“SEEING THE COUNTRY IN AMERICAN FASHION.”
UNSYMPATHETIC POLICE OBJECT.

Malfew Seklew, who describes himself as “an alien, seeing the country in the American fashion,” was summoned before the Newcastle Bench, yesterday, on charges of obstruction, the first in Forth Street, on the 16th inst., and the second West Clayton Street, on the 21st inst.

The officer, in the first case, informed the Bench about 7:50 p.m. defendant was standing on a chair in Forth Street, lecturing to a crowd, which extended from one side the street to the other. He refused to desist or give his name, and used foul language. The constable therefore took him the Westgate Station, defendant resisting all the way.

Sir Charles Hammond, the presiding magistrate, asked whether defendant was using foul language when on the chair, or whether reserved for the police. The officer replied: For the police.

Defendant: Did I call you a loafer — Yes. — Is that foul language? — The Clerk (Mr. Roberts): He was in his policeman’s uniform. — Proceeding, defendant said he was on “common property,” — the land was in Chancery and did not belong to the police. – Sir Charles: The police have as much control over property in Chancery as you have over your hat when it is on your bead. — This intimation seemed rather to surprise the defendant.

Another officer deposed to having cautioned defendant shortly before the previous witness spoke to him. At that time he was selling a patent tie maker. — Defendant: I protest. That is not relevant. — The Clerk: It very relevant, think, as showing your object and intention.

Addressing the Bench, defendant first made allegations of brutality against the police, and went on to say that he was “an alien seeing the country in the American fashion.” He was earning his living selling a little patent of his own, and at the same time he was lecturing on egoism, individualism, and various other philosophies. — Sir Charles: “Where do you lecture?” – “In the street.”

“On this occasion,” defendant added seriously, “I was lecturing in a place which I understand has been used for 20 years, without police interference. I was preaching my philosophy to the English people — a brand new philosophy. (Laughter.) In fact was doing what Jesus is supposed to have done, I was talking the masses.”

The Chief Constable proved a conviction against the defendant for using obscene language at Nottingham in October last year. That, Seklew explained, was “a put up job, the same as this.”

A fine of 40s and costs was imposed, with the alternative of one month.

The second case was gone into, the officer who proved it, stating that when he spoke to defendant, he appealed to the crowd, mostly composed of youths under 20 years, “to resist, as free born citizens of Newcastle, the aggression of the police.” (Laughter.) — Another fine of 40s and costs with a similar alternative, was imposed.

THE COSTERS’ UNION.
UNFURLING THE BANNER.
LAST NIGHT’S PROCEEDINGS.

Last night (Thursday) Barnard’s Theatre Royal, Woolwich, was crowded at both performances, great interest being manifested in the unfurling of the banner of the United Kingdom Male and Female Streetsellers and Hawkers’ Union. The ceremony was performed by Mr. Will Crooks, M.P.. who, during the performance of a well-arranged programme of various items, sat in a box with Mrs. Crooks, Mrs. Kline (Woolwich Guardian), Miss Lake, the Mayor of Woolwich, and Councillor Alfred Hall. Others present included Messrs. C. C. Gibson, president of the union; K. Mendez, vice-president; J. F. Jefferson, F. J. Phayer and H. Brown, trusteess; F. C. Harding, C. Channing, J. Gilbert, W. Dennard, C. Rumsey, T. W. H. Wright, G. Mansfield, J. Barnett, W. Holmes, H. Arnsby, committee; Mr. F. Wilkesbarre and H. J. Cohen, official organisers; W. Owen and A. Segain, auditors; G. S. Henderson, general secretary; and C. Robinson, assistant secretary.

In addition to the ordinary turns, special items were rendered by Harry Weston (son of a member), Harry Wright (hon. member). Paddy Gilbert (hon. member) and Harry Broughton (hon. member), and Ruffle’s Bioscope, which showed some excellent pictures of Wollwich Market.

During an interval in the programme, the ceremony of unfurling took place. In the first house it was done by Mr. Crooks, who, with the Mayor and Councillors, occupied seats on the stage. The chair was taken by Mr. Gibson. Prior to the unfurling, the “Banner Song,” composed by Mr. F. Robinson, was admirably sung by Mr. Harry Broughton, the chorus being rendered by the choir of the union, which was also on the singe.

