The Labor enquirer., 1885-01-17
CATO PR OTESTs.
Against the Comments Which are
Made Upon the Chicago
Anarchists.
He Think, and Justly, that We are All
Brothers in the War Against
Capitalism.

He Think, and Justly, that We are All
Brothers In the War Against
Capitalism.
For The Enquirer
The Chicago Anarchists seem to be re-
ceiying good deal of attention Of late
The capitalists, from whom we never
look for anything but Misrepresentation
and abuse, have let loose their foods of
venom and hate, and raised anew their
howls for protection to themselves and
| the property which they falsely call
their own. against the depredations Of
the Anarchists and Dynamiter5. Ones
more they are petitioning their govern
ment to suppress the enemiea Of greed
and despoilation. and declare that we
come under the same category as burg
lars and murderers. and should be treated
as such. This is to be expected. and we
glory in the knowledge that we have at
last succeeded in awakening something,
even if it be but the .apprehensions of
the hardened despoilers of labor.
But tis not alone the capitalistic press,
and the bourgeoise in general, who have
been moved by our activity. We are re-
ceiving considerable notice just now, and
not always in the most friendly spirit I
am sorry to say, from those to whom we
think we have a right to look for SYM
pathy and encouragement, if not cooper
alton, namely, the labor press of the
country and its correspondents. True,
I'VE do not receive actual abuse from this
source, nor have our frlends raised the
cry of persecution against US, as yet, but
we are daily stung to the quick by their
covert sneers, their inuendoes, and in
some cases their misrepresentation Of
our principles and methods. We are be-
coming more and more regarded by
MANY champions of the labor cause as so
many wild beasts. hungry and thirsty
for the flesh and blood of our enemies,
and only waiting an opportunity to issue
forth like ghouls. with dagger, torch and
bomb, to commence the work of destruc-
ton and carnage. To be sure, we are
looked upon with some degree of Curl
osity, not unmixed with sort of sneak
ing regard, as persons who are likely to
raise devil of fuss some day, and
frighten the capitalists, and all that, our
friends occupying much the same posi-
ton as the boy who is setting one dog on
to fight another, while he is compare
Eti4slx safe from the fangs of both. They.
do not propose to run any risk or share
any of the danger themselves, but when
the grand fight is over and the smoke Of
the battle has cleared away, revealing
to the world the Sun of Liberty beaming
upon a rejuvenated world, while the men
and women who have been mainly in
strumental in bringing about the change
have perhaps been hung, or shot, or 9th
erwlse slaughtered, then these retormers,
these friends of labor, these Socialists
who rest their hopes upon peaceful So
luton by the ballot, will step in, share
in the glories which others created for
them, and of course, claim all the praise
and reap all the glory. -'
Now, why do our brother reformers
treat us in this manner2 Is it not their
fight as we'll as our own that we are en-
gagged in? Is not the enemy common
one? Have we anything to gain by our
activity which they may loose? Even
The ENQUIRER, not long since, pro-
claimed itselfa Revolutionary Socialist
journal, and emphasized its position by
weekly quoting the price of dynamite
and psnclastite. And yet THE ENQUIRER
says that the Anarchist is not Socialist.
If we accept Webster's general definition
then surely we are Socialists, for we do
most emphatically believe in more har-
monious and just system of society. 1t
seems to me that our peace-loving friends
are too sweeping in their declaration of
what constitutes Socialism. If they say
that we are not State Socialists, then we
freely own the soft impeachment; but
when anyone attempts to monopolize
the term, Socialism, and declare that
their kind is the only genuine and that
all others are spurious. we must beg to
differ and object.
What is there so terrible in Anarchism,
OF in other words, in the substitution of
natural selection and natural law for leg
Islativa government? :? The State Socialist
believes IN, the complete overthrow of
the present system, in the abolition OF
private land ownership, in the destruc-
ton of class privileges, In the abolition
of all laws for the collection of debt, and
all laws which maintain usury, rent and
profit mongery he believes in the estab-
llshment of the cost system and the free
exchange of commodities. The State
i Socialists believe that under their system
no standing armies would be required,
no police, no engines Of force or compul.
sion. What then do they need a govern.
ment for besides the enforcement OF
these abominations. Do we require q
government to tell us when we are
hungry and when and where we must
eat? Do we want government to tell
US that we need clothes or how to gel
them? Do we require government to
tell US that we need roof to cover US
that we have innumerable wants, and