The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-01-12
SOCIALISTS.
THE CHICAGO BRANCH OF THAT
ORDER.
Men and Women openly Advocate
the Use OF Dynamite Against
Capitalists.

/ From the New York sun.
We read with pain and shame the re-
ports Of the speeches at the soclalIstic
meeting In Chicago on Sunday. Men
and women stood up before hundreds Of
people and announced their desire, II
not their purpose, to become cowardly
murderers.
The capitalists, eaid one OF the speak
ers, named Griffin, must take the non
capitalist into partnership, "or else, with
the assistance Of dynamite, leave the
world" Another bloodthirsty orator
advocated murder as n remedy for social
ills, and took no pains to guard his
words. Even women applauded these
diabolical sentiments, and, more than
that, went further than the men In de-
claring murderous impulses. Miss Lee
said she was ready to shoulder
musket to kill "a mean, dirty,
awful capitalist" Mrs. Parsons said that
she was ms able ms her husband TO throw
dynamite effectively, and she advised
ministers OF the gentle and loving Cos
pei to tell their parishioners to "trust in
dynamite" instead of "to trust in God"
Such bloodtLrstiness and such bias
phemy are unspeakably shocking, espe-
cially when they are uttered by women.
But the language used was that of insan-
ity, and for the time, at least, the speak
ers were downright lunatics. Yet we
are glad that the meeting was allowed
to go on undisturbed, for the frantic ora
tors blew of steam, and so were less
dangerous characters In civilized
community. Besides, 1t is well for
the people to know just what
are the feelings of these crazy
monsters who are so much enamored
Of blood and murder. The horror ex-
cited by such boastfully proclaimed SEN
timents will be almost universal among
those they would convert TO their GRIM
inal creed; and labor will be spared the
fearful injury the advocates of assassina-
tion would inflict on 1t.
Meantime, in hundreds of savings
banks many thousands of capitalists are
accommodating the money which, accord
ing to this creed, should doom them to
brutal assassination. Every prudent
and hard working man is doing his best
fort renders him better citizen and a
more self-respectful being. 1t encour-
ages thrift, sobrlety, and order, and saves
the man from many temptations. But
because of his self-contrOl undswise fore
sight these Chicogo lunatics would put
dynamite in his path to blow him up.
1t Is capital and the organization of
capital which give him work and bring
within his reach the best fruits Of civil
ization; yet these bloodthirsty scoun-
drels ask him to kill the capitalists and
drive the money from the land. All that
the world has gained by centuries of
peaceful industry they would destroy
with dynamite, turning society into n
pandemonium. They would change the
workman from an honorable American
citizen, who has the ballot with which
to right his wrongs and express his sem
timents, into dastardly midnight as
sassin.
And what do they want to bring about?
They do not know themselves. They
are Ignorant OF the philosophy Of the
|. socialism of which they pirate. Mean
time, true and desirable socialism is
quietly, but surely, advancing in every
enlightened country: Russia aside,
political freedom has been won
throughout Europe, and 1t has always
been the foundation OF this republic.
Now, we see very clearly that, instead
OF the contest for political rights which
has occupied this century, the twentieth
GENTRY will witness prolonged effort
for social advancement and social eman-
cipation; and In that struggle capital
and labor will find themselves allies, and
not antagonists.
The organization of labor during the
last generation has been carried to
perfectian which promises the best re-
suits. The signs that cooperation in
industry is coming are already distinct,
but the change will be beset with
difficulties and complications which
Will require time and experiment to
bring 1t about. Still, we see that in
France, In England. and In this country
industrial partnerships are even now
working well, and capitalists are medi-
tating whether their own prosperity
doeH not require that they should come
to better terms with labor.
AT the same time the workmen are
more and more establishing societies for
self-protection and to provide for the
necessities Of their members In times of
need. The management of such asso-
Citations enlarges the sphere of their ac-
tivities, broadens their minds, and pre-
pares them for the share in great indus
trial undertakings which they are
likely to have In the future.
And, while they are THUG practi-
cally at work to improve their con-
dition and guard themselves against
aggression, the most thoughtful students
OF social problems are at work to devise
plans for their benefit, and capital listens
to suggestions and heeds counsels which
once IL would have secuted MS absurd or
impudent.
Yet MS a remeny for social evils
der ask the workmen to destroy all
that they have gained in order to wreak
revenge on the capital which employs
them, but they will ask In vain, for the
workmen know that they are their enc
mics. They look upon them as crazy
spouters, worthless In the shop and fac
tory, and intolerable nuisances in
council.