The chairman, in introducing the member for Woolwich, said they had met for a good purpose. Very nearly twelve months ago the idea came into their heads that they would form a combination for self-protection, and be was glad to say that they had succeeded immensely up to the present. The chief idea of the organisation was to defend its members from any unjust attack made upon them in the pursuit of their calling. With regard to the special business in hand, on February 4th they had an entertainment in the Theatre Royal, by kind permission of Mr. Barnard, and by that they realised the sum of £35, with which they had purchased a banner and regalia.

Mr. Crooks, who was most cordially received, said be must first congratulate Woolwich on the possession of such a fine singer as Mr. Broughton, who would do credit to any town. It was extremely kind and generous of him to come amongst them that night. Referring to their organisation, he said that with a man at their lead like the chairman he did not think they need fear suffering any injustice. But the representatives of justice sometimes saw a little more than really happened, said it was well that, should occasion require it, there should be someone ready to explain to the magistrate. While enrolled under that banner they would be able to let people see that, although they had to get their living in the streets, in all weathers, and not always under the best of conditions, they were respectable – and very respectable – people. The shopkeeper, and the shop assistant knew what difficulties they were under. They could tell them of how some people spent half-an-hour in a shop, and then bought a halfpenny worth of pins, while the street seller often had to put up with a lot of people staring at his stall instead of moving on and making room for those who had money to spend. He hoped that they would maintain their dignity and pride for the work they bad to do. They had to put up with a deal, he knew, and be tolerant with people who were not very tolerant themselves. He had always found, and he spoke from ripe experience, that men and women were respected in accordance with the measure of respect they had for themselves, and therefore every member must be careful of his or her own dignity, as well as the dignity of the association. He congratulated the chairman and the union, which was equal with any other Trade Union in the country.

The banner, when unfurled, was found to be of blue silk, with a deep border of crimson. It bore the words, “United Kingdom Male and Female Streetsellers and Hawkers’ Union – Unity is Strength.” The design consisted of a fine representation of the market in Beresford Square, showing the stalls and shops round the Square, surmounted by emblems of fruit and bowers. It was very pretty, and capitally executed.

Mr. Councillor Hall, being called upon, said he must congratulate the streetseller and hawker upon the success they bad achieved. Solicitors, doctors, carpenters, engineers and others had their unions. and why not they? He hoped that every success would attend the branch.

Mr. Jefferson moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Crooks and Councillor Hall. When he first took a business he had hut one object – himself and his business. He had had 25 years’ experience up and down the country, and he knew the hardships of a streetseller’s life. He had always found that the fairer they dealt with the general public, the fairer the public dealt with them. He meant to do all he could for the branch, which had his fullest sympathy.

The vote of thanks being seconded, it was duly carried, and the proceedings concluded.

At the “second house,” the proceedings were very similar to those recorded above, excepting that the Mayor of Woolwich (the Rev. L. Jenkins Jones, L.C.C., J.P.) unfurled the banner. He was supported by Councillors Turnbull, jun. and Hall.

The chair was again taken by Mr. Gibson. Mr. Councillor Messent, the ex-Mayor, being unable to attend so amount of being out-of-town.

The Mayor’s remarks were very brief. He said it gave him great pleasure to be amongst his fellow citisens. He recognised the necessity on the part of people to combine for the purpose of obtaining the justice which each man was entitled to as a citizen of the Empire or the Borough in which he lived. Labour was dignified. It did not matter whether it was the Prime Minister or the gentleman whom circumstances decreed he should be King, so long as he laboured with dignity. No man need by ashamed to carry on his work, whatever it might be, provided he did it in the proper spirit. No occupation that was legal was degrading. It was rather the people who degraded the occupation. He hoped that those who went out into the streets to sell, or had a stall in the market, would never forget that they were in every way entitled to the same privileges as the greatest citizen in the country.

Mr. Turnbull said he was gratified to be present. He thought that if it was a good thing for those in factories to combine, it was a good thing also for those who sold their goods in the streets and market places to combine also.

The formation of the United Kingdom Male and Female Streetsellers and Hawkers’ Union was also reported in the London Daily News for 25 July 1904, the Walsall Advertiser for 06 August 1904, the Essex Newsman for 13 August 1904, and the Kentish Independent for 24 February 1905. – Trevor Blake

MAN! Journal was a revival of a journal by the same name, and S.E. Parker edited the first three issues. The first issue was published in 1955, the same year as a United Kingdom general election. If Sid did not write the text, then he certainly was responsible for publishing it, and using it to promote the new publication.

