The Labor enquirer., 1883-03-31

PA0000u Will In6 importance of COM
blned movement, and, deemed it essen
tlal to remove the national dislikes
which ages Of ignorance and misruIe had
Implanted, in workingmen's minds. Ac-
cordingly he founded a secret association
and enlisted the most resalute and earn
est OF his associates in his counsel.
Deemlng that his best recruiting ground
would be among the discontented work
lngmen Of Europe, he organized band
OF emissaries, who, spreading themselves
through Europe, found active supporters
IN the large cities, principally in France,
Belgium and Spain. Thus arose the In
ternational Workingmen's association.
1t was governed by council, in which
all nationalities were represented. Its
plan of action was to combine worknen
of all countries in a common league, who,
when the oDportune moment arrived,
were to help each other in overturning
the imperial or mOnarchial government,
and establish cooperative republics in
their place Victor HugOs proposed
United States Of Europe" even, found
favor among the more radical members
Of the society. The principal object of
the association was the emancipation Of
labor and the overthrow of all combina-
tions of capitalists. On this point DR..
Marx observes in his work on "Capital": :
"Just as the war Of independence Waged
by the American colonies produced in
the last century the French revolution,
in similar way, the overthrow of the
Shareholders will be next followed in
EIrope by that Of the posses8ors Of cap
itaI" The immediate benefits afforded
| BY the association were the right Of
friendly offices from one member to an
other, and assistance from the common
! fund when workingmen were on strike.
The international Ieagued itself with all
revolutionary bodies in Europe, and thus
soon attained an importance which as a
separate organization it could never
probably have acquired. 1t created a
feeling of brotherhood among persons of
different uatiOnaities; and from its mys-
teriOus character, it was source Of deep
concern to Napoleon ILL., The associa-
ton attained great prominencei in France
during the rule of the Paris commune,
with which it was in active sympathy,
After the overthrow of that body, Dr.
Marx published an elaborate defense Of
its principles, which possessed all the
vigor and terseness Of Cobbett. The In
ternationaI was split at the convention
held at the Hague in Holland, and for
mally dissolved in America in 1875, the
convention being held in Philadelphia,
and the organization united with several
others in forming the Workingmens
party of the. United States, now known
as the Socialistic Labor party.
DR.. Marx was a rather stout and hand
some man, with an ample gray beard and
long gray hair. In stature he was Of
medium height He was mrrried to a
lady who shared all the dangers Of his
political career. About two years ago
he lost his wife, to whom he was greatly
devoted, and one Of his daughters, since
which time his health has been wrecked.
In attempting to recruit he went to the
Isle ofWight and many other parts Of
Europe, and finally to Algeria but re-
ceiveG no benefit.
As sample Of Marks style and opjn-
ions, we republish the following extract
from his pamphlet "1Iisere de Ia PhiIo-
sopher,' p, Il:
"Why are cotton, potatoes and gin the
pivots of bourgeois society? Because
they need least labor to provide them,
and they are consequently at the lowest
price WHY does the minimum price
decide the maximum consumption? Is
it because of the absolute utility of these
articles, of their intrinsic utility, of their
utility SO far as they answer in the most
useful manner to the needs of the work
man as man, and not of the man as work.
man?
"No, it is because, in a society founded
on misery, the most miserable products
have the fatal prerogative Of serving for
the use Of the greatest number.
"To say now that because things the
least costly are most used, therefore they
must be of greatest utility, is to state that
the widespread use Of gin, in consequence