The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-09-16
THEN AND NOW.
The Revolution Of 1776 and the One in
Progress In 1892.

The Revolution Of 1776 and tho One In
Progress In 1892.
In the present social political. and
economic struggle have we any better
teacher to guide us than that furn-
ished by the old revolution of 1776?
Let US then endeavor to refresh our
memories as to few more important
features of that struggle. But first
let me say. writes w. NJ. Goodner in
the Topeka Advocate and Tribune
that Judging from my daily contact
with our reformer friends l am fully
convinced that the man apprehends
neither imminence nor the magnitude
OF the dangers now environing our
people and the republic When
speaking of some of these dangers
such. for Instance as the almost uni
versal surrender to the money power
OF both Democrats and Republicans
OF acknowledged ability and honesty
in all the ordinary pursuits of every
day life. whenever they are brought
face to face with this money
power in the halls of legislation the
replies made. it seems to me. indi-
cate apathy unaccountable for. except
on the ground that the people are
hattering themselves with the delu-
sion that if there are any great dan
gers they are yet long way off. The
truth is, we have now we'll nigh
passed out of the purely educational
into the open and physical conflict
a conflict that must increase both in
breadth and violence until the vaunt-
ing enemy of Democratic freedom is
forever slain in this land When /
listen to my Democratic neighbors
talking of the treachery of Republican
leaders in all their official deeds, and
then find these same Democrats
wholly Indifferent to. and apologizing
for the very same treachery on the
part of their own idoli ed leaders |
am indeed amazed and almost dis
couraged. Will good men never
awaken from their slum bers, nor put
away Their party prejudices sufficient
ly to antagonize every act, whether
OF tn 5 party or OF that if it be
not in the interest of truth and
honesty.
But now as to the lessons of his
tory.
In the revolutionary struggle one of
the most dangerous foes was he who
from a sort of half hearted espousal
OF the cause OF independence. en-
gineered himself into the good graces
OF those great leaders who were CIV
ing their lives and their all for the
cause. But when Heterogeneous
overlook our arms or when great in
ducements for treachery were held
out to these half hearted men. they
frequently deserted our standard; and
the more important the position occu-
pied, the greater the injury done to
our cause
Right at the present moment this
lesson of history should be especially
needed. In our anxiety to gain votes.
we are sometimes tempted to seek the
leadership of men who. though par
TALLY with US still remain in formal
connection with an old political party.
Can we trust this class of men? Can
| we afford. for the sake of gaming
votes, to place such men at the very
head of our ticket when the least de-
| Election from answering devotion to
the great vital reforms must prove
most damaging? When fruit is really
ripe does it not release its hold upon
the twig from which it obtained its
nourishment? When an infant at its
mothers breast has satisfied it's hun
ger does it not voluntarily turn
ishment? So when, in these times OF
| intense antagonism and political poll
cies. will not men who are fully ripe
and ready for hearty CO. cooperation with
true reform. voluntarily sever all con-
nection with old parties when these
are closely seen to be the most violent
antagonism to all true reform?
Although through kind Provi-
| dence more than that Of good states
manship on the part of our leaders
we have for the present escaped this
great danger. it is we'll that we very
| carefully remember the rock from
which we so narrowly escaped wreck
| and ruin in the year of our Lord 1892
Adlaf Stevenson.
Adlai Stevenson is renegade
| Greenbacker who. in 1873 was elected
to congress with Weaver Gillette,
Murch OF Maine and others, twenty
in all, by that great wave Of enthus.
iasm so nightly fostered by Peter
Coopers New York Advocate. live
of the twenty sold out at once without
striking blow for reform. Steven
son and others worked we'll for g
while and then renegaded to the ole
parties. Some stood square to the