The conviction of Johann Most, for incit~ ing to crime, by amarchistic utterances in his paper, meets with general approval but it is desired that the legal safeguards of society be made more secure. The New York "'Times"" says, October 15th:—Men in their right senses will agree with the declaration of Justice Hinsdale in the case of Most, that it would be well if the Jaws of this country were such that it could be said with truthfulness that no Anarchist can breathe the free air of America." It is of much greater importance, however, that we should know now or soon whether' the existing laws of this country do actually forbid Anarchists to preach their doctrine.
The Justices of the Court of Special Sessions, speaking in the opinion of Justice Hinsdale, are clearly of the opinion that it is unlawful to publish or utter extreme Anarchistic sentiments. For publishing in his paper an article entitled "Murder Against. Murder," they ave sentenced Most to one year's imprisonment Mest's counsel have tion to carry the case to the Suprema Court on appeal, It is much to be desired that an appeal should be.taken and that the Court of Appeals itself should be asked to give an authoritative interpretation of the law of this State as to evil and criminal publications of this nature.
It is with no disrespect for the learning of the Court of Special Sessions that we say that the reasoning upon which they base their decision in the case of Most is far from convincing. The principles involved are much too important to be regarded as settled by the opinion of the court of first instance. The reconciliation of the Constitutional prohibition of laws abridging freedom of speech and the Press, "with the manifest impolicy and danger of giving freedom to the tongues and pens of persons who preach the doctrines of anarchy and murder, is a serious judicial work. Public opinion, aroused and. intensified by the murder of the Prisident, demands that a stop shall be put to the public preaching of these bloody doctrines. The immediate question is whether a stop can be put to it under existing laws, or whether the need must be met by new and more stringent laws.
The " Sun" says:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.