Part 10 (2/2)

Herbert Burrows stood for the School Board for the Tower Haraph in the _Reformer_ in which I heartily wished him success, especially as the first candidate who had put forward a demand for industrial education In this, as in so many practical proposals, Socialists have led the way He polled 4,232 votes, despite the furious opposition of the clergy to him as a Freethinker, of the publicans to him as a teetotaler, of the maintainers of the present social systeht did much to make possible an, in connection with the struggle for the right ofof bail and legal defence The first case that I bailed out was that of Lewis Lyons, sent to gaol for two months with hard labour by Mr Saunders, of the Tha in the court for ” details of hu eyes and ears itnesses I carried Lyons off in triuistrates quashed the conviction, the evidence being pronounced by the, contradictory, and worthless” Yet but for the chance of one of us stepping forward to offer bail and to provide the estion and advice, for he acted as counsellor to les that lasted till 1888, putting his great legal knowledge atme Quixotic)--but for this, Lewis Lyons would have had to suffer his heavy sentence

The general election took place this autuh for the fifth tile, for he took the oath and his seat in the following January, and at once gave notice of an Oaths Bill, to give to all who claiht to affirest vote ever polled for hie of his great struggle, and went to the front at once, one of the recognised forces in the House The action of Mr

Speaker Peel promptly put an end to an attempted obstruction Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Mr Cecil Raikes, and Sir John Hennaway had written to the Speaker asking his interference, but the Speaker declared that he had no authority, no right to stand between a duly electedthe oath prescribed by statute

Thus ended the constitutional struggle of six years, that left the victor well-nigh bankrupt in health and in purse, and sent hih to justify his election, to prove his value to the House and to his country, but he did not live long enough to render to England all the services which his long training, his wide knowledge, his courage, and his honesty so eminently fitted him to yield

[Illustration: NORWICH BRANCH OF THE SOCIALIST LEAGUE]

_Our Corner_ now served as a valuable aid in Socialist propaganda, and its ress in all lands We were busy during the spring in organising a conference for the discussion of ”The Present Commercial System, and the Better Utilisation of National Wealth for the Benefit of the Community,” and this was successfully held at South Place Institute on June 9th, 10th, 11th, the three days being given respectively, to the ”Utilisation of Land,” the ”Utilisation of Capital,” and the ”Deh spoke on the utilisation of waste lands, arguing that in a thickly populated country no one had the right to keep cultivable land uncultivated, and that where land was so kept there should be co it out to cultivating tenants A the other speakers were Edward Carpenter, William Morris, Sidney Webb, John Robertson, Willia, Charlotte Wilson, Mrs

Fenwick Miller, Hubert Bland, Dr Pankhurst, and myself--men and women of many views, eneration

Bitter attacks were made on me for ht party, and looking back I find myself conde a ”” This same courteous critic re, like most women, at the mercy of her last male acquaintance for her views on econoh to break a lance in self-defence with this assailant, not having then learned that self-defence was a waste of ti work for others I certainly should not now take the trouble to write such a paragraph as the following: ”The uhtful reader knows that he is unable to answer the arguments themselves But really these silly sneers at woman's ability have lost their force, and are best h at the stupendous 'male self-conceit' of the writer I ainst ht her way out of Christianity and Whiggisave up every old friend, led to in solitude; who, again, in e active Socialism, has run counter to the views of her nearest ', but I think she may venture, without conceit, to at least claiment I did not make the acquaintance of one of my present Socialist comrades, male or feraph, as are all self-defences, and a mischievous one, as all retort breeds fresh strife But not yet had coments of others at their true value, that recks not of praise and blame; not yet had I learned that evil should not be met with evil, wrath rath; not yet were the words of the Buddha the lahich I strove to render obedience: ”Hatred ceases not by hatred at any time; hatred ceases by love” The year 1886 was a terrible one for labour, everywhere reductions of wages, everywhere increase of the nues of _Our Corner_, I see ”Socialist Notes” filled, month after es at” such and such a place; soto the slackness of trade” Our hearts sank lower and lower as su winter threatened to add to starvation the bitter pains of cold The agitation for the eight hours' day increased in strength as the unerew more numerous week by week ”We can't stand it,” a sturdy, quiet fellow had said towinter; ”flesh and blood can't stand it, and two months of this bitter cold, too” ”We ,” had said another, with a fierce laugh And a spirit of sullen discontent was spreading everywhere, discontent that holly justified by facts But ah! how patient they were for the most part, how sadly, pathetically patient, this crucified Christ, Huue afire would be accepted as a hty people, howso little and needing so rateful for the pettiest services; so loving and so loyal to those who offered you but their poor services and helpless love Deeper and deeper intodesire to succour, to suffer for, to save I had long given upsurrender ease, coer, fed by each new sacrifice, and each sacrifice led ateway beyond which stretched a path of renunciation I had never dreaht tread ere ready wholly to strip off self for Man's sake, who for Love's sake would surrender Love's return froo out into the darkness for theht, with their own souls as fuel, feed the Light of the World

