THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1892. THE ANARCHISTS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2356, 14 May 1892, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1892. THE ANARCHISTS.

European countries at the present time appear to be in a terrible condition. " A cycle at Kathay " would, it seems to us, be preferable just now to European charms with anarchy threatening to mete out death at every corner. If half the cablegrams received from day to day be true, life in Europe cannot be very enjoyable at the present time. It is something terrible to think of. It must be terrible for people living in European cities to feel that at any moment they may be blown to pieGes by dynamite, or crushed to death under any of the buildings they may pass in the streets. It is not only crowned heads that must lie uneasy now, but every heap in Europe, high and low, for dynamite is no rerespecter of persons, and does not discriminate as regards the social rank of its victims when it goes to work. So far the the casualties resulting from anarchical dynamite have not been great, but it appears to us that we are only in the beginning of it, and the manifestations so far are merely a warning as to what may be expected. With the exception of the restaurant in Paris very little harm has so far been done, although a good deal of dynamite has been used in various places, and from this we conclude that the anarchists do not mean to hurt or harm anybody further than what seems to them necessary to enforce their views. It appears to us that they only want to express their discontent with the present state of things, and have taken this terrible way of doing so. They blew up Very's restaurant; they could as easily have done mischief wherever dynamite has been used by them if they desired is, but it is evident they did not, and that they are only trying to strike terror into the' people in the hope that something will be done to ameliorate the condition of the poor. Much as we may loathe and execrate the methods they employ ; great as may be our horror of them; sternly as we may condemn them; the fact remains that they are not vulgar, wanton murderers, bent on the destruction of human life for the pleasure of it, but men animated by an ardent desire to ameliorate the condition of their fellowcreatures. That is, undoubtedly the object they have in view, and it is a great pity that such noble motives should be sullied by such crimes a 3 the anarchists are apparently capable of. But when criticising their actions we must look into the circumstances which had called them into existence. European countries are not like British colonies; the people are ground down by oppressive laws, and immense armies are kept in readine33 to mow them down if they attempt to create any disturbance. The modern improvements in implements of warfare make the power of Government more absolute than it has been under the most despotic monarchy that ever ruled a nation. A regiment of well-armed soldiers can now subdue a populous city, but that was not the case in times gone by. The people cannot provide themselves with Gatling guns, Maxim guns, and so on, and consequently they are powerless to adjust wrongs by the old revolutionary methods. Science has given governments the whip hand of the people in this way, but at the same time science has placed the dreadful weapon of dynamite in the hands of such as may use it, and we are very much afraid that it will be more extensively used yet than anyone has any conception of at the present time. It is plain that the anarchists mean to use it; it is plain that they are numerous and very determined, while comparatively few could wreck a nation with such a weapon in their hands. It is a matter on which it is not pleasant to reflect, nor can there he much joy found in the systems of government which, have transformed men of ■geuerous impulses into dynamite fiends. There is no fact in , history better anther.ticated than that the people put up with extraordinary oppression before resorting to revolution-

arv means of redressing their grievances. Th revolutions, the French "i f-'' American revolution, and revolutions, iu. * „,, , s -,, ,' „„ 4.4. 4.4.1 • The dynanUta?'ds are so on, attest this. * /. , ■> , i . • • t ■ driven to desmerely revolutionists -™ peratiou by misgovernment. *_,.... x countries are exhausting themselves in maintaining tremendous armies; tlie people are ground down by taxes, and iience the discontent. For years these irmies have been looking idly at each other, and not one of them dare 3 to strike the first blow. The people are getting tired of this, and hence the dynamite. The Governments of Europe are the ciuse of anarchy; if they governed the people properly dynamitards could uot exist. Immense armies are kept up to maintain the privileges of the classes, while the masses live in a state of abject misery and starvation. It must not be understood that we favor dynamite and anarchy in saying this; we do nothing of the kind ; we merely point out the exact truth, in the hope that people in this colony will learn a lesson from it. We have in this colony the blessings of real liberty. We have the government of the country in the hands of the people, and we must be very careful lest we lose it. There is getting up in the country now a party who advoeates giving two votes to the rich for the one vote of the poor. We shall have to be careful lest that party attains power, for so sure as it does we shall have repressive laws. This is what we have to be careful of; we must not go back. We must not lose the privileges we have, and that Ave can do by electing to Parliament only men on ivhom we can depend. It is utter nonsense for anyone to say the British race

would not resort to revolutionary methods an readily as continental people. The British race were the most revoiutionary on the face of the earth until they secured their freedom, and it is only since they became law abiding. If driven to it again they would be as revolutionary as ever, and consequently wisdom must suggest the advisability of exercising great care in the government of the people in future.