The morning call., 1892-03-31
a MODERN REVOLUTION.

NJ. Paul Blouet, the witty Frenchman
who has been leciuring to delighted audi
enees for the past week. says that the re-
cent explosions of dynamite IN Paris are an
accident; but he predicts that before ten
years are over revolution that will be in
dependent of politics will break out all over
Europe, and will astonish the world. This
revolution, according to Nj. Blouet, will be
directed against those who have money and
cannot account for its possession, the aim
of the revOlutionists being 10 allow no
man to enjoy an income for which he has
not rendered an equivalent TO the commu-
nifty. II will be observed that there is no
essential difference between this theory
and Prudbon's doctrine that property Is
robbery"
That has always been popular doctrine
with the impecunious class. Two men start
out in life with equal equipment; one of
them is industrious, persevering, steady
and bright witted. the other is lazy. dissi-
pated, easily discouraged and dull; the
first acquires a fortune. the second reaches
old age no richer than when he began. Ii
IS perhaps only natural that the latter
should hold society responsible for the re-
suits of his own deficiencies. aud should
proclaim that the acquisition of wealth is
crime which ought to be forbidden ny law.
The notion is at least as old as the Gracchi.
1t is reduced to an absurdty by the test OF
its practical working. Ii equity requires
that property should be equally divided, so
that the impecunious idler shall be entitled
to demand that the industrious worker
shall divide with him, few years after the
division the idler will have lost his share,
and the worker will have got it. What is
then to be done? Divide again, says the
communist. which of course is absurd
When the great upheavai known as the
French Revolution took place and unsettled
everything which had been supposed to be
settled some of the JacObins anticipated
Mr. Bellamy by advocating an equal dis
tribution of land among the people. or
course, TO make such plan work the land
would have to be held In mortmain and be
nalienable, in which case it could not be
sold for debts nor pledged for loans. so that
In fact ii measurably ceased TO lie property
aud its ownership was almost valueless. If
II were alienable it would gradually drift
out of the hands of speRdthrifts into the
hands of intelligent tOilers, aud the benefits
of an equal distribution would be lost The
agrarian laws OF Rome which. it must be
remembered, only applied 10 the public
lands which were acquired in war, attempted
TO secure to the plebeians homesteads on
the public domain; but in spite of tie law
The lands gradually fell into the ownership
OF the patricians, because they were, as a
rule. smarter than the plsbeians. 1t never
occurred to the Romans to borrow from the
Jews the device of semi-centennial year
of release.
1t is possible, as NJ. Blouet says, that a
revolution is impending in Europe. But it
is not likely. The only danger spot on that
continent is Germany, and when the in
evtable uprising takes place in that country
it will not aim at anything beyond the
overthrow OF the imperial dynasty and of
the system of miitariSm. These can both
be destroyed without a fundamental con-
yulsiOn Vast changes are i'm ending in
Great Britain. But the English are so
practical a people that they are equal 10
abolishng their monarchy. their House of
Lords and their state church without spill
ing a drop Of blood. As to France, Austria,
Italy and Spain, there is nothing to revolu-
tionize. Here and there the franchise may
be enlarged or President substituted for
monarch; but superficial changes of this
kind can be effected by the quiet vote Of the
people without resort 10 cannon and
barricades.
All over Europe the working class is dis
cOHlenteQ win lis let- But IL mas thus lar
proposed no substitute for present condi-
tions which can commend itself 10 national
statesman. And il is TO be remembered
| that, taking NJ Blouets own country as an
example of the whole continent. there never
| was until this century time when the
| working class was not Disconnected and
with good cause From the time of Charlie
magne to the time of Louis XIV, the inter-
walls during which a French workingman
could enjoy the fruits of his labor in peace
were few and brief; from the death OF Rich
ellen to the Revolution. French peasants and
artisans were the victims of such oppression
and spoliation as the world has seldom seen.
| For the last hundred years the peasant has
kept for himself the fruit Of his field and
| the artisan has not been compelled to divide
| the fruit of his labor. All classes, so to
speak, have been let live. But there have
always been some who have complained of
| their lot, and though none of them have
been able TO show how to better It, there
have been few cranks who have dreamed
| Of doing SO by violence.