The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-16
ARE ANARCHISTS INcREAsINGq
Most Thinks So, But he is Cautious
in Talking About Violence.


Most Thinks So, But He is Cautious
in Talking About Violence.
NEW YoRK, Dec. ia tiny gallows
with moose of gilded wire depending from
its arm, and a big brass handled knife lying
beside it on the table, attracted my attention
as soon as | entered the office of Johann
Most, the anarchist. He has aged rapidly
within a year, and his close cropped hair is
now nearly white
as anarchy stronger or weaker than it
was at the time of the executions IN Chi
cagoM | q ked.
ut is certainly stronger" said Most.
Tine effect of the executions was to bring
out vast amount of literature on the sub
| iect, and this literature has made converts.
| Then, as Mr.. Cleveland seems to re ognize,
| The present conditions are such that anarchy
must grow. If you would come to a society
Of anarchists and preach nonarchism, you
would be listened to and laughed at. You
would make no converts, because monarch
| ism offers no way out of the evils from
which we believe the people to be suffering.
/ So you cannot preach anarchy to people
content vita their lot. 1t is the growing
misery Of the working peop.e that promises
strength to anarchy."
wv nat DO you thlnK OF Une auafcnlsU sun
day schools in Chicago"
II do not think well of Sunday schools, -
answered Most, with al expression of dis
gust that his gray heard could not entirely
conceal. "There is very little in that.
Children cannot be taught anarchy. 1t is a
deep philosophy. We cannot educate the
people until we are in power. The best We
can do is to educate a few Of the moro in
telligent workiugman, and safe on the prop
uganda with their aid, nothing can stop
the movement. 1t has gone around the
world"
"Do the anarchists still pin their faith to
violence, as they did before the Chicago
executionsp
Most showed signs Of caution, paused, and
said: 1.-The question Of violence is one de-
pending upon conditions. We do not pro-
phesy violence We merely recognize con-
ditlons, as Mr.. Cleveland does. When the
atmosphere is heavy and sultry in summer,
we say there will he thunder storm soon.
The social atmosphere is growing more and
more sultry."
But YOU once tried TO become q citizen.
Is not that inco sistegt in a man protesting
disbelief in the ballot box as means Of re-
dres ing public wrongs"
That was not inconsistent. 1t had been
said that no more anarchists or socialists
would be admitted to ctiz 3nship and | APP
Piled 20 test the question"
''But you have not tested the question.
The courts are open to you. What is to
prevent you from seeking through them to
have your rignt to Lecome citizen en-
forced"
81 may do that. If there comes a quiet
time | may apply to the courts to test the
matter. But do not care for citizenship.
IL is a farce. The good citizen has no voice.
He is silence1 by the purchased voters.
Look at tho corruption of labor leaders who
sell out their followers for money. | do
not advise anarchists against becoming
citizens. Some may find it an advantage
personally, but it is useless in furthering
our cause"
How if you could elect representatives
Of the people to make laws"
''If representatives of the work. 7gmen
could be sent to the legislature with special
instructions it would be we'll"
"'rhen Won don't object to laws if your
party could make themN
1--WE would not so nu h make new laws
as repeal bad ones. If all the bad la rs were
repealed we would do very welLn
"But perhaps you think all laws bad and
would repeal allf
"Pretty nearly. But It is useless TO talk
about legislation. | eau see no use in say
ing what you don't think. If the people
should elect their own representatives, I le
ballot boxes would be stole and the vot3rs
shot down. You conld not abolish southern
slavery at the ballot box, and yOn could not
use il TO further social reform at this time.
We can only wait till tho people become
disgustei. 1t may be long while. bat it
viii )me.
as NOT state socialism making progress
among tho educatoi classes. w. ID. Hodells
leans that way, does he notp
"Ho wells, Howelis," said Most with puz-
zled look.
"Howelis the novelist
Mr.. Ho wells literary reputation wa1 evil
IDENTIFY unknown 70 Most, and tho novellst's
identity could DO made clear 10 the a1nrch-
ist only 10y reference 10 Mr.. Howells let. or
upoa the anniversary Of the hangings In
Chicago. Most then promptly pronounced
Mr.. Howells an indieidualist.
"Tho police OF Chicago know nothing Of
our growth One high police officer saws
there are l15 anarchists in Chicago, another
says there are 5000. Thstsho S how much
tho opinion Of the police is TO be ru,ted.
Nobody knows th3 strength OF anarchy.
could nos guess at il. There are many
anarchists whom do not know There are
men Of education in this city who for good
reasons do not proclaim themseve, anarch-
lists, but read our literature and contribute
20 our fund"
"Then the popular ilea that the anar-
chist is a fellow who habttually guzzles
mixture Of blood and besr is not cor
rectl"
Anarchists do not drink blood, and some
of them d. not drink beer, /" said Most with
gravity. at seems to me beer Is harmless
enough. II IL so weak that think Il can
not cost the brewer more than Is cents a
keg.p DAVID WEcHsLER.