Workmen's advocate., 1890-11-08
JOHN SWlNTON'S SPEECH.
sketches of What He saw During a
 Years Tour in Europe.

C hdNc Outdlntu lull report Ol lllt brief speech made by John Swintou 0t the reception gwen to him by the Su. ciali,ts of this city in the large hall ot Cooper Union, October II, after his return from Europe Mir. Swiuton said;
 My Friends, Americans all, wherever born It rejoices my heart, on returning from abroad, to receive this welcome by host of friends. Some of you are old friends, with whom did service in the early days of the conflict that is now assuming momentous aspect. Others of you are new friends, whose appear ance here is very pleasing to me.
 accept your friendly greeting in this impressive and significant demonstra tlon, happily held in peace and harm ony, under the blazOnry of flags and the sound of trumpets, made joysome and heroic by the choral measures of the Liedertatel.
 Not always have you thus been able to here in 1874, at the time of the mem0r- able outrage in rompkins Square, when, as was then said, the orators spoke down the throats of the rifles that con fronted them, and in the farce of the police whose clubs menaced them, and Ill the ears of the detectives whose re yOlyers were ready for the signal,
 It was again dark sky, some time atterward, when workingman's ticket was put up here, and your guest of to-. night boiled S1 votes as candidate for Mayor.
 There was a streak of light in the sky, twelve years atterWard, when your guest was nominated as a candidate for the State Senate and got 5000 ballots.
 Do you think it was d ''merry war; that was Uaged here for your learb by John SrjHtOH'& Taper?
 But facts like these, as ChaunCey De- pew might say, are "back numbers.'
 Here you are now.
 ask, do hear the cock crow? It is the herald of the dawn It is prophetic of the advent of man. The skies may yet look mushy, but the light is there .
 Well, my friends, have got back from Europe, where have been suf- ferer for the last year.
 What did l learn there? What did see in Italy, France, England, Scot land and elsewhere. Many things, ,- novel shows, surprising sights, dt leful scenes, hopeful signs.
 Here tonight, 1 shall refer only to the thing which struck me most, and that was the evidences of reSurgcM Ye now to be found among the masses of the people in various countries of the old world.
 This l found wherever wandered in search of that life for myself.
 found it in ltaI y, ay, in Rome, the seven-hiIled capital of the Caesars, the Popes, and the new realm that was raised by Garibaldi and Mazzni. Isaw it there in the popular assemblages, in tEe workshops of the tOilers, in the marts and markets, in the papers of liberation, and in a hundred novel pro- jects of which became aware. 1 saw 1t i'll the fostering quarters of the city among the cast aways, as well as in the high quarters among their denizens l heard ideas there that surprised me from people with whom l cOnversed, and learned how the power of these ideas was beginning to be felt in the community. In time. after three months of residence and research in Rome, and in the other italian cities along my course, l became convinced that the progressive spirit now to be seen there Is working in ways that are sure to pro- mote the social and industrial welfare of the millions of old Italy.
 While in France, l found the resur- gent life. from Paris to Marsellles. The ''social question is up there, as 1t has been for d century past, and as 1t will be in the years to come. found 1t was in the mind of the l)uySdItS of the rural COmmunes as well as m that of the pro- lpturjut of the cities. And l became convinced by evidence of d satisfactory kind, that the French masses are advan- cing in the apprehension and assertion of their natural rights.
 did not go tU Germany, but, while at Nice last spring, heard the astOund- ing news that the Socialist party of Germany had poIled d million and a half votes in the elections, and had elected thirty six or thirty eight of their candidates for membership the Relchs- tag. heard there also of the transcen dental notions and neW-fangled action of the young Kaiser, and, whatever you may think of them, they have raised new interest in the soclaI question all over Europe,
 1 did not go to Russia, and there are various reasons why l did not, Perhaps his imperial majesty the Czar may not have admired an essay of mine that was once published in the IaUonichny ItStaH of St. Petersburg.
 went to the British Isles, and spent about four months in England and Scotland. While there, took time to observe and study the ways of life, the currents of thought, the methods of action and the various changes in pro, gress among the masses of London, Glasgow, Edinburgh and other cities, as well as of the rural regions. l held intercourse with my fellow.cTeatures in