In a 1993 interview, Sid gave some background on the Journal and his involvement:

“What it was was an attempt to revive an American publication which had existed in the 1930’s edited by a man called Marcus Graham, whose real name was Shah Marcus. He was somebody who still had a deportation order over his head from the 1930’s but they couldn’t deport him because he refused to tell them which country he was born in, so they didn’t know where to send him. He got very paranoid as a result of this thing hanging over his head and wouldn’t come out into the open; but I had written to him and he asked me if I could revive the paper over here, which I did, and edited three issues. It came out every month. When I got involved with pacifism I decided that Marcus Graham’s brand of apocalyptic “up the masses” anarchism wasn’t compatible with what I was talking about and I handed it over to Arthur Uloth who edited a further three issues. There were other people involved in this, a group of people including Leah Feldman and Jim Peake.”

VOTE – WHAT FOR?

We who issue this leaflet are believers in liberty. To us liberty is not a political catch-phrase, something with which to deceive people into putting us into power; to us it is a way of living, a concrete thing without which our lives would be the lives of slaves.
A free man is one who is not dominated by his fellows, one who controls his own life and owes no allegiance to any authority external to himself. In a word, a free man is one who wishes neither to govern nor to be governed. Government is coercion, invasion, an institution which by force and fraud maintains the domination of a privileged and exploiting class. Government and liberty are opposites; where government exists there can be no real freedom.
Look at the world today after thousands of years of government.
Organised mass murder called “war”—conquest and plundering of nations called “liberation”—conscription and regimentation of human beings called “patriotism”economic exploitation and poverty called “free enterprise,” “nationalisation” or “socialism”—the twisting and thwarting of natural human desires called “morality” and “christianity”—these are the warp and woof of present-day society. What happiness and dignity we. enjoy is obtained, not because of the world we live in, but in spite of it.
These things exist because a small group of politicians, militarists, bankers, industrialists and landowners, controlling the means of life, is able to compel people into submission, to buy their minds and bodies, and hire them to kill and imprison each other. These things exist because people are trained from early childhood to obey authority, are made servile by the dog-eat-dog struggle for existence; because people cling to ancient myths of religion, patriotism, law, race and property, and let hirelings of the ruling group do their thinking for them.
Government cannot bring an end to these evils because it is a product of them, of the class-divisions and the antagonisms between man and man which disfigure and debase our lives today.
To vote for a government is to vote for a continuation of this world of fear, insecurity and poverty.
To vote for a government is to authorise a group of men to decide your lives for you; is to say that you are not capable of controlling your own lives; that you are prepared to go on living in a society of wage slavery and exploitation, a society in which some live at the expense of others.
To vote for a government is to sanction your subjection to the tyranny of authority. By voting you strangle your will and initiative in the noose of politics. No government, be it conservative, liberal, labour or communist, can make man free. All, that government can do is to keep the people in subjection to the evils of power and privilege.
To vote for a government is not to have a voice in the running of your affairs, it is merely to have a voice in choosing your masters, to become a slave to men in power.

Therefore :—
REFUSE TO VOTE !
Instead :—

Join with us as workers, as consumers, as victims of war, conscription and race hatred; above all, as HUMAN BEINGS, in order to create a world of free men and, women; a world in which the domination and exploitation of man by man has been ended, and injustice and wrong have no soil in which to grow, since their causes, the institutions of property and government, have been abolished.
Without property in the means of production, all individuals would be economically equal. This means production for use instead of profit, and free access for all to the means of life.
Without government all would he free; that is each individual would have complete sovereignty over himself, and would be able to co-operate freely with others for the satisfaction of common needs.
Without the coercion of law, without the authority of man over man, each individual would be able to develope his life in a complete and creative manner, his liberty to do so being guaranteed by the liberty of all.
We who issue this pamphlet are anarchists, believers in liberty. We say to you Refuse to give your power to politicians, assert your own will and learn that only by your own direct action can liberty and justice be realised amongst men.

REFUSE TO VOTE
GOVERNMENT IS FOR SLAVES, FREE MEN GOVERN THEMSELVES !
LONG LIVE ANARCHY !

Issued by the MAN! GROUP (London) c/o L. Feldman, 56,
Lordship Park, London, N.16.

The collection was published and edited by Henry Bool (1846–1922) in 1902.  “Individualist Anarchist” Bool was British, but lived in Ithaca, NY for about 30 years before returning to England. Bool is the author of For Liberty: The World’s Thinkers and Government, Political Power and Democracy, Freedom, Co-Operation, and Society Without Government.

