The Labor enquirer., 1886-03-20

on the stage Of human action with the
then entering wedge Of Protestant Re-
and its decline pr perly dates
from that period; but its final death
knell was sounded when the old Liberty
Bell of Philadelphia pealed forth its rati
fcation of American Independence.
Following close upon the decadence of
the superstitious sentiment. there has
sprung up in our day-in the noon-tide
of the nineteenth century another
manifestation of human sentiment that
has become the ruling power and pas
sion of to-day-the commercial senti-
ment. The industrial spirit of mercan-
tiIism, not rooted in the noble idea of
collective soc al wealth, but in the little
selfish idea OF individual riches-'the
love of money" Well and truly does
scripture say that that love is the root
of all evil, and that its possessor is as
unable to enter that peaceful and har-
monious condition of mind wherein the
kingdom of heaven dwells as it is for q
camel to go through a needles eye.
But glory to omniscience that man Is 80
constituted that wealth and all it can
possibly bring to its possession, fails to
satisfy the aspirations of his nature.
The love of truth and justice-those
attributes of Deity-they and they alone
can satisfy the needs and desires of man.
Vanderbilt, Gould, Field, Sage,
Mackay, Flood. etc., ETC.. are the truth
full representatives and personifcations
of the sentiment of commercialism that
prevails to-day, and whose motto is, "On
to Riches" They want the earth and
all that it contains. Every noble i'm
pulse and pure aspiration Of their nature
becc mes subordinate to the unholy pas
sion of individual wealth. In their
insane pnrsuit of worldly treasure they
are fast becoming morally blind to every
sense of equity and justice, deaf to every
appeal of suffering humanity, and 80
subtle, insidious and powerful is he
influence of wealth under the present
social system shat executive administra-
ton, judicial decisions and legislation
are swayed and governed by it, to such
an alarming extent that even the ber-
ties that our forefathers won for US are
in, danger. The ONE and fireside of
the industrious toilers are being gradu-
ally invaded bv these Internal plutocrats
of the United States of America. Our
sons, under this baleful system, are
becoming csndi iates for the peniten-
tlary our daughters doomed to pre-
mature death or the brothel, whilst their
parents tramp over tn, hills to the poor
house.
strata of social life is fast being
honey combed with the leprosv of vices
most hideous IN aspect, and nothing
short of the evolution of arhigher senti-
ment, purer and holier love, will save
this nation from the fate of others who
have gone down beneath the dominant
power of mlsdirected Sentiment. Glass
legislation, and class distinction, has
been the natural outgrowth of the sys-
tenn under which we live. The rich
looking down with contempt on the
poor, and they-the poor-looking up
with scorn and bitterness of heart at the
rich. Such an antagonistic condition of
social life Is fraught with imminent
danger to the republic, for a nation di-
vided against itself cannot stand. The
stern pitiable and lamentable fact is,
that to-day, in this so-called land of lib
erty, overfowing with the milk and
honey of human subsistence, life, for one
halfits citizens isn't worth living.
Oh watcher on the tower look look!
abroail Can'st see the coming of a bet
ter day2 Yes noiselessly and serenely
comes the morning rays of clear sum-
mer's day. The shadows of night fee
before it. The eastern sky is tinged
with the glory of the coming morn.
Slowly 1t comes on apace. The far off
mountain tops crowned with eternal
SHOWS, are kissed with the morning
beams of sunlight down the valleys
DER the wide plains streams the rosy
light of a newborn day; until at last
round and full orbed the rising god of
day bathes the world in sea of glory.
So in the affectional nature of man there
is slowly yelling up from the heart of
into human consciousness
higher and purer Sentiment than any
that has heretofore dominated human
civilization. Springing up from the
hearts of rich and poor; springing up
from pulp Is and legislative halla; find
ing Its way into the press, literature
and the drama; woven into song
and attuned to music; carved into stat
uary and blended with science; nodded
into machinery; penetrating the mate
risl, intellectual, and phychic forces of
civilization, and marshalling them in its
interest with omnipotence at its back
Christ fer its polar star and universal
aspiration for the right and the truth, it
will wrest from Deity the crowning
glory of man, and wisdom will decend
upon the race, and mans loves will be
guided by light that ever fails. He
will discover that Justice dwells in no
temple apart that the height of the
heavens cannot hold it; that it is here,