The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-04
THOU "MUsT."

THOU "MUsI."
The 1rst Gay Of May II the annual cccs-
ssoa for the socialists Of Europe 10 have .
Fight with the police This year the riots
have been very few. but with the usual re-
quits The socialists Of Paris have post
ponst their customary fua until today.
when they VIII march TO the town hall
and, a. they call 81. make = demonstr7-
ton" agains: the senate. This viii be very
well. unless some OF the hos-heaced con-
clude tia; the only way 20 elevate the hn-
man race IL 20 crack q poiicernar's skull
and the shortest cut to the millennium Is
by creating . disturbance IN . saloon.
Then there VIII be some rough handling
ana the grsat demonstration viii be over
until next year.
How very silly Il looks 70 o. at . dis
lance Yet there IL some excuse for many
OF tbs peoples OF Europe to struggle
against the expressions under which they
bend; and American sympathy must 90 out
to those viennese who assembled for the
purpose Of advocating universal suffrage.
the panacea for all evils held IN high es-
teen by those who DO not enjoy It.
II would be exceedingly absurd To resort
10 rioting and breaking windows II the peo-
pic had the power. ~ they have under this
government. TO rectify all wrongs by tbs
ballot. Even here Il 10 not always to be
done n haste; but no serious evil can exist
long II the people are determined 70 have
the Law changed.
II must be remembered. however, that
what is an evil to some IL not an evil to
others. and the chief obstacle very often
20 remedial legislation Is the impossibility
of reconciling interests 10 a point OF COM
mon meeting. A large number OF men arc
employed in the manufacture OF oleonar-
garine: expensive machinery has been
erected 70 prepare II and considerable capt.
tai enlisted. Producers OF articles as TO
which this lie brought into competition seek
to have laws passed to check the trafiic.
which Is resisted as strenuously. Labor en-
ployed by a municipality seeks TO have an
ordinance passed raising the pay: the tax
payers who will have to defray the ad-
ditionai expense seek 10 have the proposed
law rejected. A law Is passed placing re-
ssrictions on certain lines OF trade: hun
dreds OF people dependent on II seek to
amend the law In order that their employ
ment may be continued
Very often what some people call their
rights are really only their interests. which
cannot be fostered without infringing up
on the interests OF others. The question
OF the tariff very strikingly presents this
Thousands Of men voted in favor OF a
policy which was. they believed. calcu-
lated to give them cheaper clothes and
other articles supposed to be sold at too
high a price on account OF the protective
tariff. 1t looked reasonable enough; but
there was another phase OF the question.
which has since presented itself
Another example is afforded by some
news published yesterday. Suppose that
from ST. Petersburg We received the fol-
lowing dispatch:
THE czar OF Russia has Just issued a
tyrannical order that no man shall be per-
mitted TO work In this city unless he COM
plies with certain conditions. and any en-
pioyer giving him work will be compelled
to suspend 1t The government has or
dered out gems armes to search every
workman and see that he has a permit.
He must either comply or be expelled The
country for no man dare give him work"
Tho dispatch did not come from Russia
but from San Francisco and the order
came not from a car but from working
men against other workingmen.
Trades unionism is a splendid protec-
ton for workingmen: the necessity for
organization sgains, INSCRIPTIONS and
greedy employers Is Imperative: working
men will generally ind It to their interest
to join unions. and there should be no
question as to the right 20 strike But
the word must is CALLING to the ArneFi-
can spirit.
II IL good to be a member OF a church
sometimes TO belong 20 a fraternal soci-
ETY.. 10 make provision by insurance for a
family: but any one OF these corlmenda-
bic things would become offensive II any
force could say you must"
workingmen OF America. who have
never experienced tho CALLING yoke o. a
cespotism. owe Il 20 themselves not TO
set up a precedent The same spirit which
makes religious belief free. decries that
form Of prohibition which arbitrarily In
terferes with a mans liberty OF action.
ard appeals on all sides 20 greater freedom
from arbitrary control
There should be no power In de~rotio
Europe or In free America which may say
10 any man you must" except the Law
which equally governs all.