Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 61, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1902 — MUST CALL A HALT [ARTICLE]

MUST CALL A HALT

Vsteran Editor Denounce* One of the Mott Dangerous of Modern Tendencies. ANARCHY NEWSPAPERS It It Necessary to Exalt the Standard of True Patriotism and Love of American Free Institutions in the Press of the Land. Following is the text of a paper Toad by Mr. C. W. Stivers, editor of the Liberty, Ind:, Herald, before the Republican Editorial Association at Indianapolis, on the subject of “Anarchy and Newspapers”: “The theme assigned to me for consideration before this association is one of such pertinence to the times In which we live and the profession of newspaper editing that 1 approach its consideration with no small degree of reluetanee, lest 1 shallnpt rise to the requirements of the tneme and your expectations as to discussing the subject. That there has been anarchy in the newspapers of America needs no reiteration here. Within the past year we have witnessed one of the results of anarchistic teaching, and the whole world stands aghast at the deed of an assassin who claimed to be an anarchist and who was Inspired by the teachings of false leaders and their emanations in newspapers and publications, which are permitted to circulate freely through the malls of this free government. “Webster defines anarchy as: ‘Absence or utter disregard of government; an unregulated and chaotic conconfusion and disorder.’ An anarchist is defined as ‘A malcontent respecting all existing institutions, regarding them as essentially tyrannical, either as aristocratic or plutocratic; especially one who would use violence to destroy the existing social and civil order of things; one who advocates anarchy or absence of formal government as a social and political ideal.’ Among the synonyms for anarchism are ‘chaos, communism, confusion, disintegration, disorder, insubordination, lawlessness, rebellion, revolution, riot, sedition, tumult.’ Surely these definitions of anarchy need only to be stated to insure the opposition of all sane minds to anything in the nature of anarchy; nevertheless we witness men and newspapers tacitly encouraging and promoting anarchism by indulging in intemperate and Incendiary speech and publication through the press. But I am reminded that I must not attempt to discuss every phase of this subject; be it mine to consider more particularly that form of anarchy that grows out of political discussion and controversy through the newspapers. Anarchistic malignance often has for Its basis the unjust and defamatory denunciation of speakers and newspaper writers who if charged with promoting anarchy, would deny it with every manifestation of innocence. The denunciation of McKinley as an imperialist and a puppet in the hands of plutocrats and millionaire trust magnates in partisan newspapers was the basis for the denunciation of the beloved president in anarchistic societies as an enemy to the people, who deserved death. Emma Goldman’s misdirected denunciations that developed the assassin in Czolgocz was but the logical echo from the utterances of editorials in certain ‘yellow’ newspapers of bitter partisan cast, helped along by vicious caricaturists. A Political Murder. "Lincoln's assassination was a political murder, plotted by desperate traitors to the government; but the assassin’s arm was nerved and his brain guided by newspaper denunciations that the great and good Lincoln was a tyrant—a bloodthirsty usurper who deserved to be removed by violence. “Garfield's murder by a partially insane, disappointed place-hunter, was the result of bitter factional newspaper controversy and vicious Ideals of party subserviency; at least, Guiteau was incited to his crime by vicious newspaper denunciations, thus illustrating the danger of unjust, unwise and inflammatory newspaper utter ance. Hence the necessity of moderation and reason in discussing all questions through the press. As an Illustration of anarchistic speech and sentiment I will quote the following: ‘“The capitalists of this country have no business to involve us in a war with Spain. The common people do not want war. The blowing up of the Maine is no excuse. It is no crime to blow up warships. All of them belong at the bottom of the sea. Socalled patriotism is nothing more than Idiocy or slavery.’ “To newspaper readers there is something familiar in the sentiments of that paragraph, and you can't Just make out which spellbinder used it In the last presidential campaign. When I tell you it is a quotation from an address delivered by Emma Goldman at Cleveland in the spring of 1898 you are probably surprised, but you know that very similar expressions were made by the Bryan school of orators in the fall of 1898 and 1900, and you are willing to be qualified that you saw sentiments equally as visfous in the Metropolis ' Sentinel, American and the Tlgertown Journal In the same campaign. "Turning to another phase of anarchistic sentiment from the same

