The Labor enquirer., 1886-10-09

IL ,
their wrongs go unredressed-to stifle
the cry and leave the pain unrelieved
If we act in 80 cowardly manner it
would matter little, only perhaps make
things little worse. Our duty think
is to give aim and precision to their tur-
bulence if we are among them to stead
lastly stand up for them if we are not
In the meantime, to 90 on teaching them
the meaning and purpose of the Revolu-
tion wherever we are. .
Tyranny always breeds up within
itself tie force destined to destroy it.
] Capitalist tyr ranny is doing this like the
forms of tyranny that preceded it. The
coming Revolution is made necessary
by the present system. Social convul-
sions are not the work of demagogues
and agitators but the work of tyrants.
Bear IN mind it ls not those who call
themselves Revolutionists that will
make thA-Revolution ;'thev merely fore
see its coming and call other mems at
tention to it. All we can do I say Is to
set about educating the people, to get
them to know their rights aud trust
them to find way of obtaining them.
But there now comes the question,
Will it be violent Revolution? This
is very often put to Socialists as if they
we're the persons to give it an answer.
l fear the answer will not be left to
them, but can assure you that if it
were it would be in favor of peace, for
peace is the very essence of Socialism.
If the dominant class would rest their
case on reason and allow US t.! carry the
majority by argument there would be no
need for violence. But history tells US
that in the past this has never occurred.
The upper class at once resort to force
if their authority is threatened they
have always been the first, and have
ALWAYS been very eager, to use violence
People in misery and generally with but
vague notion of the cause of it, have
retaliated as a matter of course. A vio
lent and often aimless social upheayal
has been the result Still l hold it to e
the duty of So ialists to do all in their
| power to avoid the need for force and to
90 on with their peaceful propaganda as
long as the laws of their country will
allow them IT. however, they are de-
MED the liberty of preaching their prin-
ciples in peace they must not quietly
submit. They must always here insist
on the right. of free speech and if it is
taken from them any and every means
may be Justly employed to reg ain it.
But is there any wax of avoiding the
use of force in Revolution? Some peo-
pie agree with US in theory but will not
help to put our theory into practice by
forcible means. TO those l can only
say that the best, indeed the only, way
to make the Revolution peaceful Is to
join our ranks, make the army of educa-
ton as strong as possible; 80 strong that
it will be irresistible, that our masters
NAV at glance see the folly of trying to
put down the cause of the people.
l would also entreat those who are so
much against violence and bloodshed to
think how much of 1t is going on under
the present system every day. Do MOI
think we are in state of peace because
there is no foreign army at our shores or
no barricades in our streets. Violence
is being used against the working class
under our very eyes; but it Is done so
systematically and is such an every day
occurrence that we don't see it. Nay,
worse than that, most of US call it the
result of the laws of nature, sanCtify it,
and think tue world couldn't go IN we'll
without it. The working class live only
half as long as the middle and upper,
the other half is taken fro them by
violence. For, all these unhealthy con-
ditions of work, this want Of nourlsh-
ment, eneryating oVerwork, and inCe5-
SAINT anxiety for the future is only n9C
essary because the greed and tyranny of
the upper class made it 80. Again,
think what a large proportion of the
poor die in their first and second years
because of the unnecessary poverty OF
their parents. Think of the nun Ger of
young people driven to shame and crime
and consequent early death because 80
ciety denies them the chance of living
by peaceful labor. In short, look about
YOU and see the poverty-all of which is
unnecessary; the Crlme-most Of which
is unnecessary the turmoil and strife
which is absurdly out of place in a
highly developed society; consider
these things and ask yourselves if the
French Revolution and the Paris Com
mune multiplied by twenty, and all the
lies told about lhem thrown in, would
be half as bad as our civilized world to-
day2 And is this violence not to be
counted because it is done under the de-
cree of claw" and in the mama of "or-
der" and defended on the plea that the
rights of property are the most sacred
of all things? Surely, while this goes
on it is idle and foolish to stand back
and refuse your aid to our movement be-
cause it may lead to the use af force.
For my part, if had to choose, and 1
hope none of us ever may, between the
permanent establishment of the present
! na,ualaco