Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-29
DEATH OF JOHN BRIGHT
From the Kansas City Star.

John Bright is dead Humanity has
lost friend, great statesman has gone,
matchless orator is silent, and this
friend and advocate of America on Brit
ish soil will no longer be heard.
For almost half a century John Bright
has been beacon light in the world 8
progress. Age for the last few years
has inclined him to conservative meth
DDS, and, for some time, on the home
rule question he has acted with the
Tories; but this eclipse of his great career
now, in the hour Of his death, but as a
single spot on the bright sun of his un-
selfish life. He has everywhere stood
for the progress of the race. He was a
friend of commercial freedom. and SO he
labored for the cause of free trade. His
loving nature went out for those in
bondage, and so he made war upon
slavery in the United States and was re-
lentless in his attacks on the bru-
tai slave piracy in vogue in Africa.
He has been the friend and
advocate of the black race
and did all that eloquence and moral
suasion could do for its progress. He
labored with Golden for the abolition of
the odions corn laws in England. He
was largely responsible for the extension
of suffrage to British subjects. There is
not miner nor factory hand in Eng
land, Scotland or Wales but has reason
to revere the name of John Bright.
Especially has the child laborer cause to
be thankful to him. For every one of
these he has shortened the hours of
labor, and done much through laws, bnt
more through public sentiment. to make
less heavy their always weighty bur-
dens. Both by tradition and nature he
was opposed to that barbarous atrocity
called war. He could see no reason why
men should arm themselves and go forth
to kill each other. He was opposed to
the duel of the two and the duel of the
many. The hatred of war made him
the advocate of national disarmament.
He believed that the world should be
disarmed and governed by friendly arbi-
tration. He would put reason in the
place of force, and for the bloody battle
field he would substituse the peaceful
council chamber. He did more, perhaps,
than any other single man to advance
the cause Of arbitration, and thus did
much to create a healthy sentiment
againet war in all its its barbarous forms.
Americans should not forget that dur
ing the war the Union had no firmer
friend than John Bright. Even Glad
stone wavered, leaning little to the
south. but John Bright never failed in
his devotion to the north. He saw in
the success of the Union the liberation
of the slaves of the south, and for that
result his soul yearned. 1t was when
Englishmen Were doubtful and many
were saying that the Union would go to
pieces that the serene and prophetic
voice of John Bright was heard saying:
! have another and far brighter vision
before my gaze. 1t may be q vision, but
will cherish it. l see one vast confedera-
ticn stretching from the frozen north in
unbroken line TO the glowing south, and
from the wild pillows of the Atlantic
westward to the calmer waters of the
Pacific main. and see one people, and one
language. and one law, and one faith, and
over all that wide continent the home of
freedom aud refuge for the oppressed of
every race and every cline.
When President Lincoln died the
family gave his gold-headed cane to Dr.
Smith and this gentleman gave it to
John Bright ''as token of esteem which
the late president felt for him." 1t bet
ter became John Bright than any other
man in England to lean upon the cane
OF Lincoln. 4Ff..b
But death has closed the earthly career
of this fearless and eloquent advocate of
peace. liberty and progress. His loss Is
not felt in England alone. 1t is univer-
sal. His humanity is not mere gilt
tering generality" but it touched the in
dividuals near him and went out to peo-
pie and races and especially, to those
who bore burdens. Today the world
takes note of his great achievements in
its behalf and mourns his death.