Workmen's advocate., 1886-12-05

Not the frivolous, dehased Paris of the slght'seer, but earnest Paris, for a cen lury the heart of the world; whose vic tories have been the victories of mankind, her defeats its defeats
 We know what an excitement the French Revolution of a hundred years ago caused in the minds of the people of England, and notably among her work lngmen, then in their swaddling clothes. Certainly. then, in this age the establish ment of Socialism either in Germany or France would exercise a tremendous in- lluence both here and in Great Britain.
 If we are not apt to originate any new political and social ideas, we have won deriui aptitude for copying the good points of successfully working models. We, therefore, think that it might not take very many yearS-i fact no longer time than would be needful to rub our eyes in order to find out whether we were really awake--before we should set to work to copy the Socialist State.
 But the difficulties in the way of suc- cess on the continent are so great-the consideration, that even q completely successful revolution in any one ol these countries may, on account of their geo. graphical position. not prove sufficient tu insure the stability of ,the New Social Order-these difficulties form such a threatening shadow on the horizon, that we cannot but tremble for a possible successful counter-revolution.
 And then there are really many req sons why either Great Britain or our own countrywide mtirerSm col0ny-may be considered the place where the New Commonwealth will be first successfully established.
 The United States possesses the i'm mense advantage that it can safely make the first experiment, without danger ut any foreign interference. We possess the advantage of being an eminently practical as well as d thoroughgoing peo- pie, when we are reused. We have within us the effectiveness of the Ger man as well as the momentum of the Anglo-Sax0n, who, if he wills to jump across brook, does not hesitate, but runs and clears it with a bound. We furthermore possess for an indefinite perlod-to be determined by the fears and blind anger of our masters-the privilege to agltate without restraint by pen and tongue and thus educate and or ganlHe the effective minority.
 Great Britain has the same advantages, and in addition the glorious precedent; CromwelIs revolution, the English Commonwealth" the first popular revolt against divine rights, 'vested" rights. In both countries the continuation of the economic evolution is nearer than else where, that is, division of labor and con centration of are carried further than elsewhere, fact of tremendous import ance and another fact, only second in importance, in both dountries, is the or ganization oft heir workers, the splendid Trades Union of England and our own Knights of Labor.
 Socialism is not suited to the genius of our people, we have heard some say, as we have heard some say, as if we had patented a new order of life These Trade Unions and Trade Assemblies, and Changers and Knights of Labor precisely prove that Socialism is suited to the genius of our and the British people. The central spirit that rules these unions IS that of Socialism, to wit, that the in terests of all workers are the same, that | each must postpone his own advantage to the common good and each yield his | individual prejudice and crochet to the collective judgment,
 Continued ne1f Week.