New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-21
SCIENTIFIC ANARCHIST.
NJ RECLUS THE GEOGRAPHER, Elk
POUNDS THE DOCTRINES OF THE
SOCIAL. REVOLUTION.

SOCIAL REVOLUTION.
The implication Of Paul Reclus in the Anar'
chist plots I'm Paris calls attention TO MS ia'her'
the famous geographer, Elisee Eecius' who' De-
cause Of his participation in the COMMUNE his
Anarchist opinions and sympathy with Mill
ism. has for many years been an exile iroh
France He makes his home at Clarehs' on
Lake I.eman amid some OF the most peau'nui
and nsniring scenery in all Switzerland. occupy
ing modest villa close to the edge OF the water;
80 close, indeed that at his study window ne
can like the prisoner of Chillon on the same
lake. feel the spray when winds are high 1t
was here that he gave refuge to his friend and
feIov-student Prince Krapotkin, and here that
literary and scientific folk nnumerable have
Visited him. to enjoy his charming society ana
10 deplore his absence from the great centres OF
art and learning.
As pictured by a visitor NJ. Reclus is short OF
stature and slightly built. some sixty years DID,
and with nothing about him of the typical
Frenchman lie has a forehead Of unusual
height and breadth. from which rails nacK
rather unkempt mass Of once brown halr' MIN
gled now with many streak5 Of gray. His mus
tache and beard are Of the same nue., ms eyes
deep blue. and his remarkable face denotes at
once mower sympathy and high intelligence
Like his friend Prince Krapotkin he has more
the air Of a man Of letters than OF a man or
action. and there IL nothing whatever in his
manner or his appearance to distinguish him as
an ardent re yolutionis or enthusiastic renovator
of society.
It IL impossible to converse many minutes
with the learned author Of The Earth with
ont being struck with the encyclopaedia charac-
ter Of his knowledge. Many literary men forget
a great deal Of what even they themselves nave
written: but NJ. Reclus. whose published works
form a not nconsiderable library, seems to re-
member all he has eyer read. He knows the
world better than some people know their own
parishes and supports his arguments with
wealth Of illustration and facility or express
sion which. should he ever take to talking.
would make him one of the most formidable de-
baters Of the age. His powers of assimilation
and ACQUISITION are extraordinary. lie learned
the Russian language in order that he might the
better write the article on Russia FOR his monu-
,pental work universal Geography" and has
knowledge Of nearly every European tongue.
NJ Reclus is however at least as much revo-
Iution;st as a man Of letters He has, too, the
courage Of his convictions. He is as faithfni 10
his ideal of duty as were his Huguenot ancestors
Some years ago when. in his Jealous effor's III
behalf Of Krapotkin, he placed himself at the DIS
| posal of the Lyons examining judge, he informed
his mother that he might have to go to prison.
go" she answered, IF you consider 1t your
duty"
NJ Reclus objects not to governments alone.
| but to every sort Of authority. What would
/ Won do on board a ship in a Storm he was
asked LAS Greek sailors" he answered; choose
! tho ablest mariner amongst us-the one with the
| best coup d'oe-to take the management OF the
ship But We should neither treat him as a cap
! tain nor call him one-smpy carry out MS Ill
rections as one has 40 carry out the oirecuohs
Of surgeon who performs an operation. Every
man to his METER
And this great division Of property, how
would you bring that abOut?' I'VE don't lntend
to bring it about at ALL" was his reply we are
not so stupid to suppose that II Is either de-
sirabe or possible to make an equal DIVISION Oh
! property But we look upon all property as the
common possession Of humanity. and we con-
slider that IL shOdld be enjoyed In common.
There is enough for ALL and all should work ana
all enjoy the fruits Of their labor. But this END
can never be attained by governments, or
through irresponsible deputies; we propose.
therefore. TO put an end TO both" How in that
/ case would you project the weak from the
| strong how put down crime and PUNISH criHi-
| mails? For the destruction Of authority would
imply the abolition Of tribunals, police ana SOL
| diers" THE man who commits a crime, ne
said "interferos with my freedom. impedes my
liberty Of action. He would be brought before
one Of the groups into which society would
spontaneously resolve itself and-I do not say
punished-restrained. But we should not require
courts and policemen for that
He was further asked to explain how. in the
| event Of private trading being abolished coun'
try like England which is dependent on foreign
countries for much of its corn and meat. could
| feed its people That. he admitted. would be
difficult at frst-especiay If England should he
| the first TO adopt the anarchic programme. lie
| coutended. however, that in a very short uine
| after the land was nationalized IL would produce
enough food for all the people who lived on IL.
| BY turning meadows into corn land. cultivatinS
waste places and adopting scientific system OF
| husbandry enough food might be produced 10
dispense altogether with foreign importatipns.
| This contention he supported by adducing d
multitude OF facts and figures which showed
whatever might he the merit OF his arguments
| a thorough acquaintance with the subject Bus
/ the point on which he dwelt the most. ana 20
which he returned again and again, was ,ias
! this mother earth of ours produces enough .,
everything to make all her children happy aho
that poverty and all its woes arise not as IL 10
the fashion to say, from the nature OF tninss'
but from bad laws and selfishness in high places.
I'VE want" he said, ito shake off these fetters
these vicious old nstitutions-that render tne
poor poorer the rich richer that force nine mn.
lions of your English people 10 keep all 'he resi-
in deness This is the object or anarr nannh
but everything-every movement. every speech
every incident that makes for the redemption
of the disinherited and the freedom OF the So
cially oppressed-that also is anarchy. Propa-
ganda by acts" a phrase which anarchists are
very fond of using. does not he explained mean
propaganda by violence, but by any sort OF
demonstration on the platform or otherwise
whereby attention Is called to the social ques-
ton and the need for new order OF Things
THE VENERABLE MAID AND THE FRESHMAN.
In the earlier days of certain New-Engiand col
ere one OF the secret societies had its quarters
beneath the roof of hosptable old citizen OF the