The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-20
NEW YORK SOCIALISTS.
The Rise, Progress and Decline of the Or
ganization in the Metropolis.

The Rise, Progress and Decline of the Or
ganization in the Metropolis.
New York Times
The Socialists in this city began to come
forward prominently after the Franco-Ger-
man war, when large numbers of German
workinen tiocked hither from Berlin, Ham
burg, and other German cities They were
the disciples of Karl Marx, of Lasalle, and
many of Henri Rochefort, and were as rad
teal In their opinions as were the most rabid
OF the Communists who had sought refuge
here after the overthrow of the Commune.
They had just arrived from Germany, and
were against all capitalists. At the Temp
kinssouare riot the noisiest of the crowd that
was charged by the police were Socialists,
although they have always Indignantly de-
MED that they ever offered or intended any
violence at the meeting in the Wes-
ser Garten, as the square was called,
on that memorable day. But at their
meetings everybody and everything that was
not Socialistic or Communistc was de-
nounced in the most unmeaSured terms.
All property was declared to be the birth
right of the workingmen; capitalists were
stamped as robbers, and were to be treated
| as such, and in the speeches of their fire.
splitting orators utterances were made which
would have caused them to be arrested in
any country on the European continent.
The walls of their places of meeting were
decorated with blood-red flags that bore such
Inscriptions as these: we demand the re-
organization of society without the assist
ance of king priest, capitalist or loafer''
Capital was produced by the workngman
and belongs to him." Bread or blood"
J1stus Schwab attained great
deal OF prominence among this class
of revolutionists. He is a large, power
fully built man, somewhat young in
years, with long, wavy, blonde hair and a
full blonde beard. He has the appearance
of merry, contented Dutchman, but be de-
clared war upon all non-SoeialiStic society
with such vehemeuce that when he rose in
meeting to speak the auditors remarked to
each other Now We'll see gore flow like
water" He opened lager beer saloon in
First street and took unto himself wife.
His saloon became the headquarters for ex-
IRENE Socialists and a rendezvous for the
newly-arrived indictments from the Father
land as well as for the English-speaking
labor agitators. The interchange of news
and views parched the Threats of the reform
ers, and Justus had ready at hand a good
supply of cool lager. So innumerable glasses
of beer were passed over the bar to the
thirsty men, and nickels passed back
| into Schwab's till. He found that the
business of a Socialistic agitator, coupled
with a beer saloon, was profitable and he
stuck to it. Many of the Socialists were
skilled workmen, and obtained work at re-
| munerative wages. They were smiths, car
penters. joners, cigar-makers, piano-makers,
jewellers, etc. Many possessed the German
quality of frugality, and saved up money,
and finally started into business ventures
| themselves. They became capitalists on
small scale, and with the gradual advance of
prosperity their ideas imperceptbly under
went a change. Their enthusiasm became
cooler, and they ceased to be apostles of So
cialism. When they did attend Socialist
meetings they did so more to be reminded
of old associations than because they
favored the movement. A Socialist weekly
paper was started to teach the multitude
Socialist doctrines. It was called the Volks
Zeitung. and was afterward changed to a
daily. 1t was eagerly subscribed to by the
zealots but even they, in time, became i'm
bued with the American thirst after news,
and grew tired of'having dished up for their
daily intellectual meal Socialism without
condiments, and so the directors, to save the
paper from bankruptcy, found themselves
obliged to engage staff OF correspondents
| and reporters to inform thier readers of the
events that happened every day, and it has
been remarked by several Germans that this
paper will IN course OF time, pass into the
hands of managers who will conduct it as an
independent business sheet.