The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-04-05
Are The Saints Blind?

mere was, Few weeks ago, tTtiiltn-
dOus upheavel OF moral sentiment" in
North Dakota.
A syndicate headed by the magnani-
nous railroad magnate, Mr.. Aleck Me-
Kenzie, who saved the life of his own
would be assassin. offered to advance all
the needed seed-wheat to the destitute
farmers, free of charge, and to pay $780,
go per annum into the State Treasury
provided that his syndicate was granted
"A Lottery charter by the Legislature.
The sanctimOniOus religionists how
led. The moral sentiment welled up all
over North Dakota and poured down up
on the Legislature in irresistible tor
rents. The business proposition OF Ne
Kennels syndicate was drowned out.
Was North Dakota redeemed then?
Were the farmers saved from starvation?
Did the saints and the piOus philanthrO-
pists and bowling mOralists come to tie
rescue? 1t is sad, very sad, to have to
write it, but it is also, too true that North
Dakota. saved from the polluting charity
OF the Mckenzie syndicate, was turned
over to the tender mercies Of clique OF
psalm singing pharisees In st. Paul
and Minneapolis who had for sweet
charity's sake and in the interest of
morality, volunteered to assist the star
wing DakOtans provided they first broke
away from Mckenzie and his prOffered
bride. What followed is best described
in an editorial in the New York Herald,
under the caption of Not Charity. but
a Big job" saying:
The eyes Of North Dakota farmers are
blazing with unmixed and unmeasured
wrath just now. They shake fists and
heads, and in language that sounds like
an embryonic blizzard, cry out" No. you
DON'T
The capitalists of st. Paul and Ninnea
polls, seeing that these farmers were in
straits and had no seed, got together and
raised three hundred thousand dollars to
furnish the farms with plenty for the
coming season.
As an instance Of brOtherly kindness il
was unique and conspicuous, shining
like q phosphorescent fly in a naughty
world. Charity, ii was asserted, has not
yet died out, not by long shot. and
there was a dim moisture under certain
evangelical eyelids in cOmmenOratiOn OF
this graceful expression Of sympathy.
The conditions of the gift, however,
make Shylock blush. The farmers are
to accept this seed at p cents bushel
more than it Is worth, to pay twelve per
cent for it, use and TO give lien on
their crops for the prompt payment Of
the money loaned.
Charity. therefore, plumes its wings for
flight, and shrewd, bargain, with the
big end in the lenders hands, is found
in its place.
So the farmers are in a state OF mind"
and swear that they will sow no grain
mt all rather than submit to such eYtOri-
ton. They are willing to accept loan,
but not willing to sell out their farms
next autumn in order to pay the de-
mands Of avarice.
When it is remembered that this a
mOnnt Of 100000 was OstentatiOusly
raised and heraIded abroad i'm order to
cOuntervail and replace the offer OF $780,
600 made by McKenzie's syndicate, and
that the saints and the mOralists hailed
this action with loud re Deums as bull
wark erected by Providence! against the
evil Vaccinations of goddess men, when
all that is remembered, one is struck
with amazement at the vanity Of such
holy men who, thinking to save the far
mers from the gamblers damnable bene-
factions did but blindly deliver them
over to be robbed by "whited sepulchres"
Christian Shylocks-masquerading in
Heavens livery.
Ii Is then true az Latimer. Bishop Of
Worcester said? THE saints have not
so sharp eyes to see down from Heaven;
they be purblind and sand-blind." Estates
Not,ra -, Can,1c,oo