The Labor enquirer., 1886-01-30


dom was, therefore, at issue. The church
did the best she could. Besides prayini
and proving by the holy book that ths
existence of masters and slaves il TIL
will Of God, she also made earthly rea
sons, pitying the poor for whom Chirs'
lived and died-W What will the pool
slaves do when thrown into the world
Being at the mercy of landowners, what
will they do Unemployment is refused te
them?
In reply to such arguments. discussion
upon the rights of ownership Of land en-
sued. Herzen took no stock in it. He
knew that the people we're powerless to
enact such laws themselves, and to ex-
pect the car to agree then upon Henry
Georges present doctrines would be
foolish, to say nothing else. He, there
fore. suggested the liberation Of the
serfs with land granted to them
by the government. Having made such
suggestion and knowing that his pub.
lications were read bv the car himself
Herzen penned and published open let.
ters to the czar, using the most polite
language, and thus impressing on some
the idea Of his going back on principle
showing no respect to tYrants.
Father Agapius. by his very nature,
was too far from accepting Herzen's
policy and having made up his mind
about Herzen then and there seems to
be, regret, in the same fix still.
Now, let US return to Herzen. His
open letters touched Alexander II. to
such an extent that the committee of
courtiers for the proposed liberation of
serfs were instructed personally by the
czar to consider all sides of the question
and read in his majesty's own library
Herzen's suggestions upon. the subject.
"Shall we, ourselves. look for advice
from SOCIALISM," Indignantly asked the
eourtiers.
"such is his majesty's willp' was the
reply. I'LL a...r
In the language Of an autocrat that
meant pure and simple: "It shall be as
Hersen suggests and you, courtiers, dare
not make other suggestions"
Herzen was victorious. February 10,
1861, (old style) 8o,oOO,oOO slaves were
liberated and each provided with over
forty acres of fertile land. -u
If we only consider that never before
had such thing happened, that even in
the great republic of ours the liberation
of only 100000 required the bloodiest
war America has ever seen, while 3d.
100000 Caucassians were not only liber-
ated, but also their future existence pro-
vided for and all this by a mere stroke
of an autocrat's pen that was influenced
by the. mind of a Socialist, we can easily
comprehend to what an extent that So,
cialist was glad of his policy and what
other gains he may have expected.
In such and only in such light we
ought to look upon the toast of Herzen
in honor of Alexander II. The fact that
Mazzlni and Louis Blanc participated in
it also proves that there was something
behind the curtains. -r+...
Having succeeded, I think, in ex-
planning she question regarding Herzen
can hardly stop without asking myself,
of what use. was it to occupy SO much
valuable space Of a Socialistic, journal In
merely showing how man smartly han
died despot? Was Herzen Socialist
Yes, and leading one, one of the cham
pions of Socialism ofa earlier date. =
have on my table work containing
the published articles, for five years, p of
Herzen on Socialism and politics. I
shall make couple Of free translations
sufficient to prove the justice of my as
sertlon. ..,
Land is becoming more and more
more monopollzed; the owner exploits
the blower; capital, the wage worker;
and the band Of proletarians out from
the shops, factories and farms is stronger
and crying louder for Lead of Bread
Death or Work p"-Kolokol, 1859.
Nobody but Socialist could utter such
words. l..
can intellectually matured man may
love his fatherland with all his heart
and mind, and be no patriot. The
church has for 1900 years introduced
that idea and has not succeeded !; she
has located her universal fatherland
where it cannot exist-in heaven. 1t is
Socialism that will establish that father,
land by merely abolishing the border
lines on earth" ."-Kolokol, 1859.
Pure and simple Internationallsm OF
to-day. -.!. ... -. b..
1 close my remarks, begging the
readers of THE ENQUIRER to unite with
me in thanking Father Agapius for the
opportunity he has given me to con-
tribute a few words to the honor of
Alexander Herzen who, though dead.
will continue to live in the minds of In,
telligent nations alongside Wendell
Phillips and Elizur Wright and others
who could not agree upon death before
their lives have accomplished some
good towards the estabIishmentof of Truth
and Justice on earth, a. 80 -...r T..
We care for the living and honor our
dead. . M. 3. WAHRHAFTIG.
January II, 1885. ..... HI ...,- 81: