Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-09-13
" hat is Anarchy and Who Anarchis's!

We confess to no little qualification a
the words of so able and Thoughtful
man as Rev Merrill c Ward, one wh'
differs from the Reformer on many sub
lects, in approval OF the Reformer's posi-
: ton against the hue and cry that par
rs takes of the lynch law principle itself
st that has been aroused on the subject o.
g aparchism by the dastardly crime a
Buffalo. The ethical bearings could moi
be stated more clearly and forcibly thar
> Mr. Wards states them, and his illustra'
q tons might be indefinitely multiplied.
= However impractical and utopion, for
!. this age at least, the anarchlat theory
may be, there is certainly nothing GRIM
|inal it and nothing that, except by the
grossest and most obvious perversion
can lead to crime. That it has been
made the subject of such perversion and
the cloak, partly fanatical and partly
criminal, for deeds that contradict its
very idea, has been true in many cases
and has been charged in many more.
But it has also been true and has beeen
charged OF Christianity itself as well as
of the principle CT Republlcanism,
Every one one of the things now being
said in press and pulpit can find its
prototype in famous writings against
the early Christians, and tons of books
have been written in Europe to maintain
that the atrocities of the Reign of Terror
in the F.ench Revolution were the natur-
al consequences of the theory of self
government. We are able now to see
the nonsense of all this. Whether a
future age will in a like way rec
ognize the folly of the present
fren2ed outburst with regard to
the doctrine of anarchism most unfor-
fortunately named as doctrinc-none
of us is wise enough to know. But at
least we are able to be reasonable beings |
to inform ourselves as to what tine doc
thine really is and candidly answer
whether it deserves any such measures
CT violent repressien as ara demanded.
1t has been wttily said that anarchy
is only the logical conclusion OF Democ.
rscy. nr the Jcflersonian indivdualstic
theory Of government, and socialism
likewise the end of the opposing Repub-
lican, Hamillonian or centralizing
theory. And there is undeniably large
measure of truth in the statement; we
who believe in either theory simply re
frain from going the full length. We
Democrats, when we say THAT
goveermnut is best which governs
leastn concede the anarchists ideal, but I
say that with human nature as it is, {
there must be some government,
bat that we should get as near |
the anarchist line as practicabl The Re {
publican on the other hand, while adopt.
ing, enough of the socialist doctrine to i
say that government should do what t
seems to be for the greatest good Of the t
greatest number, stops short OF the idea +
hat it would be good for it to do every :
hing. t
Not ouly Count Tolstai, greatest Of r
living novelists, and Prince kropotkin a
Who gave up wealth and position second il
,nly to those of tie Gar in his devotion lvr
o the idea. but many others OF the best ii
minds and noblest spirits of the age are it
believers in and advocates OF anac a
hism, such as Elsee Reclus, the famous o
french geographer, Count Malatesta, tC
whose family is one of the noblest in d
italy, who, however, seems to be more N
Il sympathy with the violent or ''red' tC
endeDcy, and DR. Savaria Merlino. an W
ther famous Italian leader, who visited W
his country few years ago whe is also 70
f noble family. b,
The Russian Jews. perhaps because of ne
lie conditions from whichltheyIhavfhed, al
nd their personal knowledge of what as
bsolute government means, have been oh
allied the "aristocracy of anarcbism'' re
! this country. They certainly recruit an
5 ranks more numerously than any so
.her class of peOpIe but careful statistics lie,
New York city show that of all our in,
ANTS, VI udllNE sIUCh tiJLel, tflclt an
none that contribute so small per in
,ntage of crime. so large one of indus
y and thrift, and sobriety and good
der, or so marked an eagerness for the 49,
ucation of their young as these same 80
ussian Jews. No American can read
r Refs account of his visits to their
hools and the shining eyes and sutfused -,
eeks with which the children every -
ornirg salute the flag and sing THE H.,
ar Spangled Banner" without being ~
rlled clear through. w.
There could be no greaterfolly for our
vernment, than to take oppressive go
easures against such a people, even -,
ough they carry as a matter of theory, WI
an impracticable extreme what are the
.er all only American ideas. sen
The Schley court of inquiry convened -.
Washington yesterday, but Schley's -,
lnsel challenged Admiral HoWisou as