Wichita eagle., 1888-06-15

1ISdSiou, ana made the peasant women OF
francs wooden-shod beasts of burden.
SMFalfy and bourbonism, both frauds,
how often early and late, have they been
associated. Then, too, we are pointed to
Dourponlsm as the supporter OF religion,
ana 1t IS true that great amount OF
anolntingoil has run down its narrow and
retreating forehead. But on inspection it
VIII be found that it was the religion of
Baiaam. determined to go the wrong way
regardless Of the protest Of the angel that
soo2d IN the path, or of the beast Of bur
den which it bestrode. The religion of
Jourbonlsm was and always Is, a bourbon
religion, that renders unto Caesar all that
is Caesars, and great deal more, and to
God what happens to be left. That was
the religion OF the courtier who remarked
when the wickedest of bourbens died, that
God would think twice before he would
damn a man of his quality: it was the
religion of the bishop who, walking in a
garden with lady, had a servant walk
behind with rake to obl1terate
their tracks. one rake thus fol-
lowing another. 1t was the religion that
filled France with sleek Abbes, who were
practically atheists and who seem to have
looked over the ten commandments and
selected seven as the lucky number to
break. Better than this any religion. Bet
ter than these ordained Knockers of God
and high priests in the temple of cOrrup-
ton and servers Of an infamous alter, the
widest manifestations of what is called
religious enthusiasm; better even the Sal
walton army, everywhere spoken against
for frightening horses. The crimes of
Bourbenism have been laid at the door OF
the Roman Catholic church by its enemies,
and the authority OF that church has been
invoked By its friends. But that was the
church of Fenelon and Massillon, saints Of
God: the church OF Pascal and the good
lie of hn oh of L
lions who went to heaven and found there
the greatest possible contrast with France.
Others have accused Christianity as the
essential principal of Bourbonism. That
was the prevailing view in 1913 and is still
on many Frenchmen. Such do not appear
TO remember that one form of faith IN
dOubtedly Christian was at one time the
great barrier in the way of Bourbon rot
tenness. | speak of CalvinisTn, which made
God SO great that even Louis XIV looked
small. The slightest review of the facts
should convince that the religion which
ministers to Bourbonism is no form of the
Christian system. 1t is merely the Bour-
bon religion. There Is no strength except
that which Expresses; no stability
except that OF the internal powers;
no true chivalry, if there ever was such a
thing: no faith embodying peace on earth
and good will toward man in bourbonism.
Probably the most clearly visible of the
evil effects OF the once universal reign of
the house of bourbon is its influence in
literature, especially in the department of
history, where the doctrine is upheld that
communities have i'll days past, and do
now need, tyranny and individual and
higher class" rule as school. This is
upheld in the face of the fact that school
of this kind once maintained in Egypt re-
suited in the children of Israel, to the
number of a million or so, playing
hockey"
To many minds the declaration of Abra-
ham Lincoln at Gettysburg III favor of
government OF, by and for the people
seems d new and strange saying. That
government, be it understood, is the direct
opposite and the farthest possible remove
from bourbonism. No tyrant or advocate
of tyranny, from Pharaoh, who would not
let the children of Israel go, to the latest
judge who in the miserable, inconsistent
days Of our own country, found in the con-
StItutiOn new reasons for keeping man a
slave, was ever of the least practical use,
except as an example TO be avoided and de
tested.
The bourbon notion is that the govern
ment makes the people But the people
have always, until embruted by bourbon
rule, been better than their government.
When Louis XIV once seemed inclined TO
behave like soldier and a gentleman;
when he Went to the army and
camped with the troops, all
France rose in transport Of
affection, and when he fell sick waited in
anxiety the issue, and fairly kissed the
horse of the messenger that brought
tidings OF his recovery. The people were
kinder, Drawer, better than the king, and
so they always are. The people have al
ways been more fit to rule themselves than
any Bourbon has been tit to rule them
The poorest and rudest commune IN France
left to regulate its village affairs, was bet
ter governed than any Bourbon ever gov
orned France. Even during the reign Of
terror administrative reforms were intro
duced in France which the BOurb0ns left
to themselves would not haYe compassed
in a thousand years.
The history of the house of BourbOns in
France as we have given it is the history
Of failure. 1t is the hope OF mankind
that bOurbonism will everywhere fail. One
of the causes that brings about its fall, is
that it arrays itself against the intelli-
gence, the wit, the humor, the poetry of
the country. All the wit of France was
arrayed in its FURNISHED armor against the
house of Bourbon before its bloody fall.
Noltaire said that he at one time intended
to write a book which should be sum
mary of human depravity, and that he
wrote, Once there was q tax gatherer"
and quit, and all bright France laughed
at and applauded the sentiment. The
satirist is seldom, and the humorist never,
on the side of absolute bourbonism. Poets
have been hired before now to sing its
praises, but let the court minstrel, clad in
silken doublet, sing ever so wisely, and
some poet of the field, some cottage
singer, taught by free bird and unfettered
stream, MARBLES, "A mans man for "a
that" and draws the world away.
Bourbonism thus assailed, because it is
an outrage and an insult and an lmpertl-
hence, being the self constituted rule of
the few over the many, always resorts as
its first impulse to violence. A govern
ment based on force and pursuing force as
its first instinct is bourbon government.
In bourbon regions, 1t is a soldier at this
corner. Il gen Il arme at the next, and the
space between filled with police and spies.
1t makes no difference whether the bOuT-
bon wears diamond or whether his hair
reads the answer in the stars through
the top OF his hat, whether the emblem of
his power is a lettre de caChet consigning
the protestant to the darkness of the bas-
tile, or whether it is a tar bucket and a
fence rail, the bourbon idea is force
always force. The midnight messenger of
the king of the masked riders of the ku
kluX. are alike the representatives OF bour-
bonism. \ gentleman is he who rides a
horse--a cavaiier-wlth a sword with
which he may cut down a peasant for z
Epph, he WI Has no ACISc, no SNOIu, WHO
may not on occasion use force to support a
rule of force, is not a gentleman and has
10 part IN the government. Yet strange !
as this may seem this idea is maintained
occasionally in a civilized country by
civilized men. The contest in this world /
is between this brutal idea and the move (
ment TO make the cavalier come down /
from his high horse, lay aside his /
ever ready sword and take part with /
his Ielinw-clt iZPp in 2 government OF ra.i- I
son. When bourbonism is not in a CON /
aition 10 use open it uses secret violence, /
for where it may have no army il may
nave assassins And where this IS too /