The Labor enquirer., 1886-10-16
A REVIEW.
concluded from flrst pase.I

Concluded from first page.l
melt. But in America, DR.. Ely thinks,
Anarchy has no such excuse and he be
lieves that it will become less pro-
nounced in its manifestation. Let me
disabuse his mind of this impression.
Anarchy-whlch, as he here uses the
word, is evidently synonymous with vio-
lence-will never disappear until social
injustice disappears.
Our comrades of al! shades of opinion
will find certain amusement in DR..
Ely's comparison of the Socialistic Labor
Party with the l. W. A. aud the |. w.
PA. He says: "The Socialistic Labor
Party is. composed of men of better bal
anced minds, and, it has always seemed
to me, of better training than those who
compose the other parties. The Inter
nationalists cannot be denied certain
keenness of perception, but they are mar
row and fanatical." Again,
"The Socislistic Labor Party, composed
of abIer and better educated men, is far
more decent than the International. Its
adherents do not indulge to the same
extent in the so-called strong phrases
of the nternationalists, which mean
vulgar blackguardism such as would
cause Billingsgate fshwoman to hang
her head in envious shame" Our COM
rades of the s. L. P. have the abTer press,
DR.. Ely thinks. Whether this be the
fact or no, he mistakes the position Of
our own paper, THE LABOR ENQUIRER,
which is "the acknowledged organ of
the Red International Comrade
HaskelPs Truth" of blessed memory,
comes in for severe reprobatiOn in these
chapters, as do Freiheit and Liberty,
That these three journals should be
classed together, and considered as ad-
vocating like ideas, will strike many
readers as the most richly humorous
feature of the book And this is not the
only instance in which the temptl-
ton to generalize, which is a weakness
common to historians. leads our autho r
away from the truth. He frequently
confounds Anarchists with State Social
lists; insists that the Internationalists
desire to begin the Revolution )" declare
that the "class (the S. L. P) in opposi
ton to the reds enforce the necessity
of unity in organization as the indispen-
sable preliminary of harmonious aCtiv-
ity;;" and brands as bitter enemies Of
religion and the family-apparently
overlooking the facts that the religion"
which we oppose is the worship of the
modern Jehovah, Mammon, and that
We feel ourselves justified in attacking
prostitution under cover of marriage as
we'll as without it. Still, with all this
weight ofcondemnation resting upon Us,
DR.. Ely admits that there arr 100000 or
100000 of us radicals IN the United
States, and that there NAV be 100000
adherents of the general principles of
moderate and peaceful Socialism,"
DR.. Ely is not even moderate and
peaceful" Socialist, but he recognizes the
exi tence of many social evIls-and han
dies not few ofthem without gloves
and, coming to the consderationof rem
edies, asks, what shall we do about 1t ?"
There are four chief agencies, he thinks,
Through which We must work for the
amelioration of the lAboring class, as
well as of all classes of society. There
are the labor organization, the school,
the state and the church. The state
should assume control of the railways,
land this is, he says, the mo st pressing
need at presently, establish postal saw
ings banks, REGULATE" corporate enter
prises, ensure equality in the admins
tratlon Of the law, reform the police sYs-
tenn and put stop to the outrages of
private bands of hirelings" (detectives).
The up-bringing of children under
proper influences, social, educational
and industrial, should receive needful
attention. And, finally, "the church
must claim her full place as a social
power, existing independently of the
state. In the harmonious ac-
ton of state, church and individual
moving in the light of true science, will
be found an escape from present and
future social dangers. Herein is pointed
out the path of safe progress; other
there is none"
gather from all this that the dan
ger" which DR.. Ely breads is the vio-
lence of the Internationalists." He OBJ
iects to the Anarchists because their
ideals" NEGATIVELY expressed" are
away with private property, away with
all authority, away with the state, away
with the family, away with religion ~
all Of which is important if trua. He
objects to the State Socialists because,
as he believes, they would do away with
the captains of industry" for whom he
entertains peculiar affection. 1T is a
grand thing for u.s." he says, that there
are men with higher natures than ours.
and with every advantage for the devel-
opment of their faculties, that they NAV