The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-05-17
Communism.

NCItdAA VI AASA
the Globe Democrat is fair rep |
resentative, affect to be very much |
alarmed in view of the fact that |
the societies Of communists contiu-
ne to sgitste and organize. Having |
"stood in" with corrupt rings Or
ganized for the purpose of plum
dering the public treasury, these
papers now pretend to be vastly in
terested because certain theorizers
insist that all property should be
held in common. These very vir-
tuous papers, organs of thieving
rings, demand that communism
shall be stamped out" in this coun-
try. 1t is curious fact, however,
that the declarations OF these ring
organs produce no practicable eff
feet upon public opinion.
In Europe it may be and doubt
less lie dangerous to permit men to
make public speeches about the OPP
preston of the masses. Here il is
perfectly harmless. There it means
resistance to the constituted au-
thorities. Here it means that the
speaker believes himself well quail
flied to serve the people in some
comfortable Office. Communism in
this country is no better and no
worse than any other issue that pro-
poses to apply new theories to old
facts. 1t appeals to popular opin-
ion only in common with 8 thOus-
and other theories for the reconstruc-
ton of society, labor, morality, pol
itics and religion. In monsrchical
Europe society is organized upon
the theory that man is incapable of
self-goVernment. He must be ia
ken care of or he will destroy him
self. The government takes the
place of dry nurse for all the grown
up children. It defines the facts as
to which man is free, and restraints
him as to all the rest. In this coun-
try society and government are or
| ganiZed upon the doctrine that men
can and will govern themselves.
Here we define the few acts as to
which the citizen is restrained and
give him unrestrained liberty as to
all the rest. It is impossible for q
sure government 10 exist upon any
other theory. 1t is obvious that
this theory gives communism the
same right to agitate and organize
that was exercised by the old Abo-
litionists, in spite of the threatening
south. Slave property was threat
ened by the Abolition movement.
1t is said now that all property is
threatened by the communistic
movement. We do not believe
that there is the smallest shadow OF
danger from armed communists in
this country. Like the old Adolf
tionists, they are gentle and harm
less people. They dream of a gold
en- age when things shall be in COM
mon-that is to say, the things OF
the rich shall be equally owned by
the poor and the land shall not be
subject to individual ownership,
but shall be held as it was by the
ancient village communities in the
east and is now in the Russian COM
munes. But the men who hold
these doctrines are as harmless as
any other class of theoriZers. They
have g right to their belief. 1t is
not in the nature of such theorizers
10 take up arms for right and wrong,
save in rare instances, as in the case
of John Brown, at Hsrper's Ferry.
If the south had not lost it's head
over that incident and attempted to
"stamp out" AbolItionism, slavery
would have been in existence to-
day. II would be well for those
who talk now about "stamping out
the communists to reflect upon the
march of John Browns soul. The
theory of the communists of this
country is rather an Arcsdian fancy
than q danger. It captivated the
fancy of some of the best and
ablest men of this country q few
years ago, among them Dana, OF
political writings now one would
imagine him stepping his hands in
human gore. He is gentle and
humane man, and was one of the
mildest hammered of the Brook
Farm community. The communists
of this country are simply pFopa.
gandists of the notion of the In
ternationaI Workingmen's society.
This society views the theory OF
wages, labor and political economy
generally from standpoint of the
laborer, which is better than disre.
: gardiDg such things altogether. 1
: proposes to reore aLize the society
and the government OF this coun-
try in accordance with that view
1t proposes to do 1t by political agi
: tation and votes, which lie the RICH
} way. No one need fear the com
| mnnists as long ss they are in the
! minority. If they eyer grow to b
q majority, he will be 3 fool whit
objects to the rule of the majority
J In this country.-St. Louis Journal
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