The Labor enquirer., 1886-11-27
they deserted theil best friends in thei,

they deserted their best friends in their
hour of peril.
At the close of the lecture an ardent
but an indiscreet comrade jumped upon
The platform and waving an improvised
red flag proposed three cheers for the
men and the banner they represent.
This was ths signal for general stam-
pede and fully one half the large audi
ence vanished. This circumstance / re-
gretted at the time, as we had all
worked hard to gather an American au-
dience, and I did not want them fright
ened away. To make matters worse,
the charm IN, an old white haired
Knight, Indignantly protested against
the proceeding, declared bis allegiance
to but one flag, the stars and stripes, and
called upon me to repudiate both the
action and the red flag. A collection
had been asked for and the hats had
commenced to circulate. 1t was crit
ical moment. Instantly I arose and
commanded the collectors to stop, de.
claring that not one cent would be re.
ceived under Instrumentation of my po-
sition. Ithen defended the red flag
with all the eloqdence could command.
At first there were Kisses in different
parts of the house. but long before | fiu-
ished nv audience was thoroughly in
sympathy with me. An invitation was
then extended to any representative of
the other side that might be present and
young K. of L. took the platform. His
argument and invective were principally
against Anarchism as he understood it;
that is. chaos, disorder, confusion, etc.
| again spoke and defined and explained
State Socialism and Anarchism, appar-
emily to the satisfaction of nv audience.
On Monday morning, November Is, l
took train for 1t. Joseph, Missouri.
After winding along the ban ks of the
yellow an turbulent Missouri, 1 arrived
here (St. Joe) at noon. My time has
been chiefly occupied since nv arrival
in attending to neglected. correspond
ence and visiting K. of l.. Assem- blles.
| find the Knights pretty well repre-
sented here, eight Furnishing assemble
attesting the steady growth of our noble
order. Here as elsewhere the brethren
give me cordial sympathy ia nv mis-.
slonary work, and here also found true
comrades of the International.
Last night about 300 people assembled
to hear about the Anarchists trial.
About half past seven one OF the COM
rades came and informed me that the
hall was still unopened and unprep red
for the meeting. We had to break open
the door, build fire and lightup Not
wlthstaDdlng the fact that the room was
very cold and disagreeable, l held the
audience from the beginning to the
close. When it was finally announced
that collection would be taken up sew
eral persons started for the door, but.
few remarks from me upon tie cowardice
of such a proceeding stopped further ex-
odus.
In all my meetings resolutions con-
demning the verdict are offered and 80
far have been carried without dissent
ing voice.
l have seen many earnest, devoted
souls since l started out, but none SO
devoted and selfsa crifcing as our Ger
man comrades. Tue poorer they are the
more thew are willing to do and to give.
American Socialists and self-styled Rev
olutionists, some of them professional
and small business men, have COM
planned about the expenses of agitation,
and the dimes and quarters they have
gwen have been bestowed very grudg-
ingly. Not all our American comrades
Lave been thus selfish; some of them
have given freely of time and money to
help the cause, but the greater number
have held back and discouraged the
agitation by their half. hearted sympa
thy. Some of our German friends have
done nobly. Laboving men in St. Louis,
Kansas City and st. Joseph-men re.
ceiving only lsborer's wages-have given
from S. to $40 in aid of the defense of
our condemned comrades, and to them
1 am also under many obligations for
assistance in my work. find that the
more Revolutionary and Anarchistic
man is the more he is devoted to our
cause, State Socialists as rule are only
lukewarm and think far more of the al
mighty dollar than of the liberation of
the Chicago conn AIDES or of the further
ance of Sociaistic principles. This is
not said in disparagement of the prin.
ciples of State Socialism but in
Just and we'll meant criticism
of those who hold back their assistance
because the men under penalty of death
happened to be Anarchists and ultra
radicals.
This is not right, friends. Our Chicago
comrades fought your battles and their
en- amy is-or should be-yo1rs. How
ever we may differ as to the tnlI ar
rangements of society we are ali agreed
upon one thing, and that is that the
present wage system, with its d Imnaole
eoncomitants Of competition, want and
misery must be abolished. II our
methods are lot tie same, what Of it J?