The Portland daily press., 1886-09-01
PROMINENCE OF THE SOCIALISTS.

| The theories of the men who pretend to
see in the social order which we enjoy moth
| ing but wrong and injustice have not, until
within few months, attracted serious at
| tention in this country. The horrible affair
at Chicago aroused Americans to the fact
| that European refugees had planted in this
| country the seeds of social disease which
| has long alarmed other governments. While
our awakened interest has failed to reveal
any reason for real concern at the prevalence
of the doctrines of Anarchists and Socialists
on this side of the water, 1t has nevertheless
discovered a state of affairs on the other side
which now, in the light of our own expert
ence, is readily appreciated. The speech
which John A. Henry, Chicago Anarchist,
delivered to hundred men and women in
Boston last Sunday, excited curiosity mere
ly; and the greatest wonder of all was that
one hundred persons could be found in Bos-
ton to applaud an orator who affirmed in all
earnestness his belief that the man who first
suggested law was a robber, and that the
comfort of society could come only through
the oblteration of all laws. But if the few
radicals in America are regarded with con-
tempt, their more moderate brethren on the
other side have become a power which COM
pelS the anxious attention of most of the
European governments. On the day the
Chicago Anarchist enunciated his astonish-
ing doctrine in Boston, fifty thousand per-
sons met in Trafalgar Square, London, at
the call of the leader of the Social Democratic
movement in England. Two thousand po-
licemen, small army, were on the scene to
prevent disturbances; but the fiery har-
angues against capital fortunately moved the
crowd TO no greater demonstrations than the
waving of hats, handkerchiefS and red flags.
The leaders had warned the crowd that dis
turbances would discredit their cause, which
they described as an orderly S0cialistic
movement" At that meeting delegates were
present from France to extend the sympathy
of the Socialists of that country. The So
cialist Hyndman is authority for the state
ment that the poor classes of France and Ger
many are drawn into growing union by the
Socialistic doctrines which they are coming
to hold in common. The opinions which So
cial Democrats in England, France and Ger
many hold are less radical than the barbarous
creed Of the Chicago Anarchists; but many of
the remedies which the Social Democrats
are prone to apply for the ills Of
poverty, are not such as to promise anything
but social darkness should they prevail.
The semi-annual report of the German cen
sus bureau, which has just been issued, gives
some startling statistics. Berlin, where
more than half the population are working
people, has become the centre of the Social
istic movement. The enactment of severe
laws has given Prince Bismarck great facili-
ties for dealing with the movement, but it is
now gravely questioned whether the Chan
cellor'S energetic course has not united fac
tions into one compact party. Some even
think that Bismarck s energetic prosecutions
have drawn to the Socialist Democrats the
sympathy Of well meaning people. And at
the same time that these Socialist doctrines
are spreading in Berlin the census shows
that many of the workingmen are openly
favoring community of wives; divorces have
increased to fifteen per cent. of the number
Of marriages solemnized; the attendance at
the churches has decreased to teR. per cent
of the adult population; and of forty eight
thousand funerals last year nearly thirty
thousand were performed without any re-
ligious ceremonies whatever. These great
changes in the habits and morals of the peo-
pie of Berlin may not be due entirely to
Socialist teachings, but they are undoubtedly
such changes which might be expected from
the preachings of men who affect to believe
that law and restraint are curses to man
kind