Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-23
DEALING With the Anarchists.

| DedIIn9 WIN the NVdTCthStSs
We have anarchists here in America
l-altogether too many of them and al
together too active for the welfare OF
society-but they are hardly numerous
enough or active enough to justify the
hysterical outburst of an alarmist who
signs himself Broughton BrandenburG
in this weeks Golfers. He says there
are now 1900 of them in the United
States. but does not explain how the
census was taken. He sets forth thelt
plans and performances ii way to
send the cold shivers up and down
the spine of every law-abldlng citizen
and then lamely concludes that there
is no remedy for the evil. a correspon-
dent of the New York Sun, writing as
it happens before the article in Golfers
appeared. is at hand, however, with a
eoIution of the anarchist problem
which confronts this and every other
civilized nation. He suggests that all
anarchists, and especially those who
advocate force, should be treated as of
unsound mind and put in restraint &C
cordingly In defense of his PROPOSE
ton the Sun correspondent goes on to
write as follows:
There is nothing heroic or even mock
heroic about the insane or the crack
Drained. a lunatic asylum is not hall
of fame It's inmates are rot made the
subjects of sonnetS or even blank verse.
The courts tell us that insanity is de-
termined by no general laws or gener-
al principles They hold that in the
light Of the facts and circumstances
surrounding each case each must be de-
cided.
Some of the most reputable phySi-
clans Of the national capital affirm that
under existing laws they would certify
persons to he of unsOund mind who
profess to be able to bring about gov
ernmental reform by perpetrating the
highest crime known to law, human or
divine.
To destroy even temporarily one
branch OF our national Government
would involve the killing of the Chief
of State and ten other high officers who
are in the line of succession. Would
the contemplation of eleven such nor
rible crimes be preSumptive evidence OF
sanity? But as the removable of one
set Of executive officers would result
only in placing another group in au-
thority. must a hundred Cabinets be
slaughtered to promote the permanent
welfare Of mankind? If to believe that
a political millennium could he brought
about by such means does not Imply IN
sanity, for heavens sake, what would
imply it?
The Ill rider of one of the best of wo-
men TO- the high crime" of being the
Empress of Austria Hungary: the as
sassina ton of William Mckinley for
the double offense of having been chOs-
on ruler of a free people and of having
discharged his high duties with rare
wisdom-these and other equally crazy
crimes could he enlarged upon to GROVE
the incapacity of their perpetrators 70
reason nationally. or even at all.
NV conclusion then is that the most
effective way to prevent the killing OF
high officers of state is to apprHhehd
DrofeSSed anarchists. who favor dSSaS-
sinatiOn. as persons of unSound MINUS
have them examined by compctcni pro-
fessional men. and if found deranr"d on
this one subject or on many, lock them
I'D in asylurns for safe keeping.
We deprive a tiger or hy"nh % MS
liberty to kill Then why heeit It. when
other wild beasts in human form ar"
euuaIIy dangerous? Ordinary lundtlcS
NTH bomicidaI tendencies have always
been held in the closest confinement.