The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-17
HEGOSPELOF DESTRUCTION
The Hideous Doctrines Which are Now
Spreading Dismay Through Europe.
A Propaganda that Contemplates Wholesale
Murder and Destruction, but Offers No
Substitute for the Existing Order.
20 the Editor of the indianapolis Journals

considering the outrages lately perpe-
trated in Europe by the Anarchists it IS
curious to study this sect. to follow ii in
its present manifestations. In Its dreams,
and TO unveIl the negative ideas of its
adopts.
Modern anarchy. as we know, originated
in Russia. Ii lis q hIrsute product of Sla-
vic mysticism, Oriental exaltation ands to-
icism. The creator of the sect Is the Mus
covite Michael B~akounine. who was born
in 1914 and died q miserable death in 1876.
Expelled from the Internationa Associa-
ton of Workingmen in ISL, IN consequence
of his violent polemic disputes with Carl
Marx. Bakounine established the Universal
Alliance of Socialistic Democracy. and 10
was thus that the doctrine of the propa-
ganda. by means of revolutionary destruc-
ton. was henceforth founded. or an or
binary intelligence, and lacking serious in.
struction, Bakounine launched ideas and es.
tablished q neutrality-suspicious.. which. by
its political doctrines. is the basis of all So
c~islistic reve~ndications. 1t is with the Ba-
kounistic system, released of its ideas of de-
struction, that all the governments deal.
ing with the social question have to strive.
Let as cast q glance over the programme Of
this strange theorician.
Bskounism has as its object amorphism,
and its means an-destruction. According
to the programme of the Universal Alli-
ance. here is how It's object is exposed and
Its means justified:
Tho Association of the International
Brotherhood wants the universal social,
ph losophIcal. economical and political rev.
49,
actual order of things founded on property,
on labor, on the principle of authority,
either religious. metaphysical. doctrinal.
or even all. accomplished by revolution.
rope hrst. and subsequently in the re-
mainder of the world. AT the cry of Peace
for the w~orkingmen, liberty for the OPP
pressed, and death for all DOM
%i anN k,s employers Ms and Wan tutor, to- a OF
stroy all the governments on earth
and all their institutions, all their relig.
lous, political, judicial. financial. educa-
tional. economical and social laws, so that
all these millions of poor human beings.
who have been deceived, enslaved, tor
mented. turned to profit. at last delivered
from all their official and officious directors
and benefactors, from all their individual
and mutual associations, may breathe
henceforth in absolute and complete lib
erty."
z DESTRUCTION.
The above is the programme of nihilism
as shown US by the Russian blue-spectacled
arguers; it is also the system of Rousseau,
but with the difference that Bakounine
neither disc uses nor yields. For him, to
destroy everything is not only to throw
down TO its very foundation the entire
social editice, but to blot out the past and
ignore the future. "Al on tho
future" he says. "are criminal, because
Hhav or4 o.4S4
barrass the movement of revolution" Con-
corning this absolute idea he expresses
himself as follows: L obtain per-
feet smOrph'sn nr we must destroy
the embryo from which all the old social
Iniquities would revive" lie is for this
reason that Bakounine even suppresses
science, and. like Rousseau, praises holy
and salutary Ignorance. And he adds.
speaking to bis disciples: do not trouble
yourselves about this vain thing called
science, in the name Of which they want to
bind our hands" In a flying sheet printed
means: ADMITTING he says. mo other
activity than that of destruction, we de-
clare that the ways in which this activity
can DO used are numerous and varied: Pol
son, dagger. moose. for revolution sancti-
fies anything without distinction"
Science. though despIsed by ~Bakounine,
has furnished to his successors dynamite
and all the long series of formidable ex-
plosives. Since the genesis of the doctrine,
the revolutionary arsenal. owing to science,
has Occupied Its destructive power.
The question may be asked, bow can
outrages constitute a propagandai No
a ane s9ala be m made 0s to believe Ss. that
ton is meant: 1t implies how
ever. real apostleship. Listen to the
anarchistlc pope: '"ro arrive at pan-de-
strucriOn. what is wanted first is a series
M m ro a ~ ND a~d nDon AA~
enterprises. terrifying the powerful. and
awakening the people until they have faith
In the ultimate triumph of the revolution"
AN ARCHITECT OF RUIN.
Bakounine was. as may be seen. an orig.
inaI architect of ruin. He ounde a sect
comprising about thirty members. who
took the statute engagement to always act
like incsrnate demons. The European and
American anarchistic outrages. which have
startled public opinion everywhere. are, by
reason of these theories. simple acts of
propaganda intended to prepare the final
chaos. 10 succeed in establishing good
are of opinion that the basis of society
must be all Slapped simultaneously in order
to make it entirely efenseless. Thus only,
he says. can triumph be obtained.
This is again the palingenesic creed. VIZ:
THAT this world, eminently wicked,
will perish by fire TO give room 10 new
heavens and O new earth" All ancient re-
lIgIons cOnsecrate this creed. For these
fierce revolutIonaries as for the moro
modest mortals. there is nothing new
under the sun nor In the empire of ideas.
In the same way as the first Christians,
they dream OF q cosmic cataclysm; like
Rousseau, they want individual autonomy
and a return TO savage barbarism. They
draw their theories and construct their
systems according to Diderot. Proudhon
and Hegel; they make themselves high
priests of AL odiOus mystic exaltation,
they want TO establish good. and endeavor
TO do so through tie conservation of GRIM
ina evil; but they are. nevertheless. the
same as the rest of mankind. and. like
bloody apostlcship is a cruel i'll
fusion. They fire cartridges, throw
bombs. destroy buildings. monuments
and human lite; they are wicked mis-
tihcators. actors playing frightening TRACE
dies, but after all they are without real
courage, sincerity OF abnegatIon. Their
mystical exaltatiOn Is only fictitious; they
depend entirely on science. which ought to
put a mark on their foreheads, its
authority and victory. They can neither
be called pessimlsts nor resignationists;
they are nothing less than a set of ambi-
tiOus, cOvet0ns rebels. aspiring at I'M
healthy and sanguinary enjoyment. just as
BakouDine. in a moment of exceptional
f~rsnkness. exclaimed: The Joy of de-
stroying is at the same time the Joy of cre-
ating."
What O difference there is between the
foregoing principles and those of Chris
tianityi The standard principles of Chris
tianity are peace and love: GLORY TO God
on high and peace TO men OF good will"
Those who draw the sword will perish
by the sword eff one smites Won