Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-09-06
The Euronean Terror,

The same reasoning which led to be
lief in the end of the world and to q de-
sire to return to primitive state OF
society, leads also to Nihilism; only, as
Nihilists look for nothing from divine
Justice, the existence of which they de-
ny, it is not fire sent from heaven. but
the avenging flame of petroleum that is
destined TO destroy the present social
order. The Utopian schemes Of Owen.
Fourier, CADET. and Louis Blanc all
failed; the difficulty of carrying out
economic reform has been proved by
science and by facts; must we then wait
till the gradual spread of education and
of equality improves, by slow degrees,
the present situation? lnthat case there
are still centuries to be passed with
things as they are. No it is too much!
A curse on society! Away with its in
stitutions and its laws! We will over
throw all and re-establish things in
their natural and primitive condition, as
Rousseau proposed.
If we examine closely the present
social situation we cannot feel any sur
prise at these sentiments; civilized
States at war, either open or secret, one
with the other, draining their popula-
ton by unlimited armaments and re-
tanning for military service the flower
of the nations youth; crushing debts
everywhere, national, provincial, and
communal, in all about $4,000, 600, 900,
bringing in a revenue of about f3, ,OOO,-
600, taken from the necessitous, and
serving to allow an ever-increasing
number of people to live on their in
come and do nothing; everywhere enor-
nous budgets, quite out of proportion
with the advantages which accrue
thence to the people; the cultivators of
the soil reduced to live on bread and
water, on potatoes, as in Ireland, and
on peLlagrd-engendering maize, as in
Italy; the workingman's condition a
trife ameliorated, it is true, but not at
all in proportion to the increase in pro-
duction; in the upper classes luxury
overflowing and becoming daily more
refined and more wanton; parliament
ary administration, which was to have
brought with it salvation, incapable OF
carrying out any great social reforms,
either under constitutional monarch
or republic; and if at times minister
is met with who, like Prince Bismarck,
desires to take steps in this direction,
the satisfied middle classes raising OBJ.
jections to osuch policy, with the watch.
word of laisSez taire.
Anarchism and Nihilism, in spite oi
the growing number and the despairine
energy of their adherents, are, at pres
ent wholly powerless to jeopardize the
safety of the present social order if al
goes as usual; but suppose one of those
crises when there is collapse of power
to take place-a great defeat, a middle
class revolution, or, for instance, an at.
tempt at restoration in France-thel
it is much to be feared that the terrible
scenes of the Commune of 1871 woult
be repeated with even more terrific
features. In the last volume of "Pari
ct ses Organes," M. Maxine du CAM
casts melancholy glance at the beauti
full city, rejecting thatit will one day b
the prey of fire. Let US hope that thi
will not befa1l our capitals, and that
transformation of the social order vii
take place, without the aid of petrole
UNI and dynamite Fortntghty Re
UieaO.