The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-27

the proud mans contumely, the Incidence
of office or the laws delay.
This, OF course, sounds very absurd, but
Prince kropotkn and Geographer Reclus
We're not fools, and what they had 20 say on
this subject deserved the attention tnat
should always be given to the ioings and
suggestions Of distinguished men. The root
idea of anarchy was, according TO their be-
lief, that human nature is essentially good
that all there is III it of evil comes from
the outside that is to say, from bad social
systems and the monopoly OF power and
wealth by class. and that the only remedy
is political and social revolution, which
shall spare no form of government what
ever. do not know what the prince pro-
fesses now, nor what line of thought he Is
going to deliver in the Lowell Institute
course next month, but that was the anar-
chial way he spoke of things ten years ago
Prince Kropotkin has very striking lace
and his broad, high forehead is made I'll the
higher by the thinness of his chestnut hair
out the color of his eyes because he wore
spectacles, but / thought then that they
We're brown, and certainly they We're ful
of vivacity and intelligence. And whether
he be Nihilist, Socialist or Anarchist, his IS
face that is winning and sympathetic, and
yet it is firm and powerful He is essen
TALLY kind hearted, considerate of Others
and is very poor, even though he IS de-
seconded from the royal house of Rurick, a
clan much older than that of the Romanon
The title of prince that undoubtedly belongs
to him he heartily despises.. just as Henri
Rochefort despises that of marquis, TO
which he is the rightful heir.
LETTER IN A KISS.
That evening in 1857 the prince told us
how he managed TO communicate with his
friends from the prison hospital, and as
this is also something you will not find
in Stepniak's sensational book, it may prop
erly be repeated here. People visited him
sometimes and in Russia, as elsewhere on
the continent close friends and kinsfolk
kiss each other when they meet or at part
ing Kropotkin used to write short mis-
sives on small pieces Of paper; he folded
them into tiny package, and passed them
with q kiss into the mouth of a friend. 1t
was thus, with the aid of his sister, that he
arranged with brother NihiliSts for his es-
cape as already described in this article.
The story Of how Kropotkin became an
Anarchist is interesting. After completing
his studies at the College of Pages in 1861
he entered the Russian army and headed
a scientific expedition to Siberia, where ne
collected vast amount OF lntormaIloh'
which he subsequently utilized in colap-
Grafton with Ellsee Reclus. On his return
he wrote several valuable scientific works,
and began one on the glaciers OF az illiadiu'
which he was afterward permitted 10 cQIi-
tinue in the prison of SIS. Peter and Paui,
where he was kept three years before go
ing to the hospital. Next he was appoint
ed chamberlain to the Empress of Russia,
and received several decorations. In lSil
he visited western Europe and entered INTO
relations with several of the leading reVo-
lutionists of France and Germany, became
a member of the international Society OF
WOrkmen, ana adopted the lneOileS " ltlS
extreme or anarchical party of which he
still remains Il fervent advocate.
In 1872 he returned to Russia, and at
once threw in his lot with the revolution
AIRY party, who intrusted him with the duty
of drawing up their programmes ana pre-
pairing d plan for their organization. In
the following winter he delivered secret lee
lures in favor of social reform ard revolu-
ton. calling himself BarodiI meInwmie
and bringing the police about his ears put
they could not lay hands on him, ana
workman was brbed to betray the prince
The establishment at court was very great
when 1t was discovered that the Empress $
chamberlain and the notorious Barodin
were the same person.
Prince Kropotkin is undoubtedly fine
man, a learned person of courtly and gra-
cious bearing. The only difference between
Kropotkin and Louise Michel as Anarch-
lists is ths-he is a theorist, she u militant
There is no precise form of anarchy, ana
the only expose of the pernicious doctrine
one which Prince Kropotkin presented IN
a lecture delivered by him in Lewis Hail.
at Paris in 1877. on "Anarchie dams Evolu-
ton Socialiste." Here is the oehnlte pro-
gramme which he then outlined
Freedom of the producer from the YOKE
of capital Production i'll common and free
consumption of all products OF common Ia
Dor. Freedom from the governmental yoke.
Free DEVELOPMENT of individuals into groups
and groups into federation. Free orgalnza-
ton OF the simple to the compound. accord
ing to needs and mutual tendencies. Free
dom from the religious moral. Free morals
with neither obligation nor sanction de-
veloping from the very life of the societies
and passing into state of custom.
A hatred of established laws a change
of moral obligations restriction of author
ity under all forms, political, 1ncorporal or
economical-these are the foundation pre-
cepts Of all Anarchists, whether they be
for their motto the verse of the fabulist:
NOtrC ennenl e est nOJfe lnalllO