We have transcribed one of the first sections from the book:

EGOISM.
AS TAUGHT BY THOMAS PAINE.

“A great part of that order which reigns among mankind is not the effect of government. It had its origin in the principles of society, and the natural constitution of man. It existed prior to government, and would exist if the formality of government was abolished. The mutual dependence and reciprocal interest which man has in man, and all the parts of a civilized community upon each other, create that great chain of connection which holds it together.

“Government is no farther necessary than to supply the few cases to which society and civilization are not conveniently competent; and instances are not wanting to show that everything which government can usefully add thereto, has been performed by the common consent of society without government.

“For upwards of two years from the commencement of the American war, and a longer period in several of the American states, there were no established forms of government. The old governments had been abolished, and the country was too much occupied in defence to employ its attention in establishing a new government; yet, during this interval order and harmony were preserved as inviolate as in any country in Europe. There is a natural aptness in man, and more so in society, because it embraces a greater variety of abilities and resources, to accommodate itself to whatever situation it is in.

“The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place, and the common interest produces common security.  So far is it from being true, as has been pretended, that the abolition of any formal government is the dissolution of society, it acts by a contrary impulse, and brings the latter closer together.

“Formal governments make but a small part of civilized life; and when even the beet that unman wisdom can devise is establish, it is a thing more in. name and idea than in fact. It is to the great and fundamental principles of society and civilization—to the common usage universally consented to, and mutually and reciprocally maintained—to the unceasing circulation of interest, which ,paces through its innumerable channels, invigorates the whole mass of civilized man, it is to these things, infinitely more than anything which even the best instituted governments can perform, that the safety and prosperity of the individual and of the whole depends.

“The more perfect civilization is, the :ess occasion has it for government, because the more does it regulate its own affairs and govern itself; but so contrary is the practice of old governments to the reason of the case, that the expenses of them increase in the proportion they ought to diminish. It is but few general laws that civilized life requires, and those of such common usefulness, that whether they are enforced by the forms of government or not, the effect will be nearly the same. If we consider what the principles are that first condense men into society, and what the motives that regulate their mutual intercourse afterwards, we shall find by the time that we arrive at what is called government, that nearly the whole of the business is performed by the natural operations of the parts upon each other.

“Man, with respect to all those matters, is more a creature of consistency than he is aware of, or that governments would wish him to believe. All the great laws of society are laws of nature. Those of trade and commerce, whether with respect to the intercourse of individuals: or of nations, are laws of natural and reciprocal interest. They are followed and obeyed, because it is the interest of the parties so to do, and not on account of any formal laws their government may impose or interpose.” –Rights of Man.

It appears that at some point a second collection of quotes was published and named For Liberty (Liberty Luminants): An Anthology of Revolt. The first was released by Henry Bool himself, out of Ithaca, New York, but this latter collection was published in the UK by Charles William Daniel. Since thre is no date for this second collection,l we cannot say right now if Bool had already moved back to England or not. Wikipedia states “Charles William Daniel (1871-1955) was a writer and publisher who did much to disseminate Tolstoyan and pacifist ideas, and ideas about food reform and alternative medicine, in the first half of the twentieth century.” I’ll let you jump down that rabbit hole further, if you’re inclined.

One source claims that For Liberty was published in 1914. I cannot find anything to confirm or deny that, but because it quites Byington’s translation of Stirner by page number, we know it was published after 1907.

A copy of this latter book is in the Union of Egoists archives.

These two illustrations are by Arthur Moyse. The website We Make ‘Zines has an article that just happens to be titled “WHO WAS ARTHUR MOYSE?” by Kris Mininger.

Wikipedia has a nice TL:DR biographical sketch for those who don’t want to look at that Mininger article:

Arthur Moyse (21 June 1914 – 22 February 2003) was an Anglo-Irish anarchist, artist and writer. He was born in County Wexford and moved to West London in his youth to Shepherd’s Bush where he continued to live until his death.

In his youth he was actively involved in political activity including the battle of Cable Street in 1936. He also saw active service in World War Two, including the airborne landings at Arnhem in 1944, but he was court-martialled twice for insubordination.[1]

As well as being something of a self-publisher, particularly with his attachment to London bohemia life and producing the ZeroOne magazine, he is most commonly known as an art critic and cartoonist. His outpourings would contribute to Freedom, Anarchy and The Raven: Anarchist Quarterly amongst others from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.