Anarchy and Anarchists: A History of the Red Terror and the Social Revolution in America and Europe; Communism, Socialism, and Nihilism in Doctrine and in Deed; The Chicago Haymarket Conspiracy and the Detection and Trial of the ConspiratorsSchaack, Michael J.
History
Anarchy and Anarchists: A History of the Red Terror and the Social Revolution in America and Europe; Communism, Socialism, and Nihilism in Doctrine and in Deed; The Chicago Haymarket Conspiracy and the Detection and Trial of the Conspirators
I have thus shown the manner and methods by which Socialism seeks to
gain a foothold in America. In their declarations of principles and
encouragements to violence, these agitators have proved themselves
traitors to their country or the country of their adoption, and
ingrates to society. They have sought, and are seeking, to establish
“Anarchy in the midst of the state, war in times of peace, and
conspiracy in open day.” They are the “Huns and Vandals of modern
civilization.”
As De Tocqueville says: “Democracy and Socialism are the antipodes
of each other. While Democracy extends the sphere of individual
independence, Socialism contracts it. Democracy develops a man’s
whole manhood; Socialism makes him an agent, an instrument, a cipher.
Democracy and Socialism harmonize on one point only—the equality which
they introduce. But mark the difference: Democracy seeks equality in
liberty, while Socialism seeks it in servitude and constraint.”
CHAPTER V.
The Socialistic Programme—Fighting a Compromise—Opposition to the
Eight-hour Movement—The Memorial to Congress—Eight Hours’ Work
Enough—The Anarchist Position—An _Alarm_ Editorial—“Capitalists
and Wage Slaves”—Parsons’ Ideas—The Anarchists and the Knights
of Labor—Powderly’s Warning—Working up a Riot—The Effect of
Labor-saving Machinery—Views of Edison and Wells—The Socialistic
Demonstration—The Procession of April 25, 1886—How the
_Arbeiter-Zeitung_ Helped on the Crisis—The Secret Circular of 1886.
WHILE the Socialists are bent on a revolution in the economic condition
of the working class, or, as they choose to term it, the proletariat,
they have conclusively shown that they do not desire to further that
movement by pacific means. Imbued with the doctrines of violence and
intent on the complete destruction of government, they do not seek
their end by orderly, legitimate methods. This fact has been most
thoroughly established by the extracts from their public declarations
which I have already given.
But if any doubts still exist with reference thereto, they are
completely dissipated by an examination into the attitude assumed by
the Socialists toward the labor problem as it exists at the present
day. It is not my purpose to enter into a detailed review of the whole
field. I will simply call attention to one fact, and in that fact one
sweeps the labor horizon, viewed from the Socialistic standpoint, as
the astronomer sweeps the heavens with his telescope, striking the most
prominent objects within the range of observation. This one fact is the
position of the Socialists toward the eight-hour movement.
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