Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-03
The French Anarchists.

Communism in France, SOCIALISM IN
Germany, and Nihllism in Russia are all
presumably the outgrowth of the despot-
ism incident upon imperial and auto
cratic government, and we have hereto
fore been disposed to use the discomfort
of which these different isms are the
fruit as arguments in favor Of republic
auism. But the recent formidable risings
in the Eastern portion of France-so
formidable as to have resulted in the
virtual surrender to a mob of revolution
lists of Lyons, the second city in that
country-do away, to great extent,
with that theory. France is no
longer an empire. 1t is Republic, and
the people are supposed, at least, to
enjoy the blessings Of Republican lib
erty. 1t seems, therefore, that malcon-
tentism and a spirit of opposition to
society and the rule of law and order are
not confined solely to aristocratic gov
ernments, but can break out as well in
governments of the people and by the
people themselves.
From French methods we Americans
can learn a very useful lesson. Popular
discomfort is fomented by the riches and
wealth of a country being concentrated
in the hands of few. Under such cir
cumstances the rich always steadily grow
richer and the poor poorer, and how 7
By the poor being taxed and oppressed
in every way for the benefit of the rich.
Wherever this condition of affairs exist
so surely in time must the producing,
tax paving classes become dissat-
isfied and brood over their lot.
Men are not fools, and they reason on
the injustice of their being compelled to
exc out miserable existences and to strug-
gle along in hopeless, weary sort OF
way, merely to keep the bodies and souls
of themselves and families together,
while they see that they are forced to
live in huts and novels so that the bulk
of their hard earnings may go to main
tam their wealthy neighbors in wealth
and luxury. Naturally enough they at
length rebel, and anarchy and rioting are
the result.
This is the state of affairs in the large
cities even of republican France, and
the tendency of the Republican party IN
the United States has been to produce
the same unhappy condition in this
country. Nepotism; reckless extrav-
agance in public affairs; the forma,
ton of an army of a hundred
thousand political and personal ia
vorites in public office; the playing
into the hands of the wealthy by
means of a high protective tariff which
laws tribute upon the many for
the benefit of the few; railway
and steamship subsidies which build up
powerful monopolies and call into being
arrogant monied kings, who say, con
temptuously, "the public be ID
all these combined tend to bring about
Just such ! feeling Of pop0AAg dlsccht snt
~ We see IN Ersnoes Rpssia, GermaIiY.
aud otheE Earopean eountrless and al
these are the natural offspring Of the
policy which has been for two decades
adopted by the Radical party.
Law and order and the well being of
society must be maintained at all hazards,
and the inevitable result of these French
anarchist risings, if unsuppressed, must
be the destruction of the Republic and the
formation of another French empire. II
the people of that or any other country
cannot govern themselves, they must be
governed. But that means destruction
of civil rights and civil liberty. Let the
American people be forewarned in time,
and if they desire to preserve intact the
glorious system of government bequeath-
ed them by their forefathers and the
founders of the Republic, determine to
hurl from power the party which has
placed that system in such serious jeop-
ardy.