As the suffering deepened with the darkening rew in number, and the murmurs of discontent became louder The Social Deitation, not without s, but with abundant courage and self-sacrifice The policy of breaking up Socialist s inked at, and John Williagle and patient herois in the open air, and so nearly starved in gaol that he came out with his health broken for life

1887 dawned, the year that was to close so stor the vestries to provide re the Local Govern the productive energies of the uneestions to ing remedial measures A four days' oral debate with Mr Foote, and a written debate with Mr Bradlaugh, occupied soies, and helped in the process of education to which public opinion was being subjected Both these debates were largely circulated as pamphlets A series of afternoon debates between representative speakers was organised at South Place Institute, and Mr Corrie Grant and”That the existence of classes who live upon unearned incoht to be put an end to by legislation” Another debate--in this very quarrelso of 1887--was a written one in the _National Reformer_ between the Rev GF Handel Rowe and ically tenable, and is there a satisfactory Atheistic Systeuidance of Human Conduct” And so the rew louder and louder, till in Septe is clear--Society must deal with the unemployed, or the unemployed will deal with Society Stormier and stormier becomes the social outlook, and they at least are not the worst eneh the breakers by which the shi+p of the Commonwealth may pass into quiet waters”

So Cross Parlia questions” of the day We organised a compact Socialist party, defeated a Liberal Government, took the reins of office, and--after a Queen's Speech in which her Majesty addressed her loyal Commons with a plainness of speech never before (or since) heard froht in several Bills of a decidedly heroic character G Bernard Shaw, as President of the Local Governood deal of criticism in connection with various drastic ress, held in London, entailed fairly heavy work, and the science classes were ever with us Another written debate cas of Christianity,”the year This saned my much-prized position as co-editor of the _National Reforh's nae did not affect h re, of course, joint proprietor The reason cannot be raph penned at the ti number, complaints have reached me from various quarters of the inconvenience and uncertainty that result from the divided editorial policy of this paper on the question of Socialiso I proposed to avoid this difficulty by resigning ue, with characteristic liberality, asked me to let the proposal stand over and see if matters would not adjust the, has only becoht to demand that it be solved

”When I becah I regard Socialisical outcome of the Radicalisht, still, as in avowing myself a Socialist I have taken a distinct step, the partial separation of ue has been of , and not of his, and it is, therefore, for reater part of our sphere of action we are still substantially agreed, and are likely to remain so But since, as Socialism becomes more and more a question of practical politics, differences of theory tend to produce differences in conduct; and since a political paper ramme in practical politics, it would obviously be most inconvenient for me to retain my position as co-editor I therefore resu the _National Reformer_ of all responsibility for the views I hold”

To this Mr Bradlaugh added the following:--

”I need hardly add to this how very deeply I regret the necessity for Mrs Besant's resignation of the joint editorshi+p of this Journal, and the real grief I feel in accepting this break in a position in which she has rendered such enorht and Radical cause As a most valued contributor I trust the _National Reformer_ may never lose the efficient aid of her brain and pen For thirteen years this paper has been richer for good by the ree with her that a journal must have a distinct editorial policy; and I think this distinctness the more necessary when, as in the present case, every contributor has the greatest freedoree the spirit of self-sacrifice in which the lines, to which I add these words, have been penned by Mrs Besant ”CHARLES BRADLAUGH”

It was a wrench, this breaking of a tie for which a heavy price had been paid thirteen years before, but it was just Any one who e hich pain is connected is bound, in honour and duty, to take that pain as much as possible on himself; he must not put his sacrifice on others, nor pay his own ransom with their coin There must be honour kept in the life that reaches towards the Ideal, for broken faith to that is the only real infidelity

And there was another reason for the change that I dared not name to him, for his quick loyalty would then have e I saw the swift turning of public opinion, the gradual approach to hi Liberals who had hitherto held aloof, and I knew that they looked uponand a burden, and that were I less prominently with him his ould be the easier to tread So I slipped er ith his; my use to him in public was over, for I had become hindrance instead of help While he was outcast and hated I had the pride of standing at his side; when all the fair-weather friends ca round him I served him best by self-effacement, and I never loved him better than when I stood aside But I continued all the literary work unaltered, and no change of opinions touched his kindness to h when, a little later, I joined the Theosophical Society, he lost his trust in an walking in procession through the streets, and harshness on the part of the police led to sooon London s after the fashi+on of Continental prefects, with the inevitable result that an ill-feeling grew up between the people and the police

At last we formed a Socialist Defence association, in order to help poor workht up and sentenced on police evidence only, without any chance being given theanised a band of well-to-do ht or day, and to bail out any prisoner arrested for exercising the ancient right of walking in procession and speaking To take one instance: Mr Burleigh, the well-knoar correspondent, and Mr Winks were arrested and ”run in” with Mr J Knight, a worke I went down to the police-station to offer bail for the latter: Chief-Constable Howard accepted bail for Messrs

