Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1901 — A DANGEROUS TENDENCY. [ARTICLE]

A DANGEROUS TENDENCY.

During the last two weeks the press, pulpit and platform have made some statements that will scarcely meet with the approbation of the people when subjected to a calm analysis. The fact that three presidents have been assassinated during one generation does not

necessarily mean that our form of government is at fault. Yet a few superficial souls have jumped to the conclusion that the whole fault lies in the liberality of our form of government. Some journals, such as the St. Louis GlobeDemocrat, which never have believed in the democratic principles, take advantage of the ignorance of some and the excitement of all to renew the old federalist battle, which was fought to a finish during the lifetime of Thomas Jefferson. Thus we find several journals following the lead of the St. Louis federalist in denouncing the men of the revolutionary generation for their refusal to acquiesce in the despotic alien and sedition laws. The other day Bishop Potter, in nn address upon the cause and cure of anarchy, made the statement that while our constitution is doubtless a work of genius, the spirit behind it was largely borrowed from the French revolution, "which did more to dignify anarchy than any other movement or event in history.” This is a mere rehash of the argum nta lint were urged constantly during the early period by the enemies of the republic. There was some excuse for such talk at that time—-none now. Then the horrors of the reign of terror completely overshadowed all the good that came from the attending purging of society, and the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity were associated with anarchy and plain assassination. Now it is universally conceded that the principles of the revolution have largely inspired the mnrveious progress of the world during the last century. They, more than anything else, have transformed the Europe of the medieval period, with its savagery and tyranny, into the Europe of today, with its deeper humanity nyd broader freedom, and. as Bishop Potter suggests, “one of them—a cardinal principle—is free speech.” The present tendency seems to be to attempt the cure of anarchy through measures of repression, such as the abridgment of the freedom of discussion. In the first place, it is nonsense to place the responsibility of the assassination of Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley upon the freedom of the press The murder of Lincoln was the natural fruition of four yesrsof intestine bitterness and strife. Garfield fell at the hands of an insane wretch. The assassin of McKinley did not imbibe his anarchistic principles from the jr -ss —unless it was, indeed, the anarchistic press Every one will agree that the anarchistic press should be suspended, anarchistic literature destroyed and anarchistic discussion prohibited. But the renewed agitation in favor of such a measure a 6 the alien and sedition law, and the attempt of such papers as the Indianapolis Journal to place responsibility upon the speeches of Bryan, justify the suspicion that the abridgement of the right of discussion will not stop with anarchistic utterances Some administration organs actually declare that the government should not be severely criticised. This is passing to the opposite extreme. The most humble citizen must be lire ecled in his right to hold political opinions and express them so long as they are consistent with law and order.—-Indianapalis Sentinel.