The Washington times., 1894-09-09
TOILERS HERE AND ABROAD
Radical Ideas Have Less Hold in
America Than in England.
JOHN BURNS AND HIS DOINGS
he Has Tempered the Tone Of His Recent Ut
terancss, but srill Holds His socialistic
Views-What Labor Leaders in America
Think Of the Advanced Movement"

1t has fallen to the lot Of the undersigned,
as the representative OF a ''capitalistic" jour
nal, to investigate, with as little prejudice as
may be, certain aspects OF the great labor
movements in America and England.
Some of the most interesting and important
OF these aspects are more or less closely con-
nected with the question of socialism. In
Great Britain the labor movement has Of late
years been largely affected and influenced by
the inroads Of German and other sOeiaiistic
and anarchistic ideas. Such ideas have been
received by sections of British workmen with
favor, with the result that the cause of labor
in the ''hght little island" has lost or failed
TO receive much enthusiastic support which,
under other circumstances, would have been
secured TO it.
Thirty years ago, when an agitation for ex-
tension Of the parliamentary franchise to
Workingmen' householdefs was az its height
in the old country, Gen. CIuseret, shortly
afterward Of French commune notoriety, was
visiting in London. In an apparent fit OF
enthusiastic sympathy with the British toil9rs
the yivacious Frenchman submitted to few
OF the leading spirits Of the movement plan
for socially reYolutionizing England by force
of arms, and incidentally for the destruction
Of the monarchy and the setting up o. the
pleal republic. The suggestion was made
onlyto be unhesitatingly rejected and secuted
by the sturdy and conservative popular
leaders of that day. who informed Ciuseret
that ''the workingmen Of England desired
reform, not revolution" And reform they
obtained, by peaceable and intelligent dis
plays OF strength and by acting on every oc-
auE aryifb bfraN hlf fFafarn fargrr lou
LATE ENGLISH TENDENCIES.
During more recent years. however, the
wise and cautious conservatism Of 1866 has
given way, to a very regrettable extent, before
the invasion Of socialistie and anarchistic
propagandists Clubs for the dissemination
of the lawless and un-English notions and
methods of Herr Most and Louise Michel have
sprung up in London and other industrial
centers. Threats have taken the place Of
logical adjustment and firm. respectful de-
mand. Where, formerly, masses Of orderly
men and multitudes of hopeful faces were
seen, mobs of desperate malcontents with sui
len, yengeful countenances frequently congre-
gate. The shallow and dangerous dema-
gogues, whose aim 1t Is to arouse the prejU-
dlces and excite the worst passions OF these
deluded people, do not take as their text
WebSterS definition OF socialism, VIZ: "A
theory of society which advocates a more
precise, orderly and harmonious arrange
ment of ths social relations of mankind ~
Rather do they descant wildly upon the
beast Of property" and distort from its real
Specification the great truth that. ''as labor is
the source of all wealth, therefore all wealth
belongs to labor" They lose sight. for ex-
ample. Of the fact that their own rawlings and
senseless indictments TO violence constitute
species OF labor for which the most fitting
reward would be a prompt relegation to IN
nocuous desUetude" Orators of this order
and their numerous dunes have alienated
much sympathy from the cause Of genuine
labor reform.