source, the essence of which we have met with In but one class of partisan newspapers, we quote as follows: ‘ln no country save America is there a thinking man, or woman who will admit a belief In the God of the Bible. The church has been succeeded by the law, but the law is as criminal as the church. If we take the laws of qpciety or the statute books for our guidance we shall be sar corrupt" as tr -we followed the teachings of the Bible. It makes no difference whether the law Is made by the majority or not, It Is equally vicious. The only true standard of morality Is that established by the Individual. I do not favor killing, but we are hnm&n and cannot help being desperate when we hear of such things as the acquittal of Sheriff Mar-*’ tin and his deputies. Under such circumstances no one can be blamed for taking the law Into his own hands, not from an ethical standpoint, perhaps, but in self-defense. Vicious Attack on the Bible. “Here we have a vicious attack on the Bible and sacred moral law, as well as on the legally constituted authorities upon whose fidelity depends the public peace and protection of Ufa and property. - - “In the controversies between labor and capital, often due to professional agitators, it is often necessary, in order to preserve life, property and order, to call on the constituted authorities, civil and military. Any denunciatory tirade at these methods ia anarchistic and deserves rebuke equally with attempts to overthrow the moral taw based on the Bible and its sacred teachings. No newspaper which has a right conception of its duty to good government and the laws under which ws live will give utterance to or uphold such lawless sentiments. At the risk of being considered a partisan, I assert that the Democratic press, in some instances, was led into an attitude of opposition to the governmentduring the war of the rebellion in such a way as to become practically anarchistic in the trend of its discussion of war measures and in support of party platforms and policies. As we look back at the attitude of the New York World, the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Louisville Courier-Journal, the Indianapolis Sentinel and others we could mention of the war period we all realize the mistaken policy they pursued in order to be in harmony with their party. Much that appeared in those papers then was calculated to break down and discredit the government at Washington— In a word, was anarchistic in sentiment. The president was viciously attacked as a usurper, the governors of the loyal states were denounced and their lives threatened, and the war pronounced a failure. It is precious now to know that many of the newspapers referred to and the men who edited them have seen the error of their way, while yet partisan in a sense, are patriotic enough to sustain the constituted authorities. Ultra Bryanlstic Papers. “Nevertheless it was noticeable in the last presidential campaign that the old virus reasserted itself again In some of the ultra Bryanlstic papers under the hue and cry of anti-imperi-alism, etc., some even going so far as to laud Aguinaldo and berate and denounce our beloved and departed president in an hour when he should have had the applause and support of every loyal American. “A patriotic press should restrain and check a blatant demagoguery upon the stump from wanton and unjust abuse of the president especially, and of governors, judges and all in authority. The army and navy, officers and men, should be respected and honored. Such a healthy public sentiment on these lines should be cultivated that no one would dare be responsible for nerving the arm of misguided anarchists, native or foreign. “It is so near the awful hours through which we passed from the moment Czolgocz committed his monster crime until the faithful, great-hearted McKinley said: ‘Goodby; good-by all. It is God’s way; His will be done,* that we can hardly speak with the least degree of tolerance of any influence that contributed to bring about such a terrible crime; but that awful deed has aroused the American people to a sense of what is due to those who represent the sovereignty of a free people. The tools of the vile caricaturist have fallen from his dastardly grasp; the pen of the defamatory detractor and asperser of motive and character Is no longer in demand; the blatant, slanderous tonguo of inflammatory speech is still or wagged with a show of decent regard for the truth. Best of all, the great, patriotic, justiceloving conscience of the American people has been aroused to a sense of duty and love toward the institutions we love and cherish—through the operations of which every wrong may be righted and every blessing of good government may be secured — and henceforth the blatant demagogue and b wash-buckler, the half-insane and partisan-mad blowhard will be relgated to the rear, ajid sanity, justice, exalted patriotism, respect for constituted authority, fidelity to the moral laws —which includes the whole duty of man to man—are to be given the right of way. The spirit of the Immortal McKinley, who, in speaking of his assassin, said, ‘Do him no harm,’ is to be carrledjxout even toward his misguided associates. Whatever may be said of the existence of anarchistic sentiment in thiß country, the awful deed of Czolgocz—so wanton, so mercilessly unjust and cruelly wicked, will prove the death knell of organized anarchy the world over. There must, however, be no tolerance for organizations that teach anarchy and

