Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-27
RISE OF SOCIALISM.
CASTELAR, Holds Bismarck Responsible
for Germany's Danger.
THRIVING THROUGH PERSECUTION,
Williams Care for the People and the
Doctrines of Democracy.
SOCIAL IDEAS OF PAST AND FUTURE
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPArcf

1
More deeply interesting than any minis
terial crisis in France, to which we are ever
accustomed on account OF the volatility of
the Chambers and the fckleness of its ma
jorities; than any diplomatic conflicts be-
tween England Portugal; than the claims Of
the Bulgarians for recognition by the
Powers; than the resignation of Bismarck
more important than any event which has
occurred in Europe during the past few
weeks or even months, is the growth and
present aspect of German Socialism.
Bismarck himself is greatly to blame for
the present dangerous situation in the
Fatherland. While bestowing on the old
Emperor refer to the proud father of the
giddy-head that now wears the imperial
crown-the dangerous title of "Paternal
Cesar of the People," the Iron Chancellor
prosecuted to the death all those who tried
to found a truly democratic State whose
aim should be extirpation of poverty. A
socialism confined to and directed by the
Government bureaus and preached from the
chairs of university professors; socialism
set forth in carefully worded State docu-
ments and legislative bills. seemed preco-
| cious thing to the Chancellor when he was
in power. But this was dangerous course.
| Just as the old regimes appealed to the no
bility and clergy, Bismarck was making q
| risky appeal to the fourth estate.
GAVE LITTLE SATISFACTION.
Bismarck and old William believed in
the scientific certainty of a syncretic theory
| which shall translate the doctrines of the
socialism of the professors chair into the
practices of state socialism. With such
an end in view Caesar and the Chancellor
succeeded only in exciting an inextinguish-
able thirst OF social reform in the German
democrats when they fail to give satisfac-
tion to their demands. To those who clamor
for radical remedies they offer feeble pallia-
tives.
Much the same thing as that which hap
pens with the Socialist ideas of the Em-
peror and the Minister in Germany befell
the Socialist theories during the Revolution
OF 1848, of Albert and Louis Blanc in
France. Neither of these theoretic Socialists
discovered better Socialistic formula than
that piteous revival of the ancient monas-
terry idea as revealed in their national work.
shops hobby; nor have the statesmen and the
Emperor in Germany found better means
OF fulfilling their promises to the laboring
classes than BY having recourse to bureau
cratic expedients, most onerous and most
useless, or to protective laws, all alike bad
and arbitrary. These measures are very pre-
tentious, but wholly ineficacious. The un-
avoidable disappointment occasioned by the
recent Labor Con ,erence will give rise to
fresh popular grievances. Their dearest
hopes once wrecked, the disinherited of the
land will sink into despair. And if in Paris
these crises engender reyolutionss in Berlin
they lead to regicides. .....
BIsMARcK's EXTREME MEASURES.
On a certain day, in the wide streets of
the German capital, the Socialist, Nobiling,
fred volley of small shot at the old EN-
peror. grandlathe of the present ruler, Just
as if he were deer. Bismarck took advan-
tage of the Indignation called forth by this
abominable crime to pass his exceptional,
coercIve laws against that Socialism which
he had once encouraged and against the So
cialists whom he had once favored. The
contradiction implied by this acceptation OF
the creed of the sect and of its fundamental
doctrine, Of State founded in favor of the
poor, and this hunting down, like wild
beasts, of the sectarians with the avowed
purpose of annlhiiating them, perturbs the
nation from its want of logic and its exces-
sive immortality. At the same time that
rescripts are promulgated recognizing So
cialism, prosecutions are carried on against
the Socialists.
One day the reaction went so far as to
our Spanish Kings concerning the expul-
sion OF the Hebrews and Moors, similar to
the Dragoonades of Louis XIV, the pro-
scription inflicted by the Stuarts on the
Puritans, those refugees to America who
succeeded in founding in that temple of re-
ligion and liberty, a democracy and re-
public. / am reminded of Roman history.
Constantine, while establishing the perfect
liberty of the Catholic faith, tormented the
Christians; and Julian, while retroverting
to the antique religions, prescribed the
upon as madmen. And yet this is what is
going ON in Germany in regard to Social |
ism.
THE LEGITIMATE RESULT.
This two-fold error leads to the necessary
result that it weakens the socialism which |
Bismarck desired to encourage, viz, the |
socialism o. the chair$ and tavors the social |
ism he was bent upon destroying,
tion. And mark that I know of !
no theory SO abominable as that of the |
Socialists. The doctrine of the Jewellers |
in England and those of the Bahouvistes in |
France hid their brutal sophisms under the |
electrical splendor of two fertile revelations.
The theory of st. Simon had the mystic |
character of a new Divine revolution. not |
unlike that promised by the seraphic abbot,
Joachim de Flora, in the poetical middle
ages. The sensualism of Fourier resembled
a great epic poem, and sought to trans
form the universe into an immense
cathedral, in which all the passions
was much mild and gentle humanity, a
species Of new Catholic dogma and eccesi-
astical liturgy, in the creed of Pierre
Leroux, to whom his geometry suggested
the sublime idealism Of Plotinus. Proudhon
himself, Notwithstanding the ineffciency of
his solutions Of economical problems, very
obvious in his books. offered compensation
in the shape of rare and original utterances
bearing the double impress of fine writer
and of great thinker. But the present
germanic conception-the coarse material
ism, the unconscious brute force, the an
archism of it, comparable only to the primi-
tiveness of inferior species or to nomadic
sayages in a state of constant warfare; this
property idea, in which individ-
ual differences disappear as shades and coIors
do in the dark, or as sounds are swallowed
up in an abyss; this school of Nihilism, this
general annihilation of everything is sui
cidal. J
HURRYING TO A WORSE sERvITUDE,
This German revolutionary socialism is
80 revolving to my feelings, so destructive of
my beliefs, that I am fain to curse such a
plague with the maledictions uttered by all
The martyrs and heroes of right against the
infamous tyranny of arrogant despots.
Qualified by all the adjectives in the die
sionaries synonymous OF progress. consid-
cred by many as noble aspiration toward
the ideals and principles of democracy,
German socialism substantially means
nothing more than retrogression to privi-