The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-04-19


What apology has this paper for
its existence?
What right has it to shoulder its
way into a world already over
crowded with similar enterprises.
The poet says:
We cry when we are born, that we are
come
To this great stage of fools.
Why should THE REPRESENTATIVE
trouble the slumber of the drowsy
and interrupt the hurried Steps of
the busy, by rushing into the arena
at this time?
Because it is The REPRESENTATIVE.
1t represents a great orga nization
and greater sentiment-an organi-
zation with one thousand branches
in this state and vast multi
tude-many millions of followers
throughout all the United States.
The people must have some
one to speak for them in this region
of country-some one to plead their
cause; to answer the attacks of
their enemies; to print the doings of
their conventions, committees and
subordinate societies; to voice the
opinions and views of their think
ers; to link them all together in one
live, active, homogeneous whole. In
our present advanced civilization no
large association or men can exist
without newspaper-hencen mer-
chants, bankers, doctors, lawyers,
clergymen, musicians, Odd Fellows,
F'reemasons, Turners-all creeds,
all parties, all fads and fantasies
have their newspapers. Why, then,
should the Farmers Alliance of
Minnesota be voiceless?
Experience is demonstrating, all
over the country, from WASHINGTON
to the Pacific coast, that human ma
ture, in the average man, is so weak
that it cannot stand the strain, in
mighty political confiicrs, where
hundreds of millions of dollars are
massed on one side and the unor-
ganized and scattered multitude are
arrayed on the other. The tempta-
tion is too great. While many stand
firm in the great trial, some break
down and inflict deadly blows on
the cause of those they pretend to
champion. There never was before
in all the history of the world, such
Slavery was foe a thousand miles
away. We are contending with
evil influences right in our midst.
The Southerner took his rifle in
hand, pulled down the old flag, and
went to shooting. The biggest fool
in the world could understand what
that meant. The secessionist was
no trickster; but a plain, blunt
man, who thought he was right and
came out into the open to fight for
his principles, and die for them if
need be. But the people are now
contending with hostile in
fuences which shoot no guns, but
insidiously sap and mine hepopular
conscience; pervert law and JUS
tice, and make free government i'm
possible. Their first and most nat
ural step toward controlling public
opinion is to buy up the newspapers
which so largely mould and shape
public opinion. The newspaper so
bought does not take dowrithe ban
ner of human rights and hoist the
black flag Of Plutocracy; on the
contrary, it makes up for its in
ward venality by obstreperous
clamor for reform; it howls and
| froths at the mouth, and hurls itself
into hysterical convulsions in behalf
| of those it has betrayed. While imi-
| tating the fine business instincts of
! Judas it screams the name of Christ
| with every other word. The lower
| it sinks the more violent it's con-
| tortions become and the more
| vociferous its sham uproar of vir-
| tue; until it sinks at last in a sui
/: phur-bath of volcanic expletives and
| interiections amid the astonished
| contempt of mankind. But before
! it goes down it judiciously wields
| the poisoned knife, with supreme
| cunning, and stabs right and left, to
| earn its reward, until it leaves
Truth helpless, and bleeding at a
hundred wounds
No great reform can live without
newspapers; and, in snch sconflict
as we are engag \ in, the eformcrs
must absolntel III own the he eN6F,a4.
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