Burleigh and Winks, but refused it for Mr Knight The next day, at the police-court, the preposterous bail of 400 was deht and supplied byMr

Poland, solicitor to the Treasury, withdrew the charge against hiar Square, and the unexpected and high-handed order that cost some men their lives, many their liberty, and hundreds the most serious injuries The Metropolitan Radical Federation had called a ainst the imprisonment of Mr O'Brien, and as Mr Matthews, from his place in the House, had stated that there was no intention of interfering with _bona fide_ political s, the Radical clubs did not expect police interference On Nove all s in the Square, but the clubs trusted the pro only, Noveements were co processions within a certain area With this trap suddenly sprung upon theates from the clubs, the Fabian Society, the Social Deue,to see to any details that had been possibly left unsettled It was finally decided to go to the Square as arranged, and, if challenged by the police, to protest foral interference, then to break up the processions and leave the members to find their oay to the Square It was also decided to go Sunday after Sunday to the Square, until the right of public s was vindicated

The procession I was in started from Clerkenwell Green, and walked with its banner in front, and the chosen speakers, includingslowly and quietly along one of the narrow streets debouching on Trafalgar Square, wondering whether we should be challenged, there was a sudden charge, and without a word the police were upon us with uplifted truncheons; the banner was struck down, andunder a hail of blows There was no attempt at resistance, the people were too much astounded at the unprepared attack They scattered, leaving soround too much injured to move, and then arrisoned by police, drawn up in serried rows, that could only have been broken by a deliberate charge Our orders were to attehame Grahah the police, and were savagely cut about the head and arrested Then ensued a scene to be reallop, rolling men and women over like ninepins, while the foot police struck recklessly with their truncheons, cutting a road through the crowd that closed ionette and tried to persuade the driver to pull his trap across one of the roads, and to get others in line, so as to break the charges of the mounted police; but he was afraid, and drove away to the Embankment, so I jumped out and went back to the Square At last a rattle of cavalry, and up ca none, trotting their horses gently and shouldering the crowd apart; and then the Scots Guards with bayonets fixed h and occupied the north of the Square Then the people retreated as we passed round the word, ”Go hoo home” The soldiers were ready to fire, the people unarmed; it would have been but a massacre Slowly the Square emptied and all was still All other processions were treated as ours had been, and the injuries inflicted were terrible Peaceable, law-abiding work, were left with broken legs, broken arms, wounds of every description One man, Linnell, died almost immediately, others froular court-martial in Bow Street Police Court, witnesses kept out by the police, men dazed with their wounds, decent worked in a police-court before, sentenced to iallant band rallied to their rescue

William T Stead, most chivalrous of journalists, opened a Defence Fund, and ed bail caot the ot into the police-court, addressed the istrate, too astounded by my profound courtesy and calht there, and then produced bail after bail of the istrate could refuse Breathing-tiained, a barrister, Mr WM Thompson, worked day after day with hearty devotion, and took up the legal defence Fines we paid, and here Mrs Marx Aveling did eager service A pretty regi their fines; bruised, clothes torn, hatless, we ht hats, to throw an air of respectability over our _cortege_, and we kept together until I saw the s now roused, conflict should again arise We forue to defend all unjustly assailed by the police, and thus rescued ave poor Linnell, killed in Trafalgar Square, a public funeral Sir Charles Warren forbade the passing of the hearse through any of the e, so the processions waited there for it WT Stead, R Cunninghame Graham, Herbert Burrows, and myself walked on one side the coffin, Willia, and J Seddon on the other; the Rev Stewart D Headlayuarded the coffin Froton Street to Bow Ces, who uncovered reverently as the slain ate the procession took three-quarters of an hour to pass one spot, and thus we bore Linnell to his grave, sy, the vast orderly, silent crowd, bareheaded, ht

It is pleasant to put on record here Mr Bradlaugh's grave approval of the heavy work done in the police-courts, and the following paragraph sho generously he could praise one not acting on his own lines: ”As I have on most serious matters of principle recently differed very widely from my brave and loyal co-worker, and as the difference has been regrettably enation of her editorial functions on this Journal, it is the hly I approve, and how grateful I a bail and providing legal assistance for the helpless unfortunates in the hands of the police, but also for her daily personal attendance and wise conduct at the police-stations and police-courts, where she has done so much to abate harsh treatment on the one hand and rash folly on the other While I should not havewoman's work, especially in the recent very inclement weather, I desire to record my view that it has been bravely done, well done, and most usefully done, and I wish to mark this the more emphatically as my views and those of Mrs Besant seem wider apart than I could have dee what is every day growing into a h thus tolerant of difference of opinion, generously eager to approve what to hiht even in a policy he disapproved