The Labor enquirer., 1886-02-13
CRITICISM.
The Most Ignorant Find Most
Fault, and the Critic"
Impedes Progress.
s'Zeno" Asked to Give His Course,
and His Reasons
Therefor.
More Discussion Of the Questioas-sf
Force, Education, and Of the
TrS, Combined.

VOTCcs EUuC&bAUuS 8AO Va wv
Tvs Combined.
Editor Labor ENQUIRER
"Zeno" appearing as regular contributor
to THE ENQUIRER has OF course an influ.
ence upon its readers. Thave thought seye.
raj times of replying to some of his asser.
tions, and my reason for not doing so is that
a controversy with critic can never reach q
conclusion or improve critic. Criticism is
no sign Of intelligence. The most ignorant
find most fault; and nature, the most per-
feet, is most growled about; therefore one
can hardly expect to change the views of
"Zeno," but would like to call the read
er's attention to some of his statements
which if not examined are likely to omislead.
THE ENQUIRER is clearly teacher, and a
new student reading one of "Zeno's" arti-
cles is likely to conclude that our reform
journals are much devoted to growing at re-
formers.
If "Zeno" deems any point made by any
writer to be good his writings show little
evidence of it In no instance has he cited
what he deems good idea OF any writer,
and then enlarged upon it and helped make
it clearer. He cites what he deems to be
bad, then strives to make 1t worse. | call
attention to these facts notksimply to de-
scribe our critic, but > because they all work
on the same principle.
In THE ENQUIRER of January 9, under
the title "The Red Card" 'Zeno' quotes
expressions from several prominent men
who were not Socialists and speaks of them
as giving to Socialism the rank of philoso-
phy, then closes by quoting one sentence
from Blanqui which he says gives Socialism
the dignity of dog fight.
"Zeno" must know that Blanqui takes the
ground that all liberty is obtained by force of
arms, but directed by education. II s.Zeno''
will show that education alone will do the
work, and with equal mercy, without an ap-
peal to arms, as clearly as such men as Blan-,
qui have shown how it can be done by force
OF arms with the education and arms now In
our possession; then "Zeno" will have done
the world a great service. o."
If through bloody war the miseries of the
people can be removed in six months, then
1t is stupid folly to suffer for generations for
the mere privilege of removing the misery
by education. People who see wickedness
in war, but none in in starvation and oppres-
sion, are simply blockheads. But If by the
slow process OF education alone, the people
as whole, will suffer no more than through
war, in accomplishing the same end, then
education is better than war; but not other
wise.
One party says: 'Give us war! we have
education enough already to accomplish the
end with warp
Another says: "Giye US education; we
need no more war;"
A third party says. 'Give us war and ed
ucation together, and give us both immedi-
atelyP''
Each makes his demand in the name of
mercy.
Will ''Zeno" tell us which course he DUR
sues, and give us some reason for pursuing
it?
There are two marked qualities In phil
osopher; one is to know and mark out his
course; and the other is to show the wisdom
and mercy in following 1t.
TO give "Zeno's' idea of philosopher
willre-quote his quotations: .'The wage
system is commendable only when con-
trasted with absolute bondage. ."-Horace
Greeley. The above shows that Greeley
knew enough about the wretchedness under
the wage system to growl about it, but sug-
gested no remedy. "Zeno" calls this philos-
ophy. If so, then, measured in the same
way, "zeno'' is philosopher. He quotes
I. M. Cooley as saving: "The destitute
laborer might better be slave than free.n
What then9 Nothing. This is '.Zeno'sv
philosophy. Capital is only the fruit of
labor."-A Lincoln. "Zenoo thinks this
sufficient to show LIncoln's philosophy.
Lincoln, in fact, only stated this as premise
to argue from, which he did, and went on to
show that as capital was only the fruit of
labor, therefore, we owe everything to the
laborer and but little or nothing to the capi-
talist; but "Zeno" quoted Mr.. Lincoln as far
a 'ZenO's" mind ran with Mr.. Lincoln's.
But he quotes others: "rhe paradise of
the rich is made out of the helIs Of the
poor. ."-Victor Hugo. "The guilty thieves
the real cause of all war. are the capitalists" !"
John Ruskin. "NoOther person shall rule
over me with my consent. will rule over
no man."--W. l.. Garrison. "Priyate capital
is public theft" Socialist Platform.
'Zeno" says the above quotations give TO
Socialism the rank of philosophy, but an
other gives it the dignity Of dog fight, viz.
Get lead and you'll have bread. ."-BIanoui.
'Zeno" concludes by saying: "If any stary-
ing man believes this let him try it." Which
means: If one starving man thinks he can
win by taking up arms against "the govern
ment and armed capital let him try 1t and see
how quick he will explode the philosophy of
Blanqui, that armed force is useful. "Zeno"
writes enough to make it worth his while to
produce something with thought in it.
Quoting from Lincoln's war speeches. or
from the antibellum writings of Garrison to
prove the worthlessness of war, requires a
great deal OF force: To endorse the senti-
msnt that ''priyate capital IS public theft, /"
and then demand nothing for the public
thieves but education and that we peaceabIy
wait for them to take in the education, is to
me, mild doctrine.
aZeno" appears to maintain that If in
constructing palaces for the rich it makes
hell for the poor, it is our duty to convince
both parties Ct it, then quietly protest in
words, but make no resistance, for that
would be brutal and useless. As this IS
'.Zeno's" critical philosophy. y shall leave