Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-09-30
comnuNrsm.

This thew departure" from the es-
tablishcd order of governments and
society, originating, perhaps, In the
Solidarity ok FOURIER Of France, tliir-
~ odd years agey and advocated by
the elder Owen, who attempted to
reduce It b. practice in Indiana; Is
spreading rapidly in Europe under
the above title. In whatever aspect,
u has been presented to the world, II
has but one meaning, and that is the
broadest agrarianfsm-an equal divis-
ion Of property among the entire
people Of the country. In France,
England and Germany, at this time,
It appears IN the shape of war, on
the part OF labor, against capital,
aud of capital against labor.
This same levelling spirit mani
tested itself In this country, years
ago, and Is gaining ground as rapidly
as the purer and more conservative
elements Of our social and political
hsstItutions have given place to radi-
sal ideas and wide spread demorali-
cation. Nor is 1t surprising that, un-
der the present order OF things, in
the country, there should be this wide
spread dissatisfaction. The rallying
cry of the party in power, is equality
before the law, equality Of political
privileges, and equality in the social
circle! From this broad assumption
equality IN SO many relations, how
easy Is the transition to the idea Of
equality in the ownership Of prop
ertyi So long as the government
rested upon its original busis; SO long
rs public virtue administered the
Laws in accordance with the demands
of equal and exact justice to oil; 80
long US capital was too ditIused to be-
come an instrument for the oppress-
ion of labor and the increase of pow
erty, the country was prosperous, and
the people contentetss and virtuous.--
Communism did not then suggest IT.
self as q remedy for existing evils !;
labor aud capital were In harmony
and the government was the pride
of its citizens and the admiration Of
the world.
But, New England, envious Of
wealth not confined to its own linn
its, aud FESTIVE under government
not controlled by the selfish and vain
glorious spirit of Puritanism, COM
ynes,ecsf It's machinations for the over
throw of tho government and the
absorption of the wealth so equally
difiuscd throughout the country. 1t
has succeeded almost to the extent of
its wishes; the government is admin-
istored upon New England ideas, and
its fisheries and manufactures, thro'
the fundamentally of the tariff are
rapidly absorbing the wealth Of the
country. The Yankee idea of con-
trolling every interest, political, So
cial and pecuniary, through the agen-
cy of "rings," is fast working out its
Legitimate results-a moneyed des-
potism In the hands of a few, aud the
impoverishment of the deluded MILL
ions.
Under these agencies for the con-
centration of capital and the monop-
oily Of power, Is it any wonder that
labor, oppressed and condemned, is
rapidly and earnestly organizing q
''ring" to enable it to resist the ty-
ranny Of capital? The wonder is
that the millions, so long blinded to
their true interest, by the seductive
influences of party spirit and the
soothing promise of universal equal
ity, have not arisen, en- massc, and
freed their best interests from the
power that is bent upon their destruc-
ton.
This war of labor upon capital, here
and In Europe, is the legitimate con-
sequence OF bad government admin
istered In the interest of u corrupt
few, whose pampered vices demand
wealth for their full qualification,
and power to ring that wealth from
the labor of the masses. But unfor-
tunately for humanity and civiliza-
ton. 1t is n war in which neither par
ty can attain the ends for which II is
waged. If Communism Is successful,
It's fundamental idea-community of
property, and all things else in COM
mon, will lead TO inevitable anarchy
and the destruction of every element
Of well ordered society and stable
government. Should capital prove
the victor, II will be barren tri-
umph, followed by the exchange of
the present system of labor for that
~ seridom of "A slavery more ahject
than ever charact erized that of the
South, and u widespread poverty
from which the lordly aristocrat can
squeeze no revenues, and must share
the ruin OF which he was the foolish
aud corrupt architect.
Would il not be wiser then, In view
Of the disastrous results consequent
upon such conflict, for labor To con-
ccntratc It's efforts, In connection
with those Of the few remaining pat
riots IN the country, for the restora-
ton OF the government TO its orlgni-
nal purity? This being done, the
same combined effort will break up
the powerful Strings" and enforce
such legislation AS will protect every
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