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Two Types: Patriot and Anarchist
Something more than thirty years
ago a young Englishman came to this country to seek his fortune.
He was a carpenter by trade, and he settled in the beautiful town
of Ithaca, N. Y., possessed only of his tools, his trade, keen native
intelligence, and uncommon force of character. By his industry,
his honesty, his energy, and his good nature, he speedily gained
the confidence of his neighbors, launched one enterprise after another,
prospered in them all, and, when, two years ago, he retired from
most of them on a modest competence, he was the possessor of one
of the largest stores in Ithaca, a busy furniture factory, a farm
of considerable proportions, a flourishing dairy business, and very
extensive greenhouses of the most modern type, for the production
and supply of flowers. A great reader, and taking especial delight
in the literature of advanced thought, he arrived in America with
marked libertarian tendencies, which steadily developed until, a
dozen years ago, as a reader of Liberty, he became an outspoken
Anarchist. Since then Anarchism has had no stancher or more vigilant
champion than Henry Bool. And in the crisis precipitated by the
McKinley tragedy of September, 1901, he, well-nigh single-handed,
almost alone even among Anarchists, made heroic efforts to stem
the tide of insanity that swept the country. He printed leaflet
after leaflet, in editions of thousands of copies, containing well-chosen
matter setting forth the true nature of the Anarchistic movement,
and spent hundreds of dollars in circulating them among intelligent
people. In the madness of the moment many of his old friends turned
away, and the leading journal of Ithaca, edited by one of his former
intimates now a Republican official, went so far as to recommend
his ostracism. But he never flinched, and now his courage and character
have restored to him the respect of all those whose respect is to
be valued.
Among the onslaughts of which he was
the object during and after those days of stress, one, in the shape
of an anonymous letter from a patriotic Ithacan, is especially worthy
of record, presenting, as it does, an illuminating contrast between
the patriotism of the sender and the Anarchism of the recipient.
At the request of the editor of Liberty, to whom it had been forwarded
for his private perusal, Mr. Bool has consented to its publication.
I, N. Y., A.
14, 1902.
Mr. Henry Bool:
D
S,—I am in receipt. of. a Pamphlet
entitled Liberty Luminants. published by yourself.
I am very glad that you sent me
this for it serves to confirm my idea. that this 20th Century
is developing a lot of Lunatics. Some of the Type of the slayers
of. Garfield, Lincoln, and Mc Kinley, and some of a milder type
like yourself.
Your idea of Anarchy. Viz.:
the absence of all Gov’t shows conclusively that you are slowly
but surely sliding into the dangerous Class.
If. you should lack sufficient
courage to yourself. remove some obnoxous Official, there is
no doubt. but your teachings and those of. your ilk. will eventually
lead some poor devil. to the Electric Chair. It would be a mistake,
for I think the time is not far distant when the Teacher, instead
of the dupe, should be hustled into direct contact with about
2000 Volts— Mr Bool. I want to say to you. that when I read
Page 67 or certain portions of it, “Rosevelt’s ravings Root’s
Roorbacks” I felt that I would like to experiment with the Water
Cure that you speak of ,, with you for a subject.
It is but a few years ago that
you came to this Country. and City- apparently with nothing.
I can remember when you used to come to my back Door. soliciting
the framing of. Pictures. It seems to me. that it ill becomes
you. to use the language. which you do. as applied to the President
of this Country, A Country in which it was- possible for you
to acquire the competency. which you evidently posess- in so
short a time.
My Great Grand Father was a Soldier
in the War of the Reolution, My. Grand Father was a Soldier
in the War of 1812. Both did thier duty, thank God- and assisted
in thier humble way. in giving the British a good sound licking,
and I gave three Years to my Country. during the War of the
Rebellion. With all this in view it makes my blood boil. when
any individual John Bull. presumes to speak slightingly. or
disrespectfully .of. this- the greatest and most glorious Country
the Sun shines on- in spite of British- Enmity .and- Jealousy,
and especially when such expressions as you use-, comes from
one- who has- prospered as you have. under the protection of
the- Dear old- Stars and Stripes.
No Mr Bool it wont do - intelligent-people
size you up for what you are, A would be disturber of the public
peace. An agitator. whose feeble and Insane Vaporings are like
the morning Fog- soon disapated by the Sunbeams of intelligence
and common-Horse sense. I but echo the idea of hosts - of -
people who deplore the fact‘ that you are gradually sinking
into a condition of mind, that will eventually lead to a room
prepared for such poor unfortunates as you- at Willard. So John,
mend your ways - while there is time. perhaps if you would at
once. return to your native Chalk Cliffs - dont you know.
and throw your insane ideas Overboard in mid Ocean - you might
recover a normal condition of mind—with these few remarks I
leave you to your meditations—
Yours Truly -
A A
B C.
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