Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-08-25

BENJAMIN r. TUCKER
est amount OF liberty consistent with
equality of liberty. That excludes
government as the term is generally
understood, meaning the subsection OF
the noninvasive individual to a will
not his own. The state is looked upon
as the embodiment of government ia
an individual or set of individuals as
suming TO act as representatives or
masters of the entire people within a
given area. In so governing, the state
is alleged to violate the equality OF
liberty, and ideal anarchy would there
fore abolish the state.
To ask an anarchist what he would
substitute for government, says an adj
vocate of the theory, is like asking
free trader what he would substitute
for the tariff. 1t may be observed,
however, that anarchism does not ex-
clude under this definition the right OF
the individual to defend himself
against aggression or the right of indi
viduals to organize on a purely volun-
tary basis for such defense.
This theory may appeal to the ideal
list as something very pretty, but to
the coarser being. who does not know
the difference between liberty and IL
cense and would greatly prefer license
if the distinction could be discerned,
anarchy appeals as a religion of venge
ance and unbridled passion. That this
mill town, with its heterogeneous pop
ulation, should breed nest of anarch
lists is therefore nothing strange.
The general rules by which anarch-
lists are guided--they object to the word
governed throughout the world are
understood to be the same and impress
an outsider as being more inconsider
ate of individual liberty. the alleged
foundation stone of anarchy, than the
government of Russia, Turkey or Zu-
luland. The orthodox anarchists must
recognize no country and no law. They
must not permit any division among
themselves. They are to recognize no
judicial tribunals other than q tribu-
nal of honor named by themselves.
The DEGREES of this tribunal are irrev-
ocable. The anarchists form a close
body. Each one, at the peril of his life,
are to look upon the social revolution
as the first and highest of their duties
and the first of their obligations. They
must repudiate every revolutionary
movement which does not have the de-
struction of capital as its direct OBJ
ject. No anarchist dare decline TO ac-
complish the mission intrusted TO him
unless physically incapacitated. In
this case he is to be replaced by anoth-
er comrade. No anarchist is allowed
to exercise public function without
the authorization of the assembly or TO !
take part in foreign manifestation in |
the interest of the cause without the |
same permission. His only care should |
be the revolution. All anarchists |
should be personally acquainted with |
one another. Anarchists are to keep |
no political secrets from one another. |
They are not to become members of |
other associations unless in the hope of |
discovering secrets interesting to an |
archsm or to unveil the actions Of a
false comrade allied With the bour- |
geolsie. This last will be considered /
one of the most important services to |
be rendered to the cause
One of the leading anarchists of the |
higher class is Benjamin X. Tucker of |
New York, man of education and
refinement, who is. of course. opposed /
to the murderous element. In Mr.. /
fuckers opinion there are some 300.-
900 persons In this country in sympathy
with the anarchist tendency, although
the number Of avowed plumb liners"
is quite small. These anarchists sup
port quite literature and their publi-
cations have been always admitted TO
the United States mails without ques-
ton. 1t is estimated that about $780,
600 is now invested in publishing
plants devoted to the propaganda of
anarchy. Various attempts have been
made to exclude these publications
from the United States mails. but
the anarchists have been able
to exert influence enough TO prevent
such action. PETER HAMILTON.