The Days of a Man 1897 



as if a social system existed apart from the men who compose 

 it. Under Democracy all violence is treason. Whosoever heaves 

 a rock at a scab teamster, whosoever fires a shot at the Presi- 

 dent of the United States, is an enemy of the Republic, guilty 

 of high treason. The central fact of all Democracy is agree- 

 We make ment with the Law. It is our law and we made it. If desirable 

 the laws we can unmake it, but by compact of Democracy, any change 

 must be brought about by the methods of peace and order. 



On September 13, 1901, I stood for a moment at 

 the corner of Market and Third streets in San Fran- 

 cisco, reading the posted bulletins from Washington 

 foreshadowing McKinley's death. A little old crone 

 of a woman, similarly engaged, remarked: "The 

 President will die." "Yes," I answered sympa- 

 thetically; "he is dying." At this she turned on 

 me savagely: "You did it! You know you did; 

 you look it!" She then backed off in front of a 

 moving car and would have been instantly crushed 

 had not a young man in naval uniform jerked her 

 away as quick as a flash after which they both 

 melted into the moving crowd. 



But this is to anticipate by many years, and I 

 must now return to other matters. 



C 5763 



