Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-05-01
To-Dav In Europe.

The record of to-day's occurrences IN
Europe will be awaited with deep interest
ard anxiety here as well as abroad. IL -
May Day-thc day Of all others IN the year
on which liberty is most prone TO run 10
license. and uphesvals. overt acts. defiance
of the law. and attempts TO put into prac-
tice irrational governmental and sociaI
theories. are to be dreaded from the lower
orders IN the European cities. As we saih
last week, in referring TO this holiday, IL IS
10 be hoped it's experience Will accentuate
the fact that 1t is not always the expected
that happens. Yet one cannot be Dlind 10
the evidences that in certain portions OF
Europe the extraordinary preparations
made by the authorities to meet omergen-
cies have apparently produced very little
impression on the most fanatical and reyo-
lutionary elements of society.
While in Germany and England there
have been radical departures from the OLD
way OF celebrating May-Day go far as the
masses are concerned, no disturbances OF
vitality dangerous or far-reaching character
are to be apprehended on the present occa-
sion. Berlin riots and London mobs TO the
contrary, the Germanic and the English
IDEA Of reform Il al bottom essentially
conservative. Change with those nations
is a plant Of slow growth, but for that
reason a plant Of sturdy growth. IL does
not by sudden and exhaustive processes
sap the soil about 1t Of all that affords
stability to government and protection to
lite and property and give nothing Dackin
return. IL furnishes recOmpense IN the
shape Of liberty without license, and the
gradual education of the people 10 an ap-
probation Of the responsibilities Of greater
freedom and an enlarged sphere of citizen
ship. Just prior 10 last May-Day the cor
respondence from Europe to journals IN
this country was filed with propheses Of
evils in store for Germany on the holiday.
These prophecies did not materIalize. and
the experiences Of the day were at striking
variance with the narrowing visions OF the
prophets. As for London mobs, or labor
demonstrations, or whatever else they
may be called all know how they expend
themselves. The slaves of the constabu-
larry and sober second thought tell the
story.
Among the Latin races and the polyglot
peoples Of Austria, however, there Is no
telling what the day will bring forth in the
way OF disorder, Incendiarism, and tho
like or what Will be the ultimate results
thereof Anarchy Is rife, and its propa-
gandists are daring and outspoken in
their appeals to the worst passions and IN
stincts. not only of the proletariat but Of
the ignorant and 4 scontented OF all other
classes. In France, Span and Italy, and
at Vienna. the people live In dread expec-
tation OF Anarchist outrages, and there APP
pears 70 be a vast deal Of uncertainty
es 10 how far the anarchical spirit and
its concomi.ant lesser horror, the reyolu-
tionary spirit. have honeycOmbei the
masses. After all the anavchism OF France,
where the uneasincss Will be greatest to-
dav. Is the communism Of l789-l79i masni.
fed and distorted into logical and diaboli-
cal proportions. The seed sown by the
Commune de Paris Of the period mentioned
sprouted again in lSiS, and once more
after the Franco-Prussiau war. The red
fag which ALPH0NsE DE LAMARTINE, IN
drawing his contrast between that emblem
and the tr-color. declared had only made
the tour of the Champ de Mars through
the blood of the people. has never lost us
adherents 10 France. Nor IS that oil. 1t has
many followers south Of the Alps and the
Pyrenees. The RAyAcHoLs and kindred
terrorlsts represent the most intense de-
velopment OF this and similar classes of
enemies of the existing order Of things.
They are vanguarls Of heterogeneous
army OF indictments. aud their deeds are
calculated to in1ame that army to the
point OF action. This IS recognized
throughout Europe and recognized with
sense Of the grayest apprehension. It Is
not so much what tho Anarchists have
done as what their outrages import and
may foreshsdow that is the problem the
authorities have % face to-day.