The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-12

Unlonisn" OF John Burns was In the as
cendancy IN Great Britain and he aud
his fellows saw the words Political SUI
prenhcy" written I'm iridescent letters
just ahead. This brought about the send
ing OF many English delegates 10 Zu-
rich. and IL w1s because OF their influence
there that London was fixed upon AS the
location or this year gathering. and the
invitations were broadencd so as 10 In
clude Trade Inionists as well as Social
lists. Since 1898. however. there has been
a notable change. The unsklied laborei .
who had come to the front In the Eng
lish Labor movement by reason OF the
book LaDorers strike. mas lost much OF
his leading, and Burns. Tom Mann. Ben
Iillotf, Kerr lIardie and the others who
had usurped the places OF the Old time
Union leaders are far less prominent fig
ures than they were. The English In
dependent labor party that put these and
other men into Parliament has lost much
OF IL power and most OF its legislative
scats.
At the Cardiff congress Of the English
Trade Unionists. an out and out Socialis-
tic platfOrm-for the collective owner
ship OF all means OF production and dis
tributiOn was adopted. and a committee.
with John Burns az IFS head was appoint
ed 10 raise stif campaign fund. or tho
thousands Of pounds which II was hoped
and eapected would be subscribed, only
Paitry Elin was pledged and several
Of he mos; powerful English labor or
ganizaiions. Ike The ship builders and
the boiler makers have fallen away from
the new movement. In these circum-
stances. and also because the American
Federation Of Labor. the greatest afiiliat-
Federation Of Labor the greatest Affiliate
ell body u Trade Unionsts in the world
has declined utterly 10 send delegates. the
London Congress will probably devote
little time or attention TO British or
American Trade T-ri0niSm bur will be
CrTfTUtNI 81 9 HW N fh tho Ifg Grhf no
tween the M0rAists and those who sym
pathZe with DOmela NieWolhuis. the
great leader Of the Social Democrats OF
Holland. Neither are British wOrkmen
likely To take much interest in the con-
eress. i'm spite Of the fact that for tho
last six months such English Socialists
as Edward Avciirg. Tom Mann, James
MnWt~.oN- william lnskip and others
members Of tho Organizing Committee"
60 show. by the way, John Burns does
not belong) have been frartically striv-
ing 10 awaken the English toieB to
the Importance Of the gathering
THE MARNlS7S AND OPPONENTS
II IS the chief aim Of the MarXists.
among whom are Rebel. Liebnecht and
many other German Socialists. 20 bring
about the universal adoption by Euro
pean workngmen Of the political plan
Tor me reiuyenatiOn Of society. They
hold that there must he no compromise,
that the fight must be made along pO-
litical lines alone More than that. they
depIore the occurring OF better condis
tons by Trade Union methods. since they
claim such amelioratiOn Of existing evils
only tends to put Off the time when
the wOrkingmen will rise I'm their might
and upset things at wholesale. The Marx
lists are especially bitter against Nlewpn-
huis. because ne differs radically with
the MARKHAM policy. Theoretically he is
as pronounced a Socialist as any OF the
Germans but he believes heartily IN the
methods or the trade unions and In pro-
ductiOn by voluntary cooperation, rather
than i'm relying wholly upon political and
parliamentary work 10 improve the con-
dition of the people. As no is the chair
man OF n delegation Of from sixty 10 sew
enty from Holland. and as he can uroha-
bly, hold his followers. in spite or minor
differences among them, his import
ance as an ant-NarXiet will readily be
son to believe that he Will be supported
by the majority Of such English della
gates as attCrd, especially those OF lib
oral trade rrion tendency
Among the French. too, Niewenhuis
will have meny SUPP orterS They will be
Dr., wn mostly from the ranks Of the
Pcs sibilists or OIportuulsts and the
Planquists. Anti-MarXists viii not not
be wanting. even among the Germans,
especially those sympathizing with fhc
Anarchists. who are 70 be shut out Of the
coming conceive altogether. Perhaps this
has as mitch 10 do with the present
precariouS tenure OF the MARKHAM power
as anything else. s.ncc not only are the
most radical Ararchists-tbose who be-
lieye iu immemdiate resort ~ physica
forco-tis bomb. the torch and the bull
lot-tO be excluded. but also those who
have OufgfOWn reyolutionism ana are
nov cvolciionists or theoreticnl Anafch-
fists with those latter, Nlevnnhuis pro-
feseos strong sympathy. and so DO those
among the cultured young German Social
fists who have imhlbed the teacnines or
Ibscn and others or nus way OF i"h.ns
and hold that the wOrkingm"n. ns they
are stand little show OF securing tn'lr
desires Though the ballot. Dust iaNc@
first ~ all the thorough organization OF
tho people and the careful study OF eco
monies by the masses. This group OF
German Socialists includes number
Of brilliant young mon who have with
drawn from the Social Democratic move
monr and are striving 10 further the nom
political trade union movement by every
means within their power. or these are
Bruno Willie. Theodore ierZka, haupt-
man. Mack8y-a German with scotch
others, who VIII make CONF
mon cause with Gustav Laudaucr the
x-SOcialist now an evolutionary Auaro D.
ist but not a revOlutioniSt' ana Wio
POSSIBLE against the indiscrminate cNclu-
sion from the congress OF those VINO 40
NOT fan in with the MarXists
The strongest supporters or the Marx
IAN programme. drllt ilvN lilN W. liitN7
themselves. will bee led 10y the French
faction headed by Jules Gucsede. who
will offer a resolution that the objects
of the labor movement. as Socialists un-
dorsfand 10. car be served only by the
workers obtaining complete control oG
political power. the early establishment
Of the cooperative Commonwealth ana
the overturning Of oil existing govern
ments The battle royal Of the congress
will begin as soon as that resolution Is
presented and the Social Democrats ~
Holland will he among IFS chief oppo-
nents They and the other groups here
mentioned will fight for the present CON
centratlOn of energies In order ~ bring
about the better education of the masses
before more radical steps are taken. and
I'm favor OF the wOrkingman's accepting
he can get under the present
order IL is certain that the bitterest ami
mosites will be aroused during the debate
upon this resolution. aud it would not
surprise many Of the intelligent students
Df the SOcialistic movement ON both sides
N the Atlantic. should the result be the
RS pulsion of the minority faction. wnlch-
ever that shall prove TO be. This would,
OF course, result I'm permanent spnt.
OSBORN SPENCER.