Advocate assassination. The strong arm of the government, national and state, should be Invoked and administered, teaching the members of anarchist groups that America is no place for the victims of foreign oppression to vent their hatred of government and the laws enacted by a free people for the protection of life and property. Anarchists are chiefly foreigners and have no-conception of the beneficence of free Constitutional government Under our form of government every wrong may be righted through legal processes, through the courts or at the ballot box, and there must be no tolerance for taking the law into our own hands. The mob spirit is anarchistic ind must be restrained at all times and at whatever cost. Laboring men and their organizations must know that their grievances must be adjusted by arbitration or peaceable, lawful processes. Nothing more demagogical or subversive of respect for law could be Imagined than the ‘hue and cry’ raised in certain newspapers and by certain speakers in recent years as to so-called ‘government by injunction.’ An injunction by a court of justice is often a aecesonry and proper legal measure —legitimate and promotive of peace, law and order. Our courts are worthy of the highest respect, from the circuit to the supreme court. Occasionally there may be a Cantrell, controlled or influenced by partisan bias or conditions that disgrace the judiciary and for a time thwart justice, but such instances are comparatively few, and the integrity of the Judiciary In the main is unquestioned. • * • Mission of Newspaper Editors. “I appeal to the representatives of the press qj all political faiths to lift the standard. There is really no higher mission than that committed to newspaper editors. The world’s work along the line of lifting the race to an exalted plane of keif-government is upon us. There is an element of anarchy in all phases of law-breaking, and the newspaper that fails to array itself upon the side of law and order is encouraging a tendency to lawlessness, mobocracy—anarchy. “I would impress upon every editor the importance, the dignity, the responsibility of his position; as well as the great opportunity he has of serving his country and fellow-men. The newspapers of America must be the sentinels upon the watch-towers of the new day that is upon us, with all its promise, and yet with all its responsibilities. Community, state and national welfare are to be promoted and guarded; law and order to be upheld and the agencies of representative free government, under the constitution —the great chart of our liberty and happiness as a free people—hre to be maintained and depended upon to solve every problem that may arise. I commend the following cardinal principle to every newspaper editor: The highest respect for the president, the governor and the judiciary; sacred respect for the Bible and the church of God. “Recognition of authority us vested In the president, governor, courts and all in authority under the laws; recognition and regard for the militia and the army and navy as the agencies of the government for the preservation of peace, law and order. “With these basal principles as a rule of action, supplemented by an exalted patriotism" and enthusiastic fidelity to the government founded by Washington and his compatriots—the grandest, freest, best government instituted among men —the press will increase its power for good in community, state and nation, be a more potent factor for thwarting the purposes of agencies and organizations, which, if not checked, threaten the very foundations of society and government. “While this paper has a touch of partisan spirit, I would rather lay aside that. phase of the question and appeal to the press of America of every party and name in dealing with anarchy to rise to the exalted plane to which the national congress rose when it voted, without a dissenting voice, to place $50,000,000 in the hands of President McKinley to prosecute the war with Spain to liberate Cuba from unbearable oppression and tyranny. Shall we not rise to the type of patriotism represented by glorious old Joseph Wheeler, Fitzhugh Lee, Lawton, Funston, Admiral Dewey and President Roosevelt —and thus exalt the standard of true patriotism and love of American free institutions. God grant that it may be so, and that the newspapers of America may be a unit In support of a ‘government of the people, by the people and for the people,’ that the ensign of our coun.try may meats wherever it floats—law, order, constitutional liberty—in a word ‘equal and exact justice to all men.’ ”