From ‘The Alarm’, Chicago, March 20, 1886
The Times of Sunday gives a pretty fair account of the labor agitation and the industrial situation generally, with interviews from prominent Anarchists and Socialists. But it is doubtful whether either Joseph Greenbut or the Internationalists feel flattered with the close connection the report attributes to them; other labor agitators are also called Anarchists, who do not represent Anarchy, and who do not wish to be so presented to the public. However a great many excellent ideas have been given wide circulation, and Socialistic agitation advanced, in spite of the reporter’s deductions, i.e. that, while there seems to be no remedy for the wrongs of which labor complains, laborers and agitators “only hurt their cause by making capital timid, and thus creating a greater scarcity of work.”
It does not seem possible one could read Comrade Fielden or Parson’s statements and deliberately write the above during a lucid interval. What does a Socialist care how “timid” capital becomes? Or, how scarce “work” grows, when he knows “jobs” will become more and more rare, and idle men more and more plentiful, under the advancing growth of the system? A wonderful threat this, with which to frighten Revolutionists!
The more timid capital becomes the better; and it will soon find there is no safe place for it, except as John Swinton puts it, “in a hole in the ground, with the owner watching the hole.” Not there, even, when the government ceases to guard the owner in his watch, and never will, until it becomes what it rightfully is — not the private property of a few individuals, but the common heritage of all.
Do they imagine that a general investment of private capital in enterprises insuring universal employment would satisfy a Socialist? Or that a threatened cessation of investment would frighten us into silence? How perversely, they misunderstand. Stupidity, worshiping in a dull way at the shrine of “Capital,” imagines that the greatest blessing common man can expect is a chance to slave ten hours a day for two hour’s pay, and anything that threatens this chance is an impending calamity.
But socialists know that humanity wants, not work so much, but the products of work. Humanity isn’t craving hard toil ten hours of every twenty-four, but rather leisure to grow and expand, and for every two hours labor full two hours’ results. Place capital, which means the earth, the means of life, tools, machinery and scientific knowledge where it should be, and we will not risk its becoming “timid” enough to hurt anybody.
L.M.S.
Peacemakers
The Alarm, Chicago, April 24, 1886
The sum total of needless human suffering is so vast that one grand annihilating sweep of everything would be better than a continuance of the present state of affairs. But there is hope this side of annihilation, if we are not overwhelmed numerically by “peace reformers.” The people are willing to fight their way to freedom as has been shown by recent events; but when along with their enemies and all the conservative elements there arises the cry from professed friends and leaders, “Peace, peace! Let there be no violence! Be patient, workers!” the people are nonplussed, perplexed, and know not what to do.
They have suffered. long and patiently. They have seen their oppressors preparing for war when no enemy was in sight but their own oppressed, patient selves, and still they were “peaceable.”
They have obeyed the authority of church and state and remained “law abiding, Christian citizens,” under a system which recognizes in them nothing but their toiling capacities. But even a worm will turn when trodden upon, and the people aroused at last to a sense of the injustice they were enduring, were bravely marching on to a victory when at their heels and all about them comes the cry “no violence, no violence, my friends,” and they are routed. The people must endure, but must never resist.
They may be crushed if the crushing is done by a government or by capital legally and respectably, but even “friends” grow horror stricken if they use any effective means of throwing off the weight which crushes them.
When will they learn that “force” is more righteous when used to right wrongs than in enslaving man! The old idea that whatever is done by government or privileged individuals is “respectable,” “legal” and just, has a deep hold upon custom-ridden society. This is why sledge-hammer blows must be struck at the sacredness of law, authority and rulership.
L.M.S.
Also:
Lizzie M. Holmes (also known as Swank) texts at the Anarchist Library
Abolition of Government, by Lizzie M. Swank (1886)
Women Workers of Chicago, by Lizzie M. Swank Holmes (1905)
A Martyr, from The Alarm (1885)
The Black Flag, from The Alarm (1884)
The Indians, from The Alarm (1884)
Plea for Anarchy, by Albert Parsons (1886)
The Haymarket Martyrs, by Lucy E. Parsons (1926)
Time is Life, by Vernon Richards (1962)
The Haymarket Tragedy, by Paul Avrich
Haymarket Scrapbook, edited by Franklin Rosemont and David Roediger