按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
tional power for a question of public propriety。 But this method has the disadvantage； that it belittles the Constitution by making it an obstacle to progress。 Running through much political controversy in the United States is the argument that； even granting that a proposal has all the merit claimed for it； nevertheless it cannot be adopted because the Constitution is against it。 By strict logical inference the rejoinder then comes that； if so； the Constitution is no longer an instrument of national advantage。 The traditional attachment of the American people to the Constitution has indeed been so strong that they have been loath to accept the inference that the Constitution is out of date； although the quality of legislation at Washington kept persistently suggesting that view of the case。
The failures and disappointments resulting from the series of national elections from 1874 to 1884； at last； made an opening for party movements voicing the popular discontent and openly antagonistic to the traditional Constitution。 The Socialist Labor party held its first national convention in 1877。 Its membership was mostly foreign； of twenty…four periodical publications then carried on in the party interest； only eight were in the English language； and this polyglot press gave justification to the remark that the movement was in the hands of people who proposed to remodel the institutions of the country before they had acquired its language。 The alien origin of the movement was emphasized by the appearance of two Socialist members of the German Reichstag； who made a tour of this country in 1881 to stir up interest in the cause。 It was soon apparent that the growth of the Socialist party organization was hindered by the fact that its methods were too studious and its discussions too abstract to suit the energetic temper of the times。 Many Socialists broke away to join revolutionary clubs which were now organized in a number of cities without any clearly defined principle save to fight the existing system of government。
At this critical moment in the process of social disorganization； the influence of foreign destructive thought made itself felt。 The arrival of Johann Most from Europe； in the fall of 1882； supplied this revolutionary movement with a leader who made anarchy its principle。 Originally a German Socialist aiming to make the State the sole landlord and capitalist； he had gone over to anarchism and proposed to dissolve the State altogether； trusting to voluntary association to supply all genuine social needs。 Driven from Germany； he had taken refuge in England； but even the habitual British tolerance had given way under his praise of the assassination of the Czar Alexander in 1881 and his proposal to treat other rulers in the same way。 He had just completed a term of imprisonment before coming to the United States。 Here； he was received as a hero； a great mass meeting in his honor was held in Cooper Union； New York； in December； 1882； and when he toured the country he everywhere addressed large meetings。
In October 1883； a convention of social revolutionists and anarchists was held in Chicago； at which a national organization was formed called the International Working People's Association。 The new organization grew much faster than the Socialist party itself； which now almost disappeared。 Two years later； the International had a party press consisting of seven German； two Bohemian； and only two English papers。 Like the Socialist party； it was； therefore； mainly foreign in its membership。 It was strongest in and about Chicago； where it included twenty groups with three thousand enrolled members。 The anarchist papers exhorted their adherents to provide themselves with arms and even published instructions for the use of dynamite。
Political and industrial conditions thus supplied material for an explosion which came with shocking violence。 On May 4； 1885； towards the close of an anarchist meeting held in Chicago； a dynamite bomb thrown among a force of policemen killed one and wounded many。 Fire was at once opened on both sides； and； although the battle lasted only a few minutes； seven policemen were killed and about sixty wounded； while on the side of the anarchists； four were killed and about fifty were wounded。 Ten of the anarchist leaders were promptly indicted； of whom one made his escape and another turned State's evidence。 The trial of the remaining eight began on June 21； 1886； and two months later the death sentence was imposed upon seven and a penitentiary term of fifteen years upon one。 The sentences of two of the seven were commuted to life imprisonment； one committed suicide in his cell by exploding a cartridge in his mouth； and four met death on the scaffold。 While awaiting their fate they were to a startling extent regarded as heroes and bore themselves as martyrs to a noble cause。 Six years later； Illinois elected as governor John P。 Altgeld； one of whose first steps was to issue a pardon to the three who were serving terms of imprisonment and to criticize sharply the conduct of the trial which had resulted in the conviction of the anarchists。
The Chicago outbreak and its result stopped the open spread of anarchism。 Organized labor now withdrew from any sort of association with it。 This cleared the field for a revival of the Socialist movement as the agency of social and political reconstruction。 So rapidly did it gain in membership and influence that by 1892 it was able to present itself as an organized national party appealing to public opinion for confidence and support； submitting its claims to public discussion； and stating its case upon reasonable grounds。 Although its membership was small in comparison with that of the old parties； the disparity was not so great as it seemed； since the Socialists represented active intelligence while the other parties represented political inertia。 From this time on； Socialist views spread among college students； artists； and men of letters； and the academic Socialist became a familiar figure in American society。
Probably more significant than the Socialist movement； as an indication of the popular demand for radical reform in the government of the country； was the New York campaign of Henry George in 1886。 He was a San Francisco printer and journalist when he published the work on 〃Progress and Poverty〃 which made him famous。 Upon the petition of over thirty thousand citizens； he became the Labor candidate for mayor of New York City。 The movement in support of George developed so much strength that the regular parties felt compelled to put forward exceptionally strong candidates。 The Democrats nominated Abram S。 Hewitt； a man of the highest type of character； a fact which was not perhaps so influential in getting him the nomination as that he was the son…in…law of Peter Cooper； a philanthropist justly beloved by the working classes。 The Republicans nominated Theodore Roosevelt； who had already distinguished himself by his energy of character and zeal for reform。 Hewitt was elected； but George received 68；110 votes out of a total of 219；679； and stood second in the poll。 His supporters contended that he had really been elected but had been counted out； and this