The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-30
THE ANARCHIST FEUD.
The Row Over the Socialistic Library
in Gotham.

IN Gotham.
New York, Jan. 2S-The meagre re-
ports in the daily press of the legal proceed
ings in the local courts, respecting the
Socialistic Library at No IL Clinton place,
near Broadway, give little or no idea of the
real struggle that has been waged for some
time between the bitterly opposed schools
of socialistic thought. The facts in the case,
however, are interesting, and, in view of
the remarkable growth Of this new political
system, deserve more than passing mention.
In 1884 the few members and Sympa-
thiZerS of the once famous International
formed library and literary society for
the avowed purpose of propagating the
principles of Ferdinand Lassalle, Carl Marx,
Pr0udhon and Godin. Among the number
were Mrs. Isabella Hinton, Max Boehm,
William Price of the New York Tribune,
Col. r. J. Hinton, +. Berdello, Mrs. Cynthia
Leonard and others
In the following year the society moved
next door to No. 145 Eighth street. Mrs
Cynthia Leonard, who is better known to
the public as the mother OF Lillian Russell
than as socialist, vegetarian, free-lover and
female sutfragist, paying the rent OF the
new rooms and lending the organization a
large number of valuable books
! In 1886 there was di ssension. Mrs Leonard
VINO is vegetarian Snd free-lover, or ex-
was, mo meat nor man in mine.n Her
sentiments were vigorously opposed by Col.
| Hinton, Charles Sotheran and others. and
the society broke into two sections In 1888,
the division ripened into war. The Chicago
massacres alarmed the followers of Lqssalle
and Carl Marx, who are in tho main nom
resistant and peaceable, and inhamed those
Of Proudhon Most ana King. Miss John
| son and Mrs. Leonard, followed by Mrs.
! Pollard, Mrs. Hoffman and Miss Dir. Kelly,
took sides with anarchy, while Col. Hinton,
| Sotheran, Mrs. Hint II and the labor lead
ers proper went into opposition.
The struggle was exciting, but, to an
outsider, somewhat funny. The Anarchists,
through Miss Johnson the librarian, who
! lived and lives in little closet or den along
| side OF the book room, We're III possession of
the headquarters, while the Socialists
proper We're III control of the organizations
! When the latter tried to enter the library
at late hour, the librarian barricaded the
| place, turned off the gas from the meter
and set trap on the stairs. AS Il conse-
quence the Socialists We're tripped and pre-
cipitated down stairs in a body. Surprising
| they were pursued 10y blood drinking dvna-
miters, they fed to the street where
they narrowly escaped arrest as disor-
derby characters. Finding their en-
deavors unsuccessful, the Socialists next
applied to the courts Again the Anarch-
lists, led by Miss johnson and Mrs. Leonard
scored a victory over their opponents. The
victory is, however, partial. The Socialists
are allowed to remove and are now taking
from the library the BOOKS they loaned o.
gave the institution in the old days. They
and their kith and kin have cpened new
headquarters at No. l45 Eighth street,
where all English-Speaking Social is are
welcomed and made at home Tine An
archlsts keep on at the old stand, No. ii
Clinton Place, enjoying the fruits OF their
victory.
1t may surprise many readers to know
that the American section of Socialists has
l00 enrolled members and 5l5 non-enrolled,
and the foreign sections over A, 900 enrolled
and 5000 nou-enroled while the American
Anarchists figure up go enrolled and 300
non-enrolled. Nevertheless, one thing is
now known TO be a sombre if not a solemn
fact--the Socialists and Anarchists of New
York city number over $1,000 souls, men
aud women. a good figure! And one that
may afford thought to the statesmen aud
students of 10 day.
WILLIAM T. S FAIES.