The Labor enquirer., 1884-04-05
CORRESPONDENCE.
From Bonuy Scotland.

e.. From Bonny Scotland.
DEMOCRATIC FEDERATION, 40 AURTHER
STREET, EDINBURGH, BRITAIN,
MARCH IA, 1884.
Joseph R. Buchanan, Editor Labor Enquirer.
DEAR CoMRADE:-I am glad to greet
YOU as co-worker ON the Socialistic
platform. A scrap of American news
occasionally reaches me through your
excellent contemporary, Truth" 1t is
source of great satisfaction and spur
to further endeavor to know that in
America happy hunting ground of
swindling spectators from all parts of
the world-men and women are grap-
pling with the infamous system of social
competition. AS it cheers us here SO
much to know that you are progressing
there, | thought it would cheer you
there to know how we are getting on
here. think it should be an important
object in our propaganda to unite our
selves firmly with the life-enduring
bonds of friendship and fraternity this
we can only do at present by means of
writing but | hope ere long that we may
meet together in great international
congress.
1t seems but yesterday that Socialism
Was unknown in Britain, or only dis
cussed at few clubs in London. The
Democratic Federation started as a rad
ical political association about three
wears ago. The leaders of it we're ear
nest politicians, and little more but they
readily perceived that something more
than mere political agitation was needed
to benefit the workers. think-althOugh
| have no authority for saying sO-that
! Karl Marx had a great influence upon
some of the foremost men in the move
ment. Anyhow their radicalism soon
gave way to Socialism, and the Demo-
cratic Federation is now an organization
which receives and merits the blessings
Of most honest thinking men, and the
execrations of all the stock exchange
swindlers, parasitiCal capitalists, and
trickster politicians in the country.
| Branches are formed and working vigor-
ously throughout all parts Of London,
and most of the provinces. In the uni
verstes of Oxford, Cambridge and Edln-
! burgh, SOcalistiC societies are at work.
Mr.. II. NJ. Hyndman, who is graduate
of Cambridge, debated the question Of
Socialism at that place a few weeks. ago
and secured fifty ight votes in favor of
the most extreme SocialistiC sentiments.
VIM. Morris, one Of the finest poets and
artists in England, has lately joined our
ranks and is in himself a host Our
monthly magazine, To Day, is getting on
fairly well | see an article on America
in the March impression by w. H. Riley.
The article is entitled The United States
of To-Day and the Future" for what
reason it is difficult to say, as it does not
contain scrap of interesting and peril
nent news and is an unuseful outburst
of unseasOning rhetoric from beginning
to discrimination, where we are in
formed that the writer will give us some
information "in other chapters" An
article giving concise and accurate ac-
count of the movement in America would
of course be both useful and welcome,
but Mr.. Rlley's is neither. A paper
bearing the appropriate name Of Jus
tice" has been started here under the
combined editorshlp of Hyndman, Nor
rs and Taylor. 1t is very we'll con-
Quoted, its articles are short, smart, and
always of practical Importance its circu-
Iation is increasing and hope it will
soon be successful IN every sense of the
word.
Generally speaking, the Socialists of
Britain have every reason to be hopeful,
their numbers are increasing rapidly a
society with 5000 members joined the
Federation some time ago, and from
every quarter comes an encouraging word.
The politicians with answering stu
pidity continue to gravely discuss party
politics while the prOIetarat are starving.
The people cry for bread and Mr.. Glad
stone offers them franchise. The peo-
pie here are in a very bad condition in
deed, and we are trying to educate them
to an appreciation of their true position.
The voiceless wrath Of the wretched and
their unlearned discomfort,
We must give it voice and wisdom till the
waiting tide be spent
For further particulars Of the move
ment here | must refer your readers to
Haskell's Truth, and BusChe's Evening
Telegram New Haven, Connecticut).
Meanwhile, send you and your COM
rades word of hearty and fraternal
good will Our fght may be long one
but it is for such glorious cause, that
even vision of the beauty that is to be
will amply recompense us for all our toll,
Yours fraternallY,
Jon LINCOLN IMAGINATION,
Secretary Edinburgh Branch of the
Democratic Federation.
The Wealth-Creating Masses Possess Just
What They Want.