The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-03
riitOn Describes the French Commune.

dore Tilton, in the Beeeher trial, reference L
was made to his having, on certain day,
walked in a communistic procession. Mr.,
Evarts asked, 'What do you understand
by the Commune of France?" l.
A-After the fall Of the empire, France
was agitated with the question: What
should be the new government Those
of her citizens who love America and
American liberty said, LET US have
government such as they have in the Unit
ed States government of representa-
ton" And the Communists, so,called'
are those people in France who belleve III
governing Paris by precisely the same sys-
TEN of government under which we hve IN
Brooklyn. For instance, what would pe
thought if the mayor of this city snoulas
insist upon appointing all the aldeImgn " "
all the wards, and denying to the PeoPlSs -
the wards the right to elect their aloel-
men2 II would be O revolutionary pro- |
ceedinp. We hold to the opposite view |
Every ward in this city elects its alder |
men. aud the mayor has no right to inter-
fere Now the Communists in Paris in-
sisted that in the formation OF the new
government every ward of the city--in
other words, every commune-should elect
its representative, and the mayor should
not appoint their representatives. In 9TH
er words, communism in Paris is local self
government, as we practise it In every
American city. On the other hand, that
which is called Republicanism in France
is that which if it was brought to this
country would be denominated despotism,
and We would not permit it for an hour.
Every Democratic citizen of Brooklyn, if
he lived in Paris, would, by virtue of his
American antecedents and the principles
of Thomas Jefferson, be communist, and
nothing else.
An exchange in printing the above says:
There was deeper grievance Of which
the people of Paris had Just cause to COM
plain; il was this: The assembly at Yer
sailles passed bill authorizing the people
of the cities to elect their own mayors.
President Theirs refused to sign it he de-
clared that he would surrender the presi-
dency sooner than do so. He was willing
that towns and cities having twenty thou
sand inhabitants and under should elect
such officers but claimed that IN all the
larger cities the mayors should be appoint
ed BY the government. We submit tina
this is an important addition to the above.
In relation to communistic societies il
the United States, there is an erroneou
and prejudiced opinion that they are TO
the purpose of forcibly interfering with tn
property of men Of great wealth. Thi
opinion is artfully fostered by men Q
wealth, and by others who take no pains t
learn the objects Of the commune.
Mr.. Nordhoff has published,in the One
da Circular, temperate description
the view of the communistic societies
the United States, as follows:
Nothing surprises me more, in my il
yestigations of the communistic societie
than to discover
"lst The amount aud variety of bu'
ness and mechanical skill which is foul
in every Commune, no matter what Is q
character or intelligence of its member
and ..r.--r :.
I'D. The ease and certainty with viii
the brains come to the top. OF course Il
last is O transcendent merit in any syste
Of government.
"The fundamental principle of Comm
nal life In the subordination OF the indi
duals will to the general interest or
general will: practically, this takes
shape of unquestioning obedience by
members toward the leaders, elders,
chiefs of their society. ............t
but as the leaders take no import;
step without the unanimous consent OF
membership and as it is a part OF
Communal policy to set each member
that work which he can do best, and so
as possible to please all and as the Ce
munist takes life easily, and does not
as severely as the individualist-so, gl
general assent to the principle OF OBJ
II II, no
The political system of the Icarians
pears to me the worst, or most faulty,
that OF the Shakers, Rappists and Am
Communists, the best and most success
among all the societies.
I'm Commune no member is Serv
if any servants are kept, they are hi
among the worlds people. When
Kentucky Shakers organized, they
only liberated their slaves, but such
them as became Shakers were establis
in an independent Commune or famil,
their former masters. They ceased t
servants, and became brethren in
Lord"
ANY one who has felt the oppres
burden of even the highest and best-l
kinds of service will see that independ,
and equality are great boons, for wi
many man willingly sacrifices much I
Moreover, the security against v
and misfortune, the sure provision for
age and inability, which the comm
system offers-is no doubt an inducen
with great many to whom the stru
for existence appears difficult and b
by.terrible chances"
The Apostles were certainly commun
And the bible nowhere condemns t
for living thus.
There would seem to be sonnet
wrong in the laws of government W
enables one dry goods dealer, to accu
late one hundred millions of dollars
generation, while millions OF people
made poorer by the operation. In Eu
crowned heads, royal robbers, and fe
barons are afraid of the commune.
toiling, struggling, suffering and d
.rodden millions welcome the commu
heir deliverer from oppression, and {
ing to them better day. Ages of 81
ing and serfdom have made them
they are. The higher classes" as
are called, have risen to their position
the sweat and blood of the masses
suffer.
And in this country legislation has
ed to protect the few at the expense Q
many. Our fOrefathers thought they
vided against the accumulation and