Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1890 — TRUE TO THE RED FLAG. [ARTICLE]

TRUE TO THE RED FLAG.

i ANARCHISTS AT THE TOMS OF THE “MARTYRS.” Sple«, P;ir«ons, Engel, «t Al., Not Forgotten by lb«ir Old-Time Companion*— Speeches Made at the Graves <>t the Executed Men—A Ited Flag Wnvet Over Mrs. Faraons’ House. [Chicago dispatch.] “Weep not for us when gone, but on with the fight!” These last words of one of the executed anarchists are typical of the sentiments expressed by the speakers at the anniversary exercises held at Waldheim Cemetery over the graves of the “martyrs. ” The demonstration, while orderly, proved that the feeling of discontent is by no means dead. At each reference to the “innocent boys lying yonder, ” or to “our brothers done to death, ” tho 1.600 listeners expressed their feelings audibly. In addition to an express wagon load of floral pieces, many of the women carried wreathes, lyres, and other designs. No crosses, however, were to bq seen. A handsome wreath of immortelles was the tribute of the socialists of Vienna, Austria. After circling Market Square twice to get in good marching order the procession moved across Lake street, the bands playing the Marseillaise and other favorite airs of the would-be social reformers. Men wearing crimson “committee” badges sold round-trip tickets printed on crimson cardboard for 50 cents. At tho cemetery a table, a bench, and two chairs had been surrounded by a rope alongside the graves of the “apostles of freedom." 'lhe graves were covered with flowers aud the table taken possession of by George Schmedtngor, who opened the ceremonies by referring to the occasion as “the third anniversary of the murder of our brothers by capitalists. ” He then introduced L. S. Oliver, a long-drawn-out individual, who aroused great enthusiasm by heaping abuse upon the Government, tho law, its officers, and other signs of civilization now existing in tho United States. “We have no regrets to offer for tho buried,” he continued. “From their ashes in those graves comes the rebuke to the perpetrators of this hellish crime. It, is sounding louder and louder from one end of the land to the other, and across the briny deep. When it culminates it will shako tho earth from polo to polo. Remsmber that those boys stood there and sacrificed their lives for the freedom of those left behind. They faced the hangman with a fortitude that knows no equal. They had no regrets. Their silence has more force than any words spoken here to-day. Our children will wonder at tho stupidity or villainy of tho people who applauded the work of that horrible sacrifice. Though they build scaffolds at every cross-road we must go on, Courage, friends, onward! Onward! These religious and legal superstitions that ruin our mon and women must be swept away. Lot us say with Emmett, ‘lf this be treason, by tho eternal gods make tho most of it. ’ Those who drove our boys to death manufactured tho law. They were convicted before tried; indicted for murder and convicted of anarchy.” After a brief intermission, during which tho singing societies sang and Mauritz Schultz repeated a good deal of Oliver’s speech in German, H. E. Bartholmy, the orator of the day, was introduced. Mr. Bartholmy was formerly a lawyer, but gave up practice for the bench. He is now a tailor. Ho made a deep impression, his delivery being striking and his diction admirable. “Emerson once said,” he began, “It is not the fact so much as what you think of it. To thoroughly understand a fact, an event, or circumstance, it is necessary to have a clear conception of tho preliminary causes, coexisting conditions, and succeeding effects. A minute and accurate knowledge of every battle fought in tho late rebellion would neces.sarily be superficial, chaotic, and incomplete unless it wore supplemented by a careful and candid review of tho intellectual struggle and political activity which was going on prior to its culmination in a fraternal war. There are no isolated events in tho history of the world. Tho most obscure phenomenon beai s an intimate relation to the luminous epoch, and apparently insignificant detail is often an important factor in the consummation of a stupendous scheme. This principle of mutual dependence of one fact upon another permeates all nature, the inanimate world as the social organism, with its beauty and lifegiving power, and is the foundation of all institutions, social and anti-social, which have thus far been tho scorn and pride of the world. “I prefaced my address with these preliminary observations in order that you might better understand the position I occupy, or at least endeavor to occupy, in considering what I regard no ordinary, insignificant event, but, on tho other hand, tho most stirring, significant and pregnant occurrence since the hanging of John Brown—the hanging of the Chicago anarchists.. “I believe that 'the execution of these apostles of a new and higher civilization was a historical necessity, and by this expression I do not mean that it was necessary to destroy them in order that society might live, to hang them in order that law and order might triumph and the stability of our institutions be preserved. I mean that truth comes into the world through pain and struggle; that the blood of the martyr is the seed of the church; that the gallows is more eloquent in its silence than the orator with his lies or the philosopher with his pen. “Who can fathom the psychological effect of that wonderful event? Who can measure the momentum it gave to the thinking world? W-ho can number the hearts that were moved, the minds that were affected, and the converts that were made? At no time iu tho history of the world did the execution of a man or number of men create such a profound impression. The thinking world shook from center to circumference Nov. 11, 1887. Ido not believe that any of the men whose bodies lie moldering in peaceful cum yonder or those in Joliet to-day were guilty of any graver crime than that serious offense in antagonizing public opinion in the cause of free.dom, and progress, and humanity. Did I believe that a fiendish appetite to destroy life and property without regard for law, either human or divine,had captured their souls, and that with wanton recklessness they advocated the use of force to ameliorate social conditions, I would not say one word here to-day. But Ido not believe this charge is true. The explosion of the bomb temporarily stupefied the public mind, and henceforth no logic, however potent, could eliminate tne false

I impr .<sion which the shock created. They cried, ‘That nettles it. Hang ’em, ■ hang ’em. These Anarchists are bombthrowers, and if on trying to defend them we’ll have you arrested as a i suspect ’ Reason was ■ temporarily sus- ■ ponded and fear and terror ruled. “The propagators of Christianity were equally as much despised and persecuted 2.0)0 years ago as are tho Anarchists today. Tho term Protestant in its day was . as odious and repulsive as the term 1 anarchy is to-day. The idea of abolition was received with tho same criticism, censure and condemnation. “Now anarchism on its negative side is a protest against! tho exercise of human authority over the natural and minute liberty of many. It exalts the individual above collective society, and holds that man as an individual is superior to the institutions he has created, that tho right of the individual is supreme, and denies to Government the authority to interfere with that right. It would abolish private property in land ”