The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-01
LEADER OF SOCIALISM
Famous Laurence Gronlund Ar
rives in the City,.
HE is SEEKING FOR CONVERTS.
Only the weil-to-Do Can Aid the Poor
A Revolution Coming in Ten
Years. Violent Maybe.

Laurence Gronlund. the socialist, whose
name is famous throughout the civilized
world. is in Seattle. He arrived yester-
day, and will remain here for some time,
in an endeayor TO make converts to his
way OF thinking. Beginning next Sunday
he will speak at the old church on the
corner of Third and Madison streets,
choosing for his theme 1.-The Moral Reach
and Relation of Our Country" No admis-
sion viii be charged. and the first lecture
will be followed by others embracing
such topics as Socialism is inevitable,
coming under all circumstances, whether
we like ii or not" Socialism will ad-
vance individuality. instead of crushing
it out" Socialism will regenerate us
morally. and is the only thing that can re-
generate us morally Socialism will
raise the position of woman, and will ben
eft highly our children. under socialism
no child would ever be a bread winner"
How socialism would be inaugurated
practically in this country
Speaking last evening of socialism, Mr..
Gronlund said that he had become an eX-
ponent of its principles in Chicago in
1879, after he had practiced law for twelve
years. He gave up his profession and
since the death of his wife in the latter
part of 1882 has found life worth living
only by going about the country and
preaching ''colectivism,' as he terms lis
belief, to distinguish IL from anarchism,
which he SAYS is the greatest foe to the
principles he advocates. He declares that
trusts are the most important phenomena
in this country. and from their very ex-
istence he claims to be able to prove that
socialism is coming inevitably. The most
important step for a state to take, in his
opinion, is to furnish work for the unem-
ployed. which in itself is most practical
measure. OF socialism he says:
that socialism will
be inaugurated in this country, but not by
any party. There are only two countries,
England and America. where it may be
established, and in my opinion it will
come in this country Just the same way as
slavery was abolished. 1t is just possible
that it may be ten years from now, for
revolution in its last stages is always
rapid, and in this country especially ii will
come very fast when once started. ] have
predicted a revolution, but do not mean
necessarily a violent revolution. My idea
is to accomplish the results gradually,
and in that particular differ from Euro
peans and socialists of German extrac-
tion who want the change made at a
single Jump. / say, nevertheless. that if
the well-to-do will not become interested
in the movement it will come of itself
and may be violent. What we need is
leaders, and they ought to be chosen from
among the so-called upper class. for the
iapOflnS man tdIliiOl HSlp IlitiSciAs anu IL
I can persuade three such, two men and
woman, during my stay in this city,
shall feel that / have accomplished great
results.
'It is a lamentable fact that Americans
either want to make money, or they want
to shine in society, and my object is to
instruct the so-called educated class, be-
cause I hold that they actually know less
than their fellows lower in the scale. The
great danger is that socialism VIII become
a class movement. as In Europe, and II it
does the fault will be that of the well-to-
do people. I want to approach these peo-
pie, and to address them from the pulpits
of the various churches. In that way
hope to form Fabian societies, as in Lon
don and 10 hold parlor meetings and TO
advance socialism by literary methods"
Mr.. Gronlund who is by birth a Dane.
says he has no sympathy with such ex"
preston as "Scandnavian-Ameri
decentralization" He thinks Amer
lean" sufficient. Since he came to this >.
country in 1866 he was for time en-
ployed in the United States bureau OF
labor and afterward spent three years
in England and France, where he met
everybody connected with the movement.
TIE is the author OF THE Cooperative
Commonwealth" Ca Ira Ut VIII Gomez;
or. Danton in the French Revolution"
and "Our Destiny" His works are read
side by side with those of Henry George,
and "The Cooperative Commonwealth
has passed its hundreth thousand. He
has an autograph letter from Count Leo
Tolstoi. acknowledging the receipt of
Our Destiny" and the famous novelist
saws the book mades UGH an impression
on him that he has wished Il 10 be trans
lated into Russian. Mr.. Gronlund also
has a postal card from Emile Laveleye.
who commends in brief but highly com
plimentary terms Ca Ira" The tenth
chanter of 1.-THE Cooperative Common
wealth" treating Of woman in the CO.
operative state. has been translated into
six languages, and scattered broadcast
IN Europe.
In anpearance Grormnd is the typlcal
socialist Of continental Europe. He is
of middle stature. has long hair short,
irregular beard beginning to turn gray,
a healthy complexion. very bright eyes
that grow brighter when he talks. and
good forehead that seems to recede be-
cause OF the full development of what
the phrenologist calls the seat of the per-
certive faculties His dress Is also so
plain as TO be almost shabby. II is dis
appointment 10 meet him. for most OF
his readers have pictured Laurence Gron-
lund rs the student. not as the agitator,
and he looks the agitator. But he pleases
better in conversation showing wide in
formation and a tolerance of others be-
liefs that is quite foreign to most social
list organizers or even TO the ordinary
labor reformer He has a musical voice.
with a Scandinavian accent so slight as
not to be unpleasant and, for a man who
is known and esteemed by every social
ist In the world. he Is extremely modest
and dsinclined TO self-assertion.
During his stay in this city his head
quarters viii be at the Western Central
labor union hall.