Editorial September 12, 1901 Issue

President McKinley

with contributions from W. G. Ewing

The attempted assassination of William McKinley, President of the United States, is among the most appalling events of modern history. The circumstances surrounding the attempt to kill the President, make the act one of so dastardly a nature as to raise the question whether it could have been perpetrated by a sane person. Yet Leon Czol-gosz, the would-be assassin, was evidently not insane. He is an anarchist of the violent type, and claims that he did the act entirely on his own responsibility, having been incited thereto by a speech he heard delivered by Emma Goldman. This, however, is not credited. The act is believed to be the result of an anarchistic conspiracy. Miss Goldman is suspected. She was in Buffalo a day or two before the tragedy, but has disappeared and has not yet been found.

Czolgosz says her words "set him afire," and moved him to the commission of the deed. He maintains that he only did his duty, and that all rulers of nations should be put out of the way. This man voices the sentiments of an element which is growing in this country, and here is presented a deep and serious question for the consideration of our law-makers and authorities, as well as law-abiding citizens generally.

The deed was so cunningly done that the culprit eluded detection until it was too late. Feigning a wounded hand by dexterously covering it with a handkerchief, he moved along with the hand-shaking procession in regular line until it came his turn to shake the President's hand. While shaking with his left he shot the President with his right hand. He intended to assassinate the President, according to his own confession. That so great and good a man and chief magistrate as President McKinley should thus be at the mercy of a wicked and irresponsible young anarchist, is one of the sad facts of this mortal life. This murderous element must be stamped out. The spirit of Cain—the murderous spirit—will never right wrongs. Reforms cannot thus be established.

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