Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-16
"SOCIALISM."
An Active Revolutionary Organization
Resolved On-Ten Thousand Dol
lars Promised to Purchase
Arms-American Officials
judged by French
Refugees.


| Arms-Amcrican Officials
judged by French
Refugees.
New York Herald: The socialistic agita-
tors do not intend to allow public opinion, as
| expressed through the columns of the press,
| to dissuade them from the pursuit of their
/ wild schemes for the regeneration of society.
| They are still intent on the work of saving
| humanity from the incubus of common sense
and elevating the ignorant masses to the sub
lime hight of their own intellectual and
| moral station. With this noble object in view
secret meeting of the reddest of the reds
was held in one of the German districts of
this city on Thursday, with the OBJ
Ject OF setting on foot revo-
lutionary social organization which should
Socialistic party In California, Chicago and
st. Louis. The meeting was composed of
German, American and French socialists,
| with stray son of Erin or two, who some
how wandered into the socialistic pasture.
The capture of these few Irishmen- has filed
with joy and hope the communistic breast, as
hitherto the socialistic idea. and the proposal
| for "a grand divide" have met with but little
favor from the Irish workingmen. 1t is not
likely, however, that any considerable num-
Der of the Irish workingmen will ioin the
standard of the socialistic revolt against the
existing order of things.
SET ON FOOT.
After considerable discussion and the con-
sumption of a respectable quantity of beer,
the assembly decided that the hour had come
when the men destined to redeem society
from the oppression of capital should begin
to act-to act in a revolutionary way, after
the manner of the never to. be forgotten COM
mune of Paris. This decision was arrived at
enthusiastically, and though the absence of
Citizeo Megy threw shade of gloom over
the assembly, the eloquent and fiery Schwab
| filed the breasts of the assembled regenera-
tors of society with the lofty enthusiasm which
fills his own heroic soil, and 1T was unani-
mously resolved that "the time was ripe''
and that 1.-THE ,propltlous hour had dawned''
when the workingmen of New 7 ork should
be invited to regenerate themselves by form
ing socialistic revolutionary clubs and supply
ing themselves with breech-loading rifles, to
be hereafter used when the scheme of regen-
Grafton should be ripe for execution. Among
the communists present were some of the
signers of the communist address which was
published in these columns yesterday. From
that address an excellent idea can be formed
of what would happen in the event of the re-
generators ever becoming strong enough to
impose their ideas on people.
sINEws OF WAR.
Among the promises of support made to
the secret revolutionary meeting was one on
behalf of Mr.. Jonas in the name of the So
cialistic section which supports the Volks
Zeitung, that the section would guarantee to
raise within fifteen days the sum of ten thou
sand dollars to be devoted to the purchase of
arms and the agitation of the social question.
Other representatives present also promised
material aid on the part of the men they rep
resented. 1t was resolved to push forward
vigorously the organization of revolutionary
sections in the various city districts and to
use all diligence in the procurement of arms
in order to place the socialistic workingmen
in position to protect themselves from at
tack. In connection with this scheme for
naturallzing the commune in New York, the
following authoritative statement of the views
of the real communists are deeply interesting:
WHAT REAL COMMUNISTS THINK.
M. Hansen, political director of the social
istic organ, l. international, and an ex-mem-
Der of the Paris central committee under the
commune, was found at his residence in
South Fifth avenue, where he carries on the
business of sign painting. There are evil
dences about the place that M. Hansen had
at one time more ambitious views. Life-stu-
dies, painted in OF, show that he once dreamt
of place in the temple of high art. He is a
middle aged man, of quiet and polished
manners, somewhat nervous, but very intel
hgent. The reporter mentioned to him the
object of his visit, and requested he would
favor him with free statement of the aims
of the communistic party and the means by
which it was proposed to achieve them, more
especially in their relations to the future of
the movement in America. M. Hansen con-
sented politely, and, leading the way into an
inner room, requested the reporter to take a
seat near the table that he might the more
conveniently take notes of the conversation.
M. Hansen said: The communistic move
ment which took place in Paris on March
18th, has been adversely interpreted. Ac-
cording to some it was communallstic,
while others interpreted it as communistic
movement. You must not confound the two
things. The communallsts sought to decentral-
ize power and give autonomy to the COM
munes-that is to say, confer on them the
right to elect their MARES and other local Of
fcers, while the communists sought an abso
Lutte. Capitalization, with the redistribution of
the national wealth. The leaders, who in
augurated the movement were communists,
but the mass of their followers were commu
nists. The object and spirit of the movement
was undoubtedly communlstic and not COM
munal. The difference of the two parties
will be the more evident to you when | say
that the communists sought to establish a
government somewhat on the model of
the United States-the election of
nlaires by the communes, just as you here
elect aldermen-the autonomy of the cities
and departments under the national govern
ment, just as the States here have autonomy
under the guarantee of the Federal govern
ment.
OVERTHROW OF SOCIETY.
"Now the socialistic communists do not
want this. They are radically opposed to
the existing state of society, whether under
the form of monarchy or republic. They do
not believe in obtaining radical changes by
means of universal suffrage, because they do
not believe either In the intelligence or hon.
esty of universal suffrage as it at present ex-
lists, or as it ever can exist, in society con-
stituted like the present. This is why we
have separated from the 'Workingmen's
party We do not approve of it either as a
means or an end"
"What is the difference between youP"
''The difference is that the Workingmen's
party pretends to obtain its objects while re-
speeding all existing laws-by the use of le-
gal means only-while we of the revolution
AIRY communistic party mean, on the con-
trary, not to employ legal means at all-that
is to say we do not mean to respect existing
laws. 1t is our intention to seize power by
force and apply authoritatively the commu-
nistic programme. For this reason our aims
are not directed against secondary centers
like New York and Albany, but rather
are seats of government and centers of polit- |
zeal power. For this reason we are opposed
to every kind of unarmed manifestation. |
When the workingmen held their last de- |
monstration at Tompkins square, we refused |
to attend because it was to be peaceful I'M |
armed meeting, and we had no intention to |
expose our backs to the clubs of the police.
AMERICA NOT FRIENDLY.
"The American worklngmen, as a rule, do |
not understand the social question-they are |
far behind the European workingman in this |
respect. They do not study the relations be- |
tween capital and labor. 1t is chiefly among |
the Germans that sympathy exists with our |
cause. They have papers which instruct |
them, and, as the question is now being |
widely discussed in Germany, the newly ar
rived Germans spread our views among their |
But the Americans and Irish |
are not friendly to our views. They wish to |
effect changes by the ballot and through con-
gressional legislation. There is no serious |
socialistic movement here. 1t would be much |
more dlfficult to succeed here than in Enrone