Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-02-02
PLAIN SOCIALISM
OPPOSED TO ANTl-SOClAL
TALKS AND METHODS.
Some Suggestions Anent Anarchism
and other EXtraneOus Things.
Law, Order, Intelligence.
Violent Talk Curse
to Our Party.

There are two things that, in their
nature, are unsocletary and antl-soC-
ial, namely: Violence and anarch-
ism. As against violent, unsocie-
tary methods, society has right to
peaceful social methods, and to pro-
tect and defend itself therein; per
contra, as against ci0leM Instructors
of peaceful social methods, SJcietU
has the right to progressive develop
ment and the social means thereto,
and may enforce that right by any
necessary effective means,
Anarchism so-called and cod
dledl, philosophically speaking, is
merely the logical outcome of indi-
Observation-Disclosures gone to
seed, and is not necessarily con-
nected with violence. Many anarch-
lists, as Tucker, of Boston, claim to
be strongly opposed to violent me-
thods.
TO the extent that individuals as
S0cl0te in cooperative industrial ef-
fort and government they cease to
be anarchists in fact, whatever they
may call themselves or whatever
their theories. There is no cohesive
societary force in individualsm-it
Is only as the segretatlve principle
falls into ''innocuous desuetude'
that society and social life and in
dustry are possible. Herein it be-
comes evident that socialism and
anarchism are incompatible oppos-
ties, incongruous and unmarriage-
able. The attempt to marry the
twain is exemplitied by the existing
"system of society,"" which is a hy-
brid of socialism individualsm and
disorder-a compound of antagoniS-
tic principles, a mule whose incom-
patible cross of blood is manifested
IN 'strikes and '1cckouts," cover
production" side by side with priva-
tion, and 50 on where co-opera-
ton (Which is socialistic in itsel6, is
carried on non-socialistically for the
exploitation of the public and the
satisfying of individual greed; where
the cooperation, as is constantly ex-
emplifed, is like that of a pack of
hungry wolves cooperating to run
down the prey and then falling into
a fierce conflict among themselves
over the division of the spoils. AS
society becomes more socialistic it
will lose its attributes of anarchism
and wolfshness.
Society never can be driven or
dynamited into socialism. Societary
progress is not a result of bombs and
bloodshed-these tend only to re-
produce their own kind. Human
nature and human institutions are
not made better by means of murder
or the use of murderous weapons.
Progress is process of evolution
wherein the result is wrought by the
growth of intelligence, the develop
ment of ethical sentiments, the
gradual general perception and con-
viction of something better.
Beautiful ideals-not bloody re-
volutions-are the force that moves
the world.
If we cannot convince the judg-
ment of men of something better to
be had, it is folly to attempt to
drive them to it. Equally is it folly
to attemp to establish socialism as
the working system of society before
the mas es are prepared, by exper-
ience and conviction, to have it.
And when, in the march of intelli-
gence and the growth of ethical SEN
timent, as applied to industrial
economies, the mind Of the people
has become sOcialized, practical Soc
ialism will be established, not be-
cause Of the use of "every means"
that mad-brained terrorizers NAV
urge, but because, in spite of the
hindering effect of their wild utter
ances and efforts, the onward .treld