The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-22

days election in California is calculated TO
arouse the country from its apathy on the
menacing Communism which has been
transplanted to this country. Our contem-
poraries have SO moderated the movement
that they made no preparation for securing
early returns Of this remarkable and, as the
result shows, astounding election AS no
State officers were to be chosen, but only
delegates to a convention for framing new
State constitution, it was regarded as mat
ter OF such merely local concern as to deserve
no attention beyond the Pacific coast II
was supposed that what has turned out to
be the most startling election ever held III
one Of our American States had no peculiar
feature beyond the intense repugnance felt
in California to the Chinese part OF. its pop
ulation 1t is true enough that hostility to
the Cinnamon has been utilized by the Com
munists in organizing their campaign, but,
taken alone, it would have no considerable
effect, for the good reason that the white
population Of California are substantially
unanimous on this subject The Chinese
issue hid no power to scatter and break up
the old parties and accomplish political
revolution in the State This question has
been merely plough to break up the soil
wherein the seed was sown which has
brought forth SO prodigious q crop.
This movement which takes oil our
Eastern communities by surprise, like an
unexpected electric shock has been in
preparation and progress for the greater
orf hoc nj
.Kearneyism," as o mode of expressing
contempt for the energetic and willy
demagogue who has figured as its chief
leader. This man, Dennis Kearney,
is OF Irish pedigree, and, though I'M
educated, he has remarkable gifts both
as an agitator and ps an organizer. The
infiamed state of feeling in California
against the detestel Chinese has enabled
him to gain attention, and the general de-
preston Of business and dearth Of employ
ment have given him a strong hold on the
minds OF the laboring classes He has been
more successful in San Francisco than in
other parts of the State that city having
been the principal seat Of his mission, and
its vile, reckless classes, called ''hoodlums"
in the local slang of the region, furnishings
body of ready listeners to crafty and
burning Communist. The political NOR us
Of San Francisco have always been Mt low
ebb. from the days when the salvation of
society demanded the sharp remedy Of
vigilance committee down to our own
time The presence Of the Chinese has
had no tendency to improve a thoroughly
bad community, and has furnished
a pretext to the ''lewd fellows of
the baser Sort" called hoodlums, a
..plug uglies, who once infested the Eastern
city Of Baltimore. The hoodlums-those
graceless sons of the gutter-supplied
ready made nucleus for the Kearney fac
ton, which has grown by large accretions
Of discontented laborers until it has become
the largest party in San Francisco and has
spread all over the State.
Intense hatred of the Cinnamon is a mere
detail in its platform of political sentiments
Arrant Communism is the head, body, limbs
and tail Of their political creed. The essence
Of Communism is war upon property, and
every piece of foolish and Eighty nonsense
which tends in that direction, from the rob-
berry Of creditors by unlimited issues Of
greenbacks down to protests against the
exercise OF trades in the State prisons, was
caught up to garnish and recommend what
is called Kearneyism. The rallying
cry Of this pestilent faction is "the
rights Of labor" Competition must be de-
stroyed by banishing the Chinese, by CON-
pelling the owners Of taxable property to
maintain convicts in idleness, by abridging
the hours which are to be paid tor as days
work, by limiting the number of appren-
tees in all the skilled handicraits, by en-
couraging slackness and shiftlessness, in
requiring that all workmen shall be paid
the same wages, whether they do much or
little; and, to crown the whole, by max
ing it the duty Of the State that is
to say, the owners Of property who
pay the taxes--t to furnish work for oil the
unemployed. This is the creed, or body OF
social and political doctrine, Of California
kearneyism 1t is weaving together Of
all the scattered odds and ends of Com
munism wheresover or by whomsoever
taught.
1t is no wonder that such demands, sup
ported by considerable numbers and led by
daring, efficient agitator. spread a feeling
of alarm through the principal Common
wealth on the Pacific coast, especially
when it was the ambitious attempt Of
the Kcarneyitcs 10 remodel the State
constitution in conformity with their creed.
This wild movement has operated MS ham
mer to smite tho old party organizations into
fragments like potters vessel. The own
ers OF property and upholders of peace and
ord,r broke loose from old party ties and
arraycd themselves against this dangerous
agitation. But in San Francisco the cleo
ton figures show that they were outnum-