The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-01-31
THE DiSTURBERS OF CIVIL
IZATION.

w.
umns of the New York World con-
tain much worthy of endorsement or
commentator, yet Its comment upon
an address delivered on Monday night
by Mr.. Chauncey NJ. Depew, before
the Young Mems Christian Association
in New York City, is as forcible as true.
Mr.. Depew, who is an eloquent talker,
on the occasion named made an inter
esting excursion into the realms of
social science.
at is terrible thoush'," said he, THAT
the very spl-ndor OF our civilization is the
danger of our times. Every element of
progress carries with it the agencies of de-
structiou. A dynamite has made possible
the tunuelling OF the Alps and the Sierras,
the piercing of isthmus-s by great ship
canals, and at the Sa,ue time threatens both
in old countries AMI The new the very foun-
dationS of society, SO the necessities OF the
highest civilization aud Development falill
bian Nights and let loose q genius with
equal aud nnequslled capacity for both
mischief and beneticence. The attendants
and disturbers of oar splendid conditions
are the Socialist, the Communist, and the
Anarchist.
"In the simpler aud more primitive days,
cities grew slowly by haathful and natural
increase, and the country was the conser-
vative power in the State. business was
so limited that it was capable of manage
ment by small capital. and the mass Of the
population was independent and self-re-
liant. a multitude OF men were the mas
tiers of their own pursuits, with the atten-
dant safety which comes from responsible
ty and the protection of ones own property
and business.
"But the telegraph, the ailway, and the
steamship have brought all nations in such
close communion that trade and manufac-
lures now require enormous capital. 1t is
only by the aggregation of the money Of
many in corporations that these means of
communication can be built and maintain
severe that the small dealer is disappearing
to become su employee in the great factory
or store. The requirement of crowds of
workers at common centres to carry on their
enterprises is concentrating populations
and activities of all kinds both good and
evil in great cities.
"To meet capital upon safer grounds and
for self.protection against injustice or wrong
this countless army of the employed in
every industry and pursuit combine in
cieties brotherhoods, and unions under diff
ferent names.
Thus, outside the farmers and the pro.
fessions these two mighty forces of capital
and labor, each unable to live without the
other, stand at best in relations which are
merely compromise, subject to constant
breaches. A conflict involves the overthrow
of law and order, anarchy and chaos. This
conserving influences which will ward off
disaster and make all forces work together
for the common good and better condition
OF every one, are TO he found only in the
development Of character and conduct,
along with intelligence.
Conceding the force OF these words
of warning, the Uovzd takes Mr..
Depew to task for his omission of
other attendants and disturbers" whose
existence serves to create the three he
designates
"The 'divine-right' tyrant who in
this age of progress and enlightenment
has failed to discover that human be-
ings possess natural rights OF which no
ruler and no government can justly
deprive them the monster of monop-
oily which tramples on the privileges of
the people and bold in the strength of
wealth, buys administrations, corrupts
courts and legislatures, purchases cleo
tons and sets laws at defance-these
are the 'disturbers' MIR. Dspew over
looks.
'The Cars of Russia are the par
ents of Nlhilism, as the crimes of the
French mobiles gave birth to the reign
of terror. The abuse of power,
whether Oh the throne, in ministry or
in a corporation, is the germ of COM
munism and anarchy.
The people as a rule are patient and
conservative. Labor is easily content
ed, obedient to authority and faithful
to its employers. 1t must be starved,
overtaNed with work, abused in every
way, before it rises in rebellion.
''rhere are idle, worthless, bad men
everywhere, who resort to the arts of
the demagogue to prey upon labor,
and whose gain is the loss of the hon
est workman. Bat in this country, at
least, there are no more law-abiding
citizens than those VINO live by the
sweat of the brow.
"Mr. Depew would have done much
to ward off danger and make all
forces work together for the common
good if he had pointed out to the
greedy corporations and p'onopolies of
which he is SO brilliant a representa-
tive that there is no communism in
this country and can be none except
through the insane folly Of corrupt
wealth. 1t is hateful and poisonous
plant of foreign growth. If law pre-
walls and is made to reach the rich as
well as the poor, if capital uses its
power justly and makes no attempt to
Cypress and outrage labor, all the COM
munism in the United States will be
confined to few beer cellars and
Sunday meetings. But if corporations
exceed their powers, encroach on the
peoples rights and buy or defy the
law; if wealth buys public office and
cheats the people out of self-govern-
ment, our soil may eventually be pre-
pared for the seed of communism and
prove as congenial as the soil of
Europe"
rs equally potential disturbers of the
peaceful conditions of our advanced
civilization, the abuse of corporate
power, and the resistlcss tendency of
corporate monopolies to break down
and destroy individual enterprise, are
properly classified by the HWH. In
this country, at least, lesalized monop-
olies create condition which makes
communism not only possible but
probable.