Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-07-20


brick TO break a window, though they
would have been justified in doing SO.
The danger point with the American
workingmen is not when they are starv
ing, but when they find they are being
fooled with. That's where they are
like the French.
At Johnstown, Pa, the workmen
; struck for over $3.50 day for digging
out dead bodies, and the militia were
summoned, not to protest against the
starvation wages but to put down the
workingmen.
1t was just so at Carneges works re-
cently-Carnegie who wrote "Trium-
phant Democracy" and who reduces
the wages of his workingmen enough to
pay his expenses to Europe.
The Lord knows how this thing is go
ing to end! Why, Thomas jefferson
wrote that every government ought to
be shaken up every ten years on gen
eral principles. Our government was
itself established by a revolution.
If you ask me what we all want re.
| ply, More" If your neighbor has
more than you have, all the neighbors
ought to be dissatisfied until they get
more, too. So long as there is a million
aire you ought to be dissatisfied.
want to intlame your discomfort. to OBJ.
tain your rights by socialism or some-
how. | do not say there should be a
bloody revolution, but | hope there will
be revolution, even if it should be a
bloody one.
The "Marseillaise' was played by the
orchestra, and the Socialistic Liedertafel
sang Liberty" Sergius E. Shevitch
was then introduced, and addressed
the audience in German as follows:
81 will express" he said, "a thought
that must have occurred to many of
you. In all that the previous speaker
has said no reference was made to the
great revolution which we are here as
sembled to commemorate. He declared
his adherence of all revolutions and
yet he said, If one must come, let is
come How irresistible are the FORGET
now at work is thus strikingly shown
by such declaration, coming as it does
from man who emphasizes that he is a
man of peace, and who struggles to
grasp our philosophy. Why, the he
roes of the French Revolution would
have been proud of the utterance of this
man if they could have heard it, for it
is in itself a more eloquent tribute to
the justice of our cause than could be
contained in any amount of revolution
ary defamation" Shevitch then re.
viewed the events which finally led to
the revolt of the people, and gave a
graphic description of the storming of
the BaStille. "The simpIe-minded peo-
ple,' he said, "could not understand
that anyone would talk of peace while
hundreds of thousands We're driven to
starvation. And as, in the sacred fable,
the walls of Jericho were blown down
by blast of trumpets, so did the Bas-
tile succumb to the blast of anger of an
outraged people, This is an appropri
ate hour to recall the deeds Of the Revo-
luton. The BastilIe was taken by
storm, and the system which it repre-
sented was swept away. But that sys.
TEN did not bear down more heavily
upon the people than does now that
which replaced it. So, then, must cap
italism be conquered in its fortress and
wage slavery be extinguished. The
people had always been meek and pa.
tient. With empty expressions of sym
pathy the National Assembly had de.
clared itself impotent to alleviate their
intense sutferings. But the king and
his advisers called upon the armed des
potisms of Europe to assist him in put
ting down the Revolution. Then did
the starved and DETAINED people rise in
arms, and by defeating the reasonable
plot save the nations liberty and honor
Such heroism may well impress the pro
letariat of all countries. In it's light
and in the light of subsequent events
by which the people were deprived Of
the fruits of their victory let the prole
taires march on to the new revolution
taking care this time that its glorious
fruits be not tilched from them by Gun
ming thieves and politicians Down
with the system Down with its roguer-
les, its prostitutions, its contrasts ol
luxury and squalor, its Bastilles and it,
murderers. Down with it in any way
peaceful or forceful There can be ne
real peace until the true purpose of thu
French Revolution-Liberty, Fraternity
and Equality-has been achieved anC
forever made secure"
1t is estimated that one hundred mil