The independent., 1904-01-21
BRYAN AND tOLsTOI
Noted Russian Could Not Lawfully Return
Bryan's Visit-Our Anti-Anarchy
Law supprssses Free Speech

Bryan's Visit-Our Anti.Anarchy
Law Supprssses Free Speech
Placed at the head of its editorial
+ columns, recent issue of the Boston
Traveller contained the following COM
municatiOn and editorial comment.
The now famous "anti-anarchy law, "
made so through the John Turner incl
dent, suggests legal "atavism"-to use
a biological phrase. 1t painfully re-
minds one of the laws about the time
of Charles l., when men were tried
for and convicted of treason, being
charged with imagining the death OF
the king.
We are pleased to give special
prominence to the following letter
from an old md valued correspondent
OF that popular department Of the
Traveller, The Peoples Column:
ITO the Editor: During the past
few days the plpers have been telling
us of the visit of Bryan to Leo Toll
stoi, the world-famous Russian witt
er. Now, how many Of the readers OF
this column are aware that the
United States of America has law on
its statutes that will make 1t impos-
siLle for Tolstoi to return Mr.. Bryan's
visit? Under the infamous statute by
which John Turner is kept prisoner in
cage on Ellis island, while the case
is being carried to the United States
supreme court Tolstoi would not be
permitted to land on the shores Of
free America, and If, by any chance,
he should enter the country and go
to Bryan's home, then the man who
has twice headed the democratic
presidential ticket would be liable to
years of Imprisonment for harborlng
the Russian anarchist.
What was President Roosevelt
dreaming about when he put his name
to such an internal law as this? Talk
about the injustice of the old slave
laws that made ii crime for rer-
son to give aid and succor to the black
man who had escaped from slavery!
Why, here is a law thousand times
worse, for it brands as criminal the
individual who merely believes that
the time is coming when organized
government shall cease to exist II
this law is allowed to stand it will be
only a short cut to another that will
deny us the right to indulge In any
criticism of the conduct of the presi-
dent. Under such law Senator Hoar
would be sent to prison cell for
making his late speech demanding
full publicity-the presidents favor
- frr hn C -Yaf
ministration's work in starting a new
republic in South America.
Let us hope that when Mr.. Bryan
returns to his native land he will use
his powerful influence to have the law
that is such foul blot on our twen-
tieth century civilization stricken
from the statutes at once. And if he
had a fourteen-hour interview with
Tolstoi, then he should be prepared
to take his stand with Burke, who de-
clared that In vain you tell me that
government is good and that it is the
abuse of which | complain. 1t is the
thing, the thing itself that is the
abuse If Mr.. Bryan should take this
stand, he never could become presi-
himself as one of the greatest liber-
ators of our time. J. 7. SMALL.
Provincetown, Mass"
Mr. Small is, as ever, thoroughly in
earnest, but there is much reason for
his argument. A recent editorial in
these columns called attention to the
regrettable features of the law TO
which Mr.. Small refers, and the point
was made, as he makes it, that under
a strict Interpretation of the law such
men as Count Tolstoi could not be al
lowed to visit this country.
The general intent OF this law, to
forbid public utterances calculated to
infiame weak minds against consti-
tuted authority, Is to be commended.
IL Is easily demonstrated that the an
archy that counsels murder has no
place In this community But TO 30
SO far rs 10 say that the man who be-
lieves that some day we shall be able
to get along without government Is
necessarily unfit for admission To this
country Is pushing matters to an ex-
tr,mity.
In the effort To keep this country
from becoming the rendezvous of the