The Labor enquirer., 1884-03-08
Drs..sn is sroos to-day 4 zsc.
3HE TIaHrFoR Rl0nr.

The reading portion of the population
Of this country have been startled during
the past two weeks as never before, on
this subject, by the almost daily reports
of explosions and discoveries of dyna-
mite plots in Great Britain, France and
Germany. The easily-exclted persons
are ready to believe that the hour OF
general revolt IN Europe is close at hand,
and that the war of classes which has
beenimpending for along time is to be
at once opened in full force, and the ac-
cumulated wrongs ofcenturies wiped out
in carnage and blood. II
That there is deep discomfort among
the masses of Europe that the feeling
of indignation against the. injustice of
the ruling class is engendering spirit of
revenge Is apparent to. even the casual
student of social and. political science,
who has but limited knowledge of the
abuses to which one class has been sub
iected at the hands of another. In truth,
it is only necessary to have fair under
standing of human nature, and gen.
ersl knowledge of the iniquitous tyr
amy of European governments to be
prepared to accept the rumors of revolt
as prophecies founded upon unvarying
signs.
Revolution in the countries of Europe
is inevitable it is in the natural order of
things sure TO come. That its character
will be peaceful that its results will be
attained without the employment of
force methods, no sane person, with a
knowledge Of past struggles of like
character, and an understanding of the
selfshness of human nature, can hope.
The predominating trait in all animated
nature is self-preservation. This natural
sentiment has been transformed by op-
portunities for personal aggrandizement
and individual temporal superiority into
selfshness. Selfshness has become
greed, and greed has uprooted and erad-
icated the last vestige of brotherly attri-
butes and sympathy. So powerful has
become this pernicious trait 80 vora-
eious has become the appetite Of the
controllers of wealth and power that
they would, and do, devour each other.
AL regard for the comfort or happiness
of others has been trampled under foot
by supreme selflove and self-preference.
Realizing the truth of this, can the
logical man hope that the controlling
class will surrender anything of their
own free will or through moral suasion
to those whom their natures look upon
Is their competitors, instead Of brothers?
I'm q world where the ruling sentiment is,
@svery fellow for himself and Satan
take the hindmost,p is there any hope
that . peaceful revolution of the systems
which allow the fortunate, the shrewd,
the heartless to accumulate the means of
pleasure and power, and which would
enforce code to guarantee to every man
the rights and opportunities accorded to
every other man I say, is there
reason to hope that this radical change
can ever be effected by sentimental ex.
postulation or moral suasion? No
though the despoiled people, embracing
ninety per cent Of the population, were
to stand united in their denunciation-
by word-presenting phalanx of moral
suasionists though they fell on their
knees in the mire of unmanly supplica.
ton and begged and pleaded for mercy
and justice; though the wrath of an in.
suited God were threatened. and the ven.
misunderstanding manifesto of an in
jured people we're spread before the
heartless, selfisheplunderers, they would
not relinquish one tithe of their death,
, dealing power; would not relax one
sinew in the grip with which they clutch
the throat of their victim with one hand
while with the other they tear the tat
tered covering from his jaded and ema.
ciated limbs, q ts.s.H.
This may be strong language; bul
deny its truthfulness if you can. Lei
the ickspittles of wealth and tyrants
who hold up their hands in horror at an
explosion of dynamite, and pronounce
anathemas upon the inspired hand that
guides the dagger to q tyrants heart, give
argument, reason, instead of cowardly
bought-up slander of Freedoms martyrs
for proof that we, who have lost faith In
the power of moral suasion and peacea.
BILE public expression, are the fools they,
at their masters bidding, call US. They
cannot do it, or they would not delay to
adduce the power to save from annihila.
ton the golden calf which now they
protect temporarily by falsehood and
treachery.
The explosions which reyerberate
across the Atlantic tell us Of the awaken
ingthousht of theoppressed. They assure
n that constitutional agititation" will
soon have ceased to blind the dsspoiled.