The Labor enquirer., 1886-01-30
SOUND sENaA. =

SOUND SENSE.
.Catsn Tninks It u Tine 70 Quit VAST
ing Our Energies in QuarrelinH
with Each Other.
For the ENQUIRER
Itwould seem as though profeesed
Socialists might occupy material and
time more or less valuableto much bet
ter advantage than fighting the Anarch-
lists snd feeding the rancorous spirit OF
jealousy and ill-wiIl which continues to
separate the different factions II is
neither manly nor just to be continually
slurring and ridiculing the Anarchists I;
let those who are not Socialists and who
openly proclaim themselves our foes do
this. There is plenty ofmaterial outside
Of our ranks TO work upon great wrongs
to be righted, millions Of human beings
to Be taught Socialistic truths. Remem-
Der this: every hour spent in fighting
friends and comrades is precious Eour
lost to the cause. While the fault finder
is writing criticism Of Anarchy (Which
very few understand J he could be PEN
ming an article which might be the
means of converting one OF more per-
sons to Socialism. Itmatters little what
plan of Socialism the people embrace
now -if they come to believe in the
abolition of existing conditions it issuffir
clent for the present +
q But why should the State Socialists
and others wage incessant war against
the Anarchists? Ifthey are really stu
dents and observers they must see that
the Anarchist is as truly q creation, of
the system and Of the times as is any
other form of Socialist. It is the boast
ofintelligent Socialists that they 60 to
the root of existing evils, and by abol
ishing the cause they removethe effects
Now the Reyolntionist is the direct
effect Of our barbarous system. If the
system were less cruel there would be
less need Of violent reaction. ssH
E The Anarchist and Revolutionist 10, q
necessity of the times. In all great
movements there have been bold, de-
termined spirits to hew away the obsta-
cles in the path of progress. The icono-
clast must 60 before the constr uctlonist;
his services are as valuable, and often
his position more dangerous than that oi
the latter. What then b. 1t is not SO
much question Of human comfort and
human lives as 1t is ofeternal principles
and of progression. The human race
maatst 60 forward. We cannot retrograde1
it is not possible for us TO do SO, We
may seem to be getting worse for a time
but the world progresses in great waves
ofaction and reaction, and history marks
the important steps. 't-ts -'d.'.t 2!tfe :
Of what avail is it then to quarre
with tie Anarchists because of their ex
istence? They are here. They!are here
for purpose-and they are here to stay
Ifwrongs had not been done, if atrocities
were not still being committed barbar
GUS atroclties-the Revolutlonist woult
never have been born but it is 40 sup
positions case; we have to deal witt
facts, and the fact of his being here ii
the result of the competitive system
with all its horrors. -. "ltf's
Let no one be so foolish as to suppos,
that the Anarchists are making the
Revolution. As has been well said, the,
are but the birds of the, coming storm
| The forces at work in society-bv which
we mean the development of labor-sav
ing devices, the concentration of wealth
the increasing corruption of men il
Office, etc.-are producing the Revolu
ton, and it is only a matter of a. few
years before the end will come. Itcan
not be eyaded -and do not believe it
can be retarded or nastened,l We cal
only prepare ourselves and those with
whom we come In contact to meet II
when it does come. .; 4Ts-i .;A' IA
The Revolutionist believes in prepar.
ing for the inevitable. He does not be.
lieve that the. privileged classes will
yield up their stealings until forced
to do 80. As an evidence that thev can
not be compelled to disgorge by law, he
points to the self.evident fact that they
(the bourgeolse class make, interpret
and execute the laws; that they are the
ruling classes, and any attempt to legis-
late for the overthrow of wage slavery
will be met by stern and armed opposi
ton. The only argument which the
robbers of labor can understand and ap
preciate, and certainly the only argu-
ment which will have weight, is force,
and the more force that is brought to
bear by the proletariat the easier will be
their victory. 4 Therefore the Revolu-
ZIONIST urges the workers to arm that
hey may be fully prepared go
Why is not the Revolutienist in this
country as heroic and as practical as in
Russia2 Simply because we have more
liberty of speech, of press and of action.
I could only write this short article
there at the risk of my life--while here
am unmolested. The time may come
in America when it will be dangerous to
speak or write of Socialism ;if that time