Anarchists and Anarchists

     Are we all anarchists? The papers are full of interviews expressing bitterness against the anarchists and most of them wind up with a declaration that they ought to be lynched, exiled, hung, treated as criminals, crushed off the earth, and the like. Suppose we did all these things off hand as suggested, what different would we be from them, save in the purpose of the act? Men who deprecate the anarchists for their law-breaking doctrines ought themselves to be law abiding in all processes. The American people are not the most law-abiding in the world; they are given to making many laws and then doing as they have a mind to, not in a criminal way, for in that respect we are self-controlled. There is a difference, however, in obedience to laws. One people obeys because of the power of repression existing in authority; another obeys because the requirement is right. Technically, the first lot may be the more law-abiding; yet the latter class are the more law-respecting and at the same time more likely to disregard laws which to them seem wrong or useless. We have our lesson to learn in law-making and law-obeying. Every violent breach of law is anarchistic in its tendency.