came possessed of a mad desire to become the cynosure of all eyes; or the morbid Czolgosz, incited by anarchistic teachings - unless possibly our laws had prevented anarchism from crossing the Atlantic.

Fundamentally, this form of assassination is the result of environment. The disease is too deepseated for legislative cure. We are confronted with two associated causes which cannot be eradicated: the social and industrial conditions of modern society, and the unbalanced mind, the extremes of wealth, power, ease, and lavish luxury on the one hand, and poverty, ignorance, misery, and the struggle for existence on the other, in a society which also contains the diseased brain, the dethroned reason, homicidal mania; the victim of the delusion of imaginary wrongs to himself, his class, or his nationality; the would-be suicide, who thinks if he kills a ruler monuments will be erected to his memory; the degenerate, the fanatic, and the criminal. So long as these social conditions exist we shall not be free from attempts to assassinate our Chief Magistrate.

But we may still ask, will not some general remedial legislation by Congress help the situation? With respect to mad attempts, which are the most common, or attempts resulting from political conspiracy, it is doubtful if additional legislation other than that which concerns the personal protection of the President

would prove in any considerable degree effective.

We have had but one attempt in the nature of a political conspiracy, which arose under exceptional circumstances; and it may be said that we are reasonably safe, for the present, from any attempt of this character. There never was a time in the history of this or any other country when the affections of the people for their government and their Chief Magistrate were so strong and all-pervading. Grave and perilous political questions like slavery and the right of secession no longer rouse the violent passions of the people and divide the country into hostile camps.

We must not, however, place too much confidence in the continuation of the existing state of affairs. The danger of a disputed succession to the Presidency, such as existed in 1876, cannot be ignored. This is a danger inherent in our electoral system, and is the weak spot in our Federal form of government.

Nor must we overlook the possible consequences of a conflict between labor and capital under present industrial methods. It is an economic law that periods of general financial depression occur about every twenty-five years; and if the situation during one of these crises should be aggravated by a shortage of crops, it might produce conditions which lead to political conspiracies. But no such situation seems near at hand; and we may rest reasonably secure against attacks upon the life of the President springing from any such cause.

The assassinations which have startled the world during the past ten years have been by anarchists, and the most universally beloved President in our history has fallen a victim. This great sorrow still overshadows the country, and the people are waiting, hoping, praying, that Congress will in some way shield the nation from such tragedies in the future. It is a most difficult crisis to meet. We have already pointed out that the field of effective legislation on this subject is limited; at the same time such laws as we believe will prove beneficial should be speedily enacted.

The present danger is not so much from anarchistic conspiracies hatched by any of the known groups of anarchists, as from some morbid individual who feels that he must become the executioner of anarchy, — the most dangerous criminal known to history.

It is fifteen years since August Spies and others were executed. Had any of the groups of Chicago anarchists, in revenge for their death, planned to assassinate the President, many opportunities would not have been wanting. President Carnot, Empress Elizabeth, and King Humbert have all been assassi nated by some member of a group of Italian anarchists. A branch of this group is located in Paterson, New Jersey, and Bresci went from there on his mission to kill the King of Italy. Had this group included among its intended victims the President of

the United States, the accomplishment of that purpose at any time would have been an easy task.

It is undoubtedly true that free institutions afford some measure of protection against these attacks, and that they have been mainly directed against the rulers of European countries, owing to different political and social conditions. But still our recent experience has taught that the freest government is not exempt from this danger, and that we must guard against it in every possible way. It is also true that the wisdom of extreme repressive measures is doubtful. The experience of Spain and other countries has shown that drastic legislation has always been followed by renewed attempts of a more deadly and violent kind.

The type of anarchists who seek to enforce their doctrine by assassination discloses difficulties in the way of meeting the situation by laws. These individuals may be classed in the same category with those who make what are known as "mad attempts upon the Head of the State. According to Regis, they are the typical regicides or magnicides, who have existed from remote antiquity. They are fanatics with minds tainted by insanity, eccentricity, epilepsy, and suicidal impulse. We are not here referring to the revolutionary anarchists as a body, but to the particular type who execute these deeds of violence and death. Professor Lombroso, of the University

of Turin, as the result of his researches, finds that a large number of this particular type of anarchists are madmen and criminals. Some who had attempted assassination were epileptics; others were victims of alcoholism; others were indirect suicides, rejoicing at the opportunity of being put to death for the murder of a ruler; others were partially demented, imagined themselves persecuted, and were carried away by a violent impulse for assassination. In no case have they been known to have had accomplices. They "are almost always alone in concealing, preparing, and accomplishing their deeds, being unwilling to have anyone share with them the merits and honors."

It is hard to reach this type of anarchist by legislation. He is not easily discovered in the country, nor easily kept out. It is said that the leader of an Italian group of revolutionary anarchists travels from country to country at will.

The exciting causes which lead to assassination by this type of anarchist are anarchistic books, pamphlets, papers, and attendance upon gatherings of revolutionary anarchists. Although we have now reached a field where legislation may help, a moment's consideration will show the difficulties that are encountered.

Anarchy, or anarchism, is a broad term. There is philosophical anarchism and revolutionary anarchism;