The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-13
COMMUNISM AMERICA

tOhhN NtSm IN - VI kRltA.
The stories of communistlc organizs-
tons thousands strong in the principal
cities Of this country, we believe src
grossly exaggerated for sensational Pur-
poses in order to pander to tho morbid
appetite for highly cOlored newspaper
descriptions, which is so common. ES-
cept in San Francisco the rumOred thou
sands have on search dwindled 10 hun
dreds or lesser numbers, and in every
case the existence of such illegally armed
associations, or the very possibility OF
their formation, mas been due to the
wretched misg)vernment Of the cities IN
when they exist. Where a city be-
comes virtually bankrupt, and the ma
chinery of government, the police
force especially, has dri.ted into demon
ali2alion, the disorgsnizer OF society
finds his opportunity and improves it.
1t is not difficult thing to work upon
the ignorance Of tia! under Layer Of the
populace, which, to the shame Of Chns-
tianity and civilization. is never wanting
TO serve as the instruments aud victims
o. knayes-the wonder is that it is so
rarely attempted. The only danger that
exists is in the cities, for throughout the
land the nature of the American people
and the distribution of their property in
villages aud the country INTO small es-
tatos in individual hands, insures against
any such general outbursts as have nap.
pened IN European countries suffering
from the oppression of great landlords, of
which we know nothing.
San Francisco exhibits it must be
allowed, an exceptional condition Of
affairs, having elements that are peculiar
TO itself in the presence of the Chinese
aud their correisLves, the boodiums.
There is no other American city, not
L
so boldly controats poverty and crime,
and where so little has been done 20 re-
lieve the wants or educate the idess Of
the poor. If the leaders of this rabb.e
in San Francisco bad needed the lesson
which had been taught to them by the
history 81 all countries, they would have
sought TO elevate rather than depress the
moral standing of those who follow their
their lesd. The characteristics of the
leaders Of the commune wherever they
are found, are sufficient 70 show the
weakness of the movement In San
Francisco they are coarse, profane and
utterly ignorant Irish laborer; an Eng
lishman who was a soldier in the CIimean
war, Bible Christian" and an sdven-
turer at large and an American who has
failed as reporter, miner and lawyer. In
Chicago and New York they are German
socialists and French refugees of the
commune. 10 the mining regions OF
Of Pennsylvania they are the most de-
graded of English and IRISH immigrants.
In the labor-reform convention the
chief Of them is workingDsn who never
did q stroke of work since he left
school, and as might well be
expected, he comes from Massachusetts
to lead thersbble Of foreigners who would
destroy magnificent system of govern.
ment which they did nothing to create or
aid. There are few stray bands Of
this class OF men in West Virginia, but
they will never amount TO anything. The
people of this State are able and willing
to crush any serpent that may rear is
head to strike the hand that nourished IT,