Anarchy—A Novel Suggestion for Its Suppression

To the Editor of the Central Law Journal:

     I have read your editorial appearing on page 241, in regard to the assassination of President McKinley, in which you undertake to point out some remedies, and in this connection I wish to suggest that, while anarchism is, to some extent, respectable in Russia, there is no place for it or any part of it in the United States; and that there is possibly a remedy, and I am inclined to the opinion that congress, under the constitution, has a right to define treason. It is fully demonstrated that the death penalty has no terrors for persons who think that they can become martyrs by giving up their life for a cause, and that the death penalty is not a success as a deterrent of crime. There is a large party of respectable adherents to the last part of the above sentence. There is no punishment so severe as exile. This, I think, is not confined to human beings, but extends to the animal kingdom. Any man can determine the severity of such punishment by examining himself. I would therefore suggest as a remedy for anarchism in this country,—deportation. Not such as Russia inflicts, because it is too severe. We have recently acquired some very habitable islands, and my suggestion is: 1st, that congress define treason by statute, and that the definition include that whoever, in any way, utters or proclaims that there should be no law or no government, shall be guilty of treason; and that 2d, whoever is guilty of treason (in addition to the penalties now prescribed) that the penalty shall be deportation to an island (far at sea) where no laws, rules or regulations shall be inaugurated or maintained. And further that no representative of this country shall be there further than sufficient soldiers to see that the above rule is maintained. This, I think, would result in this class of people being placed in a community such as they advocate, and it is wholly immaterial to all the decent people whether they or any of them survive or not, except that they do not starve to death. The advocate of anarchism so long as he keeps his mouth shut, or his pen from paper, is, in my opinion, absolutely harmless. I think the above scheme would give him an opportunity to demonstrate his form of government, and also at the same time protect all law-abiding people from his influence.

RECTOR C. HITT.