New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-27
PIERALD COMifUNISM.

The Communists VINO prefer 10 cnpiuy b"i-
lots appear anxious 10 disavow any assOcia-
ton or sympathy with the Communists who
propose to employ bullets We do not see that
they are especially TO be blamed IN q free
aud self-gOverning country, their distaste for
methods which can end only in anarchy Is
natural and popular. But the Communists
singularly fail 10 perceive that their ideas,
which have caused ricting, rebellion, ossas-
sination OF massacre, IN every other civilized
land, must be abandoned before they can
claim to be ia any degree the less hostile 20
civilized society. The Socialists who met with
Schwab and MGgy are dlsOwncd by the other
Socialists who want votes. and yet the declaIa-
tons of the professedly peace-lovmg act Of
Communists match precisely with those Of
the most bloOdthirsty refugees Of Paris. The
difference il that the men who overturned
society, robbed banks and assassinated bishops,
are not afraid to follow their beliefs to loGi-
cal results. The Greenback Labor" agltatOrs
mean aud want the same things, and, If hope
full OF success or if driven into a corner,
would unhesitatingly resort 10 the same means !;
but the refugees OF Paris have the advantage
of knowing whittier Communism leads and
where it ends. They are not blind. The
others are hoping and working for an over
turning of society which can come only
through blOodshcG and massacre, and yet they
deludc themselves and try TO deludo others
with tho notion that they contemplate no dis
order, and would resort 10 no violent means.
The men who are fishing for votes have
some knowledge of the temper Of the people.
They have discovered that any revolutionary
OF anarchical scheme will be voted down at
once. To pretend that their schemes are not
revolutionary or anarchical is their natural ro-
source. But the other Communists are alto
gether more intelligent or more frank, and de-
serve more credit. They do not try ~ conceal
the fact that their ideas are utterly irreconcil-
able with the peaceful enforcement OF such
laws as modern civilization enacts. They see
that the existing relations between lender and
borrower, between employer and e ployej,
between landlord and landless, can : essen
TALLY altered only by violence, and they have
the manhood and the candor to acknowledge
the means TO which they intend to resort. The
two factions are equally dangerous in aims and
teachings, but the outspoken reyolutionists are
of the two the less cOwardly.
1t ia no longer safe TO treat these enemies Of
GlNlllLeu boClfll WIFI luulltiNuNts Il l'oihbht
Grant is probably right in saying that they
can never prevail in this country but if so, it
is only because popular intelligence will arrest
the schemes Of Communists at a very early
stage, whether they mediate employment Of
bullets or ballots. II has become peculiarly
necessary to teach those who lean toward
cOmmunstic notions that their ideas are es-
sentially revolutionary, and tend TO bloOdshed
and anarchy-that, in fact, they are not whit
better citizens than the runaway assassins
from Paris whom they seek TO disOwn.
Let them compare their most guarded politi-
cal platforms with the formal declarations of
the Communists Of Paris. Let them listen to
the speeches of the men who celebrated the
French Revolution of 1913 on Monday night
Exactly what they want, these assassins tried
to get, and by the only possible method.
Let the ideas of the Socialists, or Green
back-Laborn advocates in this country, be
fairly compared with those Of the French
Communists, and it will be seen that the dis
tinctiOn between them is not one of purpose,
but one of courage and candor.