Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-07-18
From the New York Tribune
Socialists and Farmers.

seen. MdskIuS uHueI All solls VI us
guises, as Intlationist. Labor Reiormer, or
enemy of National Banks, the Socialist
gains the sympathy OF many. Whenever
he pulls of the mask, and shows the real
hatred OF al property rights which moves
him, intelligent and conservative men re-
coil. The platforms OF Socialistic parties
are prepared for public inspection; there
in the Socialist puts on the best mask
he can. BuI the speeches OF orators and
The sayings OF journals in that interest are
somt times incautious and unmarked, SO
that whoever will may see the hoofs and
horns. In Philadelphia on Saturday, the
Greenback-Labo parry, SO called, held its
hrst campaign meeting, and Henry Carey
Baird, IA writer who believes in the un-
limited issue OF greenbacks, spoke for II
time, not wisely, but with some conceal
ment of the purpose of movement which,
to do him Justice he probably does not I'M
derstand Then Labor Reformer named
Charles S keyser, who poured out pas
sionate eulogy of kearney, the California
revolutionist. Having portrayed the pow
er of property interests, he declared; by
whomsoever-by one means or another
by kearney or Carey-hy high intelligence
or brute lorce-by the ballo, or by the bull
let, II must be destroyed. And let us re-
member when that one more cruel war
shall be over, in that happier future which
shall surely come, that kearney was the
firs,-rude, violent and vulgar though he
was-the first man to strike a decisive
blow against this huge demoralizing pow
err"
Kearney is the most notorious, because
the most extravagant and violent, OF all
the men in this country who declare war
against all rights OF property. The blood
stained assassins OF the Commune OF Paris,
who have refuge here in this city, are more
laxative, but not more extreme in their
ideas of the social revolution which they
desire, and not more reckless in the means
in which they would employ. All talk OF
the ballot first, because they fancy that the
farm-owners and farm workers OF this free
country can be enlisted to aid "a Sociais-
tic revolution But all think OF tle bullet,
also, and mean to use it as the lioters did
at Pit sburg and elsewhere last Summer,
whenever the forces OF establ shed order
appear likely toprevail. We may as well
face the fact that the American Commun-
list, who calls himself "Greenb hacker" or
Labor Relormer,' is a great deal nearer
actual riot and revolutionary revolt
against the existing order of society and
its laws than he is aware
The same notion that farm-owners can
be enlisted in this revolution against rights
OF property appears on every page OF the
Advocate, a paper which has gained large
circulation as an organ OF the "Greenback-
Labor" or National" movement. In this
paper. declarations as wild and Passionate
as those of the Pail idelphia speaker are
common its spirit is wholly that OF war
against all rights OF property; and its APP
peals to the ignorance aud passion of all
who are out OF work, or who earn less
than they think they ought TO earn. or who
dislike to pay taxes to meet obligations OF
the Nation, State county or town, or who
want to seize the railways and telegraphs,
and to control the public works, in the
hope of gaining some advantage. are per-
sistent and adroit. Yet this paper, making
war upon rights which farm.owners have
more interest than anybody else to defend
aud sowing the seeds OF "a bloody and de-
structive revolution to the utmost of il
power, appeals specially to Masters of all
Oranges in the country Offering them
special rates because of their position
They, it holds, ARE teachers of the PEG.
pie" and have influence with the largest
working class in the country, and this
class it is hoped that they will influence to
the adoption OF doctrines subversve of all
order and destructive of all rights Of
property.
1t is important that the farmers of thi.
country should be right. Ii property i.
to be assailed, they hold "a majority of the
property. II labor is t. be helped. they
represent majority OF the labor Co op
erative farming is not necessarily bad
but it involves change in the ownership
OF the farms which have been created by
unreasonable patience and toll Those
who have ldboriously created. AID those
who hold from them, imagine tlat they
have some rights which The State will de
} fend. A Soc'alislic revolution makes wa,
upon rents as well as upon Interest
1t strikes at farmlrs as well as bond
holders
More broadly, this movement makes
: war upon all property and all its right.
under existing laws. 1t is not reputation
only but something deeper. There is nc
conceivable obligation, affecting values
savings, or the rights of those who have
saved, which ii does not aim to break
Whenever the mask is dropped. by ora,o,
or newspaper. the same destructive and