The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-06


| imperial government desired the Parlia-
ment to enact for the suppression OF sccial-
istic organizations in Germany had been
enacted it would be equivalent to a suspen-
sion Of all civil rights, savo as these might
be held at the capricious consent OF the
authorities, and would put the country
under martial law. Doubtless that was an
extreme statement of what the effect OF the
law would have been. the statement OF
an adversary Of the government, and
as such may have commended itself
to all the parties in the opposition, includ-
ing the Catholic party, which has no reason
to admire Prussian methods in the execu-
ton of laws, and had no faith in the mod
Grafton Of the authorities. But that party
did not perceive, apparently that the case
was one in which the people of Germany
must choose between government unre-
strained by the limitations of law and an
anarchical propaganda, whose declared pur-
poses are to make war on society as IT exists
and to destroy all that governments are con-
stituted to defend. Had it been perceived
that this was the nature Of the crisis
the law referred to would have been passed,
tor it would not have been opposed
MS it was by those members who stand in
the Parliament for the interests of the
Catholic Church. The action taken by the
Pope to urge on the clergy in Germany
the necessity Of making every effort to
oppose the spread Of socialism shows
plainly enough that Rome has no
sympathy with the enemies Of society and
civilization merely because they are &C
cidentaly the opponents OF government
it does not love.
And the case is certainly one in which
society and oil the elements interested in
the maintenance Of the existing social and
moral order in the world must stand on
their defence against desperate and fero-
cious enemy. Already it is known in Ger
many that the assassin, in firing on the EN-
peror William, simply did the will Of an
organized society which had assigned that
duty to him by lot. 1t is further known
that the proposed assassination was in
tended to put out Of the way an obstacle to
the success of the socialist party. 1t was
deliberately planned and fully considered
party move. l. appears even to have been
decided upon after discussion as
to what sovereign in oil the States of Eu-
rope would prove the most profitable VIC
tim to the party. BY what rulers murder
would the fabric OF society in Europe be
most deeply shaken. This was the prob
lem the decision OF which, in the socialistic
councils, resulted in the shot at Kaiser
William by Hoedel, and the repetition by
Nobiling of the attempt to kill him. Now,
it is large and rapidly growing party
whose purposes are sought to be turthered
by deliberations and acts like these. It is
a party that has its organizations in every
part Of the Empire, that has its presses and
its orators, and all the customary machinery
for the propagation Of its ideas,
and that is in correspondence with
societies Of the same stripe in other eoun-
tries. It's members use the mail, and avail
themselves of the protection of the police,
and resort to the courts for the defence OF
their rights, and find themselves protected
by the laws from those energetic procedures
of the government by which alone such enc
mics could be crippled. They fight against
society, themselves safe in the protection it
affords to az. They are like miners
preparing to blow up wall. who are
protected by the wall itself from the
missiles of its defenders. Society in
Germany, and perhaps in other threat
cned countries, must choose between
tho triumph Of such party and such
strengthening Of the hands of the govern
ment rs is necessary to repress it. Laws
that guarantee individual freedom from re-
straint and from police scrutiny are jeal-
ously guarded by the people in all coun-
tries that possess them. They are ines
Unable treasures. They are the best result
Of well organized society. But what is any
result OF the organization of society by CON-
parison with society itself? They must be
given up to save it if necessary, apd will be
in Germany certainly. And thus the first
result OF the social war must be o lessening
of the liberties of the people.
People should not deceive themselves as
TO what sort of millennium the socialists
project. 1t should not be thought, more
over that this is only revolutionary agita-
ton that hopes for a change of government,
ana il successful will go on the same as the
government it displaced, with only a change
of the party and the persons in power. 1t
did not turn out that way IN the only case
conspicuous in history that realized for
n while the great ideal of the socialists
the Reign of Terror. These men propose
new. extended and systematized terror that
shall take hold of society rs it exists to-day
in the precise spirit in which the
men Of '93 caught hold of France.
They do not even urge it as move
ment for freedom, since monarchies,
despotisms and republics are all alike
to the socialist In none of these does he
see his ideal. and in oil he finds that rcla-
L Il u. a