The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1908-05-08
ANARCHY
By q. W. Avery.

There can be no peace or security
without governmental authority. An
archy reducedt to its basis means complete
and perfect liberty; every individual to
be allowed to do just as he plcases with
no authority over him but his own con-
science. 1t is based on the theory that,
left to his own way, every individual
will do right.
1t is beautiful theory ard when the
world reaches state Of perfect civi!iz-
alton, when the golden rule, "Do unto
others as you would that others would
do unto you," controls the actions of
humanity, anarchy will prevail, be-
cause there will then be no need of law
or authority; everyone will naturally do
right. How far is the world from state
of perfect civilization? Let everyone
answer for himself.
My answer is that there is no such
thing on earth at the present time; that
there has been on earth but one perfect
character and that so far as the people
at large fall short OF that standard, Just
that much we lack of being perfectly
civilized.
The anarchist tells us that if all gov
ernmenta authority is removed people
will just naturally do right. We have
strong faith in humanity, but the OPEN
ing sentence Of this article expresses our
view of the question.
Just now the United States is making
herculean effort to rid itself of anar-
chists, and it is we'll to inquire, what are
the chief causes of anarchy?
First, concentration of capital with it's
consequent result, condensation of pow
erty.
Second, the autocratic forms OF the
governments of Europe, run at large ex-
pense and sapping the life and energy OF
the people by oppressive taxation, while
it robs them of their liberty by restrictive
franchise.
How anarchy can live under the Stars
and Stripes and thrive under the broad
wings of the American eagle is something
we cannot understand. Every man in
the nation is fully enfranchised and il
they live up to the limit of the glorious
liberties won for them by Washington
and his followers they cannot be op
pressed.
The wild-eyed foreigner who will
bomb and fuse tries to destroy existin.
forms of government is not the only an
anarchist.
The individual or group OF individuals
as corporation, who refuse to obey thu
Just laws Of the land are following alon,
the same lines as the most radical anar
chist. They are law-breakers; so ar
the anarchists. They are rebels agains
constituted authority; SO are the anar
chists.
They are undesirable citizens; SO ar
the anarchists. They are retarding tn
progress Of civilization; SO are the anaI
chists.
If laws are unjust or oppressive, amen
or repeal them, but while they are o.
the statute books, obey them, for this
the essence Of good government and n
, nation can thrive and prosper whose pee
pie as class defy its laws.
The corrupt official in whatever car
acity is no better than an anarchist
Honesty is. the best policy for nations q
well as individuals, and every natio
whose foundations are Slapped by boot
ling and corruption among its officia
must either stamp out public dishonest
e with the big stick or the ballot or resig
: itself to the fate of the Roman, the Gre'
ian, the Egyptian and the Babylonia
empires.