The Labor enquirer., 1886-08-07
THE SPIRIT OF REVOLT
tCOntinued.l

greatly in vogue during the last century
1t was accordingly one of the most pop
ular means of agitation. Whenever
there was general excitement mob
would form and carry puppet, repre-
sentlng the enemy of the moment, and
they would hang, burn or quarter each
puppel "Childshness" the young old
men would say who thought themselves
so sensible. Alb, well, the assault upon
the residence of Reveillon during the
elections of 1889, the execution of Fou-
lon and Bertier, which changed com
pletely the character of the Revolution
which foIowed.-they were only the &C
tual accomplishment of what had been
in preparation long before in the execu
ton of the straw puppets.
Here are a few examples from thou
sand.
The people of Paris had no love foT
MaupeOn, one Of the favorite ministers
of Louis XVI. Well, they mob him one
day voices in the crowd cry out: "De-
cree Of parliament, conlemning Mr..
Maupon, chancellor of France, to be
burnt alive and his ashes thrown to the
wind ;" after which the crowd does ac-
tually march to the statue of Henri ~.
with puppet of the chancellor, decked
with all his insignia, aud the puDpet is
burnt with the applause of the mob.
Another day they hang to the lantern
the puppet of the Able TerraY in eccles-
iastlCal costume and white gloves. At
Rouen they quarter Maupeon in ettigy
and when the gendarmerie prevents a
mob from forming, they conhne them
selves to hanging by the feet an image
of the monopolst, wheat running in a
shower from its nose, its mouth AMI its
ears.
There was whole propaganda in that
puppet and a propaganda far more ell
fcacious for attracting attention than
the abstract propaganda which only ap
peals to a small number who are already
convinced.
The essential, for preparing the out
breaks which preceded the great Revo-
luton, was tha. the people should get
into the habit of coming out into the
street, of manifesting its opinions in TIE
public square; that it should get into
the habit of Craving the police, the
troops, the cavalry. That is why the
Revolutionists of the period neglected
none of the means at their disposal fol
drawing the crowds into the street, fol
provoking mobs.
Every public event in Paris and the
provinces was utilized in this manner
Has public opinion obtained from tn
king the dismissal of a detested minis
ter, there are rejocing5, llluminations
without end. To attract the world by
fire crackers, they send up rockets I'll
such quantity that in some places on'
walked upon the cardboard" And
they want the money to buy them, the.
stop the well-dressed passers by and asl
them "poli.ely but firmly" say the con
temporaries, fora few sous to diver
the people" Then when the mass /
close packed orators sta:t in to explain
and comment Upon W at is going on
and clubs are organized in the open air
And, if the cavalry or infantry come t
disperse the crowd, they hesitate at EN-
ploying violence against peaceable me-
and women, while the crackers whlc
90 off in front of the horses and the foot
soldiers, with the appearance and laugh
ter of the public, check the spirit
those who advance too far into the mids
of the people.
In the country towns there are troI
time to time chimneY-sweeps who traN
erse the streets, parodying the king
} Judgment seat. Everyone bursts int
| laughter at the sight of a man with h
face all daubed parodg ing the hing an
: his wife. Acrobats, iugglers bring thol
r sands of spectators together In the publ
square, while letting fly, in the midst I
: droll recitations, their arrows directed {
) the powerful and rich. A crowd form
$ the talk becomes more and more mena
: ing, and then, woe be to the powerful {
rich man whose carriage makes its a