The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-05-05
WHAT or the NIGHT?''


Asking the question.
The following is an extract from an
able article by B. O. Flower published
in the Arena: In the midst Of poverty
which is the heritage Of so many
white slaves in country and city life
to-day, we are confronted by the
question, Will the morrow witness
new order of thingsp Will conditions
be SO changed that unlimited want
will be reduced to exceptional cases.
if it does not entirely disappear, and
will social aspects be SO changed that
it will be easier for men to do right
than to sin? In other words, will
conditions tend to develop and bring
out all that is noblest, purest and
| most divine in mans naturep / be-
lieve such changes not only possible
| but inevitable, if those whose hearts
| have been touched by the higher al
truistic thought of the hour do their
duty. There are to-day, as never
before, multitudinous forces at work,
leagued with justice and the dawn.
Some are silent, and their influence
| is unsupported; while above and be-
! You'd all is the impalpable but per-
| sistent ideal of human brotherhood,
which has taken possession of the
hearts and brains of millions of think
ing men. women, and children.
And yet we must not allow our
selves to be deceived by expectations
of an easy triumph. Forces which in
themselves hold invincible potency
may be held in check, if not defeated.
by soulless plutocracy intrenched
behind class laws; such plutocracy.
for example, as is found in the giant
trusts and mOnopOlies of our day.
Now the fact is beginning to dawn
on thoughtful people that we Asneri-
cans, who have fallen into the foolish
habit of parroting trite phrases about
self-gOvernment, are in reality far
less our own masters than is popu-
larly supposed. The truth cannot
be denied that an oligarchy, repre-
senting many interests, but having
common cause to defend. shapes
when it does not instigate large
proportion of our present day legis-
lation. | very much doubt whether
the members of congress or the repre-
sentatives in various state legisla-
lures dream how perfectly the gloved
hand of organized capital guides the
helm of state: how important meas
ures are defeated. dangerous bills
are enacted, amid the alternate en-
thusiasm and apathy of the public.
That the press is also being silently
and. in many cases, unWittingly
swayed and Influenced, is nndoubted-
ly true.
Two things must be brought about
before. we can hope for the advent of
the great vital reformative measures
which will, through the operation OF
justice, transform, to a certain extent
at least. the face of civilization.
First. the people must be aroused to
the danger of the silent influences
now operating in Washington, in the
various state capitals, and even upon
the judiciary and through the press
of the peril, they must, for a time at
least, sink all petty strife. and move
in solid phalanx against the common
> enemy. The measures proposed may
not come up to our ideals, but if they
make for the eqality Of opportunity
and are founded upon justice, they
,. should be accepted by sincere re
tion. With this catholic standard
before us. all who have faith in civil
izatiOn, all who love humanity, al
who bow before the sacred shrine %
Justice, should move forward. APP
probation of the magnitude Of thu
peril and concerted action-these ar,
!, the supreme needs of the hour.
There is another reason why :
believe in the near approach O
radical reformatory measures. Never
in the history of the world have 5,
many thoughtful people apprehendet
clearly the great basic truth, that il
: complete life like ours the interest
of all are so interviewer that any thin,
which Injuries one sooner or later in
lures all and that which elevate
one elevates all We are be
ginning To learn the vita
: lessons that only by justice and Low
can we secure true happiness, as in
L dividuals. or enduring prosperity. a
Il nation. They will seek out tn
= suffering and the starving. The
:, will help the weak to become strong
/ believe that the ideal of a nobl
: and happy life for man. woman Q
: child. which to-day SO PERSISTENT
. haunts the brain of millions of earth
children will be realized. Not tx
- morrow or next year. but in the {,
ture: yes. the near future. We mus
Il not grow discouraged if the It'd
seems to ebb sometimes; it will r.
turn with renewed power. It take
some time. after intellectual asser
{ has been gained. for new truths
Is enter the bone, blood and fibre
9 actual life Especially is this true
2 those teachings which run counter
: the preconceived ideas and inherite
> prejudice. of generations. We mu
- expect disappointment. The pc
. simism of the discouraged will me-
u us on one hand, and the optimism
- the dilettante on the other will co
u time to obstruct all radical reform
e tive work. But neither will the CT
y that s.it is useless to further battle
y. or the assertion that .sall is wei
u check the flow Of reformative though
= now in motion. | believe the dav