The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-05-09

the masses IN the pfaCuChl uleJnOub y
enforcing Socialist views. This work Il
entitled, "DiCtionnaire SoCialiste-Indi
quaint les Noies ct MOyens de ResoudrC
10 Probleme SoCiale." Socialist DiCtiOn
ary, Indicating the Ways and Means Il
Solve the Social Problem.) Up to thi
time two volumes have been printed
and constitute a clear, concise and judiC
ial exposition of Socialist theories. M
Pelletier will not publish the work unit
it is complete, He hopes to leave II fin
ished at his death, as he says, "for lega
cy to the people, and for the cause t
which l was willing to Consecrate my
life, but 30 little able to serve"
Since he has been in America, M. Pei
letter has studiously avoided all public
ity, and refrained from taking part II
any of the so'Called SoCialistic move
ments ofother foreignersin this country
He explained the reason of this by say
ing: II am not Conversant with thu
English language, and therefore l can
not, if l would, take any part in politics
here have often been solicited by my
countrymen, who make practice Of in
teriering in matters they do not under
stand, and if | consented might, per
haps, have much Influence with them
But l think that the politics of America
should be left to people who understand
the American people. From what see
of American Socialism, am afraid it has
started in the wrong way. The Ameri-
can Socialists want to work less and to
be paid more, forgetting that men will
not employ labor if 1t does not serve
them, and that there is nothing to be
gained by increasing the antagonism al
ready existing between labor and Capi.
tai. There ism doubt that the workmen
here are greatly distressed, but there is
relief for them. Just as the politicians
insure against crime, fire, &c., let them
insure against involuntary idleness,
which is a still greater evil. Let all men
work and eat. In a republic like this
we should have Government workshops
in the large cities, to give work to those
who want it, Let the Government ad-
vance men wages on their labor to meet
their necessities, as the commission mer-
chant advances money to the producer
on his produce to meet his expenses.
sounds terrible, and Social.
ism sounds little better, but worse than
either is a country where the few feast
and the many starVe, and the Govern
ment cannot relieve the distress, and
can only wait expeCtantly for an out
break, and suppress it at cost much lar
ger than would have been required to
prevent it,"
AS to Megy and his fellow-Commun-
lists, NJ. Pelletier said: "Megy means
well, but he is young, he is younger than
his age. He has good heart that has
suffered, and he has become an extrem.
lat. But these people have no influence
with the American workingman-the
French Commune has no place here. If
a revolution broke out here tomorrow
you would not even hear of Megy. These
people are the apostles of ideas only,VerY
honest and sincere, but having no bust
ness with the present state of labor at.
fairs in America"
AS to American politics, M. Pelletier
said: Corruption is its name and its
blame. In Europe the politicians are at
least honest; if they are wrong, they are
wrong. Corruption has
no access to them; they are proud to be
honest rather than rich. Our justice in
Europe is honest, too, until it reaches
politics, and then it is worse than it is
here. Your trouble in the United States
is with an aristoCraCy of Office holders,
apparently elected by the people, not to
serve them, but to grow rich at their ex'
oense. While one sees suffering all about
him, and asks in vain for its relief, we
zee two or three men invested with alb.
jolute power of imposing heavy taxes,
egardless of the general distress, for to
egard that distress would be to decrease
he taxes, and to decrease the taxes
would be to decrease the official salaries
which alone make Office. holding desira
Die. These views are common among
linking men, and the danger of this
country lies not in the Commune nor
n Socialism, but in the arrogance
md greed of the public officials, who are
lowly but surely breeding a revolution
# which they may be the first victims.
Cor myself l take no part in public af
airs, the memories of the past, and my
present work in behalf of humanity in |
he future, occupy all my time.
In conclusion M, Pelletier spoke of
lazaini and Garibadi, with whom he
vas formerly acquainted. He said that
Iazzinis dream had been fully realized |
n the unity of Italy, and that Garibaldi |
ad lived to see the realization of many |
f his hopes. AS to Church matters he |
,ould not speak, he was Of opinion
that the Socialists and Communists
lake too much of the Church in their
buse Of it. They could not harm it
lore than by leaving it severely alone"
M Y. World.