Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-05-31
until the very life of the nation was IN

until the very LIE VI Tue HdtlOn was Al
the balance.
But if the north did even more than
concede slavery to the south, the peo-
pie of that section made it their special
care. There was money in slaves and
labor in that section had grown to be
a badge of dishonor. This was the in
evitable result of slavery,-the press,
the campaign orator and the pulpit |
stood in solid phalanx in favor of slav-
cry. The people were educated |
for generations to believe in the |
Divine right of slavery.
This sentiment that slavery was
right gave courage to the southern SOL
diery. They believed they were fight.
ing for the right. for home and coun-
try, and this made the war so bloody
and so long.
Now let us inquire about the voice
of the people at the present time. How
is the public opinion moulded. Is there
danger that the voice of the people in
the present may speak the wrong in.
stead of the right? Does the spirit of
patriotism animate our people in the
control of this country as it should?
Is there not adanger cloud to be seen
on the horizon no bigger than a hand,
| that may grow into a destructive
storm, and sweep with terrific fury
over this land? For the past twenty
five years this nation has been devel-
oped in material wealth to an extent
unsurpassed by that of any other in
the known world. We have built
thousands of miles of railway and tele-
| graph lines; vast areas of country have
been pOpulated; immigration has flow
| ed with a constant stream to our
| shores; the gold of other countries has
been shipped in almost by the ship
| load; the gnlches of mountains have
been bored into, and been made to
Weld their wealth for our benefit.
These splendid opportunities have
| whetted our thirst for money to such
an extent that the current of public
thought is flowing in mighty volume
| in the pursuits of gold. Commerce Is
getting out of its legitimate channels.
Gold is raising a standard of caste in
other things than social life. The love
for money is corroding to great ex-
tent the conscience of the Nation.
Commerce is entering the domain of
politics, and had almost said the Sa-
cred field of religion.
In the palmy days of Clay and Web
ster, and latterly in the days of Morton
and Douglas, these great giants could
hold their places in the United States
Senate and not be able to pay their
debts. Money then did not influence
the politics of the country like it does
now. Let me illustrate one of the
methods by which public opinion is
moulded
Shrewd politicians for their own pur-
pose. in the State of Coronado, decided
to elect Farmer Jones secretary of state.
If elected, Jones will obey them. These
politicians have control OF the press,
and aggregated capital has control
of the politicians. By a clever organi-
cation they can boom Farmer Jones for
secretary of state, in many quarters of
the State, and gravely charge by the
Uress. that the people, reused to the
virtues of Farmer Jones, have decided
to make him secretary of state, and the
politicians who are opposed to Farmer
Jones must take back seat. The
people are hoodwinked, and the scheme
works. Farmer Jones is elected, gets
his orders what to do from the politi-
clans. and usually obeys them.
Whose fault is all this? 1t is the
fault eff the voter. That shrewd banker
knew all the time that Farmer j ones
was fraud and demagogue, but he
didn't have time to pay any attention
to it. A small circle of informed clti-
zsns are onto the game, but they are
too busy with their respective oallings
to pay any attention to politics. A
large number of voters go to the polls
without having carefully studied what
their duty is in the exercise of their
rights. Another larger number are SC
neglectful of the great trust reposed IN
them by the Government that they
STAY at home on election Gay, while
another class, it must be confessed
pollute the ballot for gold.
Without persuing this subject fur
ther. he has not read history Alright I'M
less it is perfectly plain that if com.
merce cannot be divided from the field
of politics, this Government, now strong
enough to whip the combined forces OF
ali Nations, if we should be attacked,
is not strong enough TO Withstand the
insidious foe Of political neglect, and
political corruption.
This country has been bought and
paid for with the price of blood, and we
should preserve it. In the hurry of
life we are apt to forget the most sacred
duties devolving upon us. This Memo
rial Day has been established by the
spirit Of patriotism that would keep
alive the heroic acts Of the soldiers.
Today all oyer this country We weave
garlands of flowers and spread them
nuon the graves of our heroic dead.
Fhess soldiers faced death in every
hideous form known TO malignant war.
fare. and many of them died upon the
field of carnage or in the hospitals of
main. and some in the awful prison
mems of the south. Our ideal death is
at home. surrounded by loved ones.
Even then, with those nearest and
dearest lowering by, Death is called the
King of Terrors. This, however, is q
mistaken notion. # we had no other
proof that death vas the King OF ter
rors, than the heroic acts of the union
soldiers, that would be sufficient, The
soldier in battle feared the lowering OF
the national emblem thousand times
more than he feared death. There is
not a veteran before me but would pre-
fer death to the destruction OF our
MONIES, our school houses or our
churches.
/ No, death is not the king of terrors.
Death is but the beginning of life.
The idea Of Immortality was not bofl