
not that of anarchists nor common
cutthroats, but of high officers in the
Servian army and the soldiers they
commanded. The killing was as
dol laa IN
carried out until the very moment of
assault with stealth and secrecy. II
has many of the earmarks of muir
der. but clearly it fell short of that;
was it not altogether justifiable?''
And then follows an extended dis
king and ends with the positive state
ment that his taking off and that of
his queen and abettors was "justifia.
BILE self defense.
We believe that conservative men
and women of today will not endorse
Mr.. Patterson views in this matter.
The assassin's knife rarely serves
to right wrong. In the befogged
brain of Booth the great Lincoln was
monster that must be destroyed and
the assassins' cry OF ''sic semper
tyrannis" has been taken up and often
repeated by anarchy. Clearly they
were not anarchists who murdered
King Alexander and his queen, and
the crime was even more foul for his
slayers were the trusted officers of
his armies who gained entrance to his
palace by the bribing of trusted SER
wants and the killing of others who
were loyal to their king.
Anarchy justifies the killing of
Alexander because he was king.
The Denver Times defends the crime
because ''the king was profigate and
crnel. and because the killing was not
done by anarchists nor common cut
throats. but by high officers in the
Servian army
But notwithstanding these argu-
ments, the Belgrade tragedy must go
down as one of the darkest crimes in
the history of nations and the opinion
OF the world will accord it no Justifi-
cation.
1t may be that The Denver Times
WAS not fully informed as to Servian
conditions. Herbert Vivian, the we'll.
known traveller and author of a book
on Servia, writes:
Il decline to believe this crime has
the countenance Of the Servian nation.
l have oonversed with all classes and |
know absolutely that the only NAL
contents were few ladies, who were
jealous of Queen Draga, because they |
thought themselves more suitable to
share the throne; few officers, who |
thought themselves entitled to more
speedy promotion, and few profess |
sional politicians. who coveted office. -
But even under the most apparently |
convincing conditions, it is no light |
matter to attempt to Justify cold
blooded murder whether it be the
killing Of a king or an outlaw 1t is
contrary to the spirit of American in
stitutions and to American conception
of Justice.