Foolish Talk

     Without exception, the Republican daily papers are endeavoring to lay the blame of the shooting of President McKinley upon the Socialists and every class of reformers who have entertained and expressed ideas contrary to the policy pursued by the present administration. They wilfully [sic] and maliciously class the Socialists and anarchists together, knowing full well that no similarity exists between the two. These papers insist that the next congress pass laws against the criticising of the president of the United States and the powers that be. A great deal of foolish talk is indulged in.
     There are already laws on the statute-books to punish murderers and traitors, and more are not needed—they would simply be superfluous.
     The sole object of these papers is to make it impossible to publicly criticise those in power.
     The Kansas City Journal says the cartoons and “inflammatory” expressions that have appeared in the opposition papers are responsible for the assassination. Had Bryan been elected president, and had he received the assassin’s bullet, instead of McKinley, would the cartoons and the “imflammatory” [sic] expressions in the Republican papers, have been responsible for his assassination?
     It is just as well to be temperate and sensible about these things. Frothing at the mouth and making rabid accusations is not argument. No sensible Populist, Socialist or Democrat has any desire to see a Republican president or any other official assassinated.