New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-23
COHEN.

Ii is astonishing how much mischief one glib
tongued demagogue, working upon the passions
of ignorant men, can do. Cohen, the labor
"agitatorr who has been f0Oling the colored
workingmen in Washington, is probably ignor-
ant, and heisundoubteGly knavish. Laziness, too,
may be safely predicated of Mr.. Cohen, and
propensity TO get living out of his fellow
creatures. 1t would need evidence to convince
us that he is not among the most worthless
of mankind; and we have already some cir
cumstantal evidence that he is. We know
these "labor. agitatorsn of old, and we think,
TO put the matter mildly chat the world would
be much better off if most of them were out
of 1t. The proper place for Cohen, as dis
turber of the peace, is III jail and II
we are not mistaken, there Is plenty
Of law for locking him up. man who goes
about Washington melting men working for
their bread to turn loafers and beggars, who
makes it his daily business to create mobs,
and who puts the public to the expense OF an
extra military police, must tread very glngerly
if he wishes to steer clear of the police. IL is
mortifying that one man, worthless and con-
temptible. should be able to make so much
trouble, but so it is. Cohen operates mainly
upon the negro laborers in Washngton-the
most excitable and, when excited, the least
rational of human beings. He tells them that
they are underpaid-and when did such labOrers
ever refuse TO credit such statements He
marches about the city with a long tail of
black strikers behind him be visits places
where the non-strikers are ut work and tries
to force them to throw down their tools and
Join his procession; and then he parades to
some other point to renew his violence and
increase his forces.
There is something very irritating about
even the partial success of such nuisances as
Kearney and Cohen. One cannot help feeling
a deep degree of sympathy with those who
are feeble-minded and ignorant enough to
become their dupes. If those whom they mis-
lead would but think moment, If they had
but Ordinary shrewdness, they would ask
themselves the reason of this sudden and af
fectionate interest in their welfare. When a
dubious stranger is over friendly with us in
the street. or in a railway carriage, we button
up our pockets and go instantly upon guard.
Yet when an agitator tells the operatives how
much he loves and how much he pities
them, how sOrely they are oppressed, and
how hOtly he burns to emancipate them,
their hearts are instantly won. and abandoning
the work which gives them sustenance, they
form a procession and march, pleased but hun
CRY. wherever and into whatever mischief
he may ID them. strong delusiOn
seizes them that this is better than 81 so a
day, and that they can make a much better
livelihood by shouting and swearing, or, if
they like that best, by standing at corners or
sitting on stOops and doing nothing at all.
M .; Iol 10
Cohens, and babbers of like kidney, betray
poor creatures who, if they refused to listen
to such nonsense, would be industrious and
moderately prosperous. AS for Cohen, he is
well pleased enough He never makes bricks
he never lays pavements. He has higher
mission-to emancipate or to delude into crime
those who do. Nor is it likely that they
would let their friend and benefactOr starve.
He has a belly full. however hungry they may
be- and pocket full, however moneyless his
disciples.
The matter is simple. Workingmen, il they
would but exercise their common sense, would
know that professional getter-up of strikes is
to be thoroughly distrusted. IL anybody else in
terfered with them and their contracts in such
q way, he would be Indignantly told to mind
his own business. But when vOluble stirrer
up of sedition like Cohen tells the laborer
that his wages are altogether too low, he
touches a sensitive chord, and is listened to
respectfully. He improves the opportunity,
and may soon empty factories, mines, brick
yards-places which just before were hives of
cheerful and not altogether Improbable in
dustry. One who systematically pursues this
calling of making men discontinued and tur-
bulent and reckless, is as bad as a pestilence
Often he is shrewd enough TO keep out of the