The herald., 1894-07-09

And again the burden rests dowl
upon that mighty city by the rivers ant
the wsiling goes up, "Baby lon 10 fallen
is fallen" And then new vision il
uniolded to his eyee. Peering through
the darkness of the night and the desert
away across the land is the dim outline
of q watch tower, and one standing be-
hind its walls watching, watching across
the land in the darkness, alone. And
across the still night CO mes a iar.off cry
that yet rings down the centuries
"Watchman, what of the night
Watchman. what OF the night?'
And from the lone tower comes back
thst answering cry. "The morning com.
eth. and also the night. Ii ye will in.
quire, inquire We. Come ye again"
And then the darkness OF the mid
night settles down, and no man knew of
the night-only that vague ans wering
cry, "The morning cometh," the light
of the morning to the weary watchers,
but alas also the nj bit.
II was voice from the night, only a
voice, ard no man saw the watch man,
or him who across the dim plain cried
out to know of the night. And the
morning came to the land, and the days
turned years, and the years to the long
centuries, and yet the heart OF man has
never iorgotton that weird cry in the
darkness OF the desert night ages ago.
1t has never forgotten, because from
that desert OF SER came forth cry that
was not OF the night time of Seir alone,
but is cry of the human heart in all
nges. ever going II p from the night OF its
darkness and doubling. 1t matters little
that Dumah and its burden have become
1ly hn INT th,1 1ux e Al
night; that no man knows even the
place OF its towers, that it has become
only name. 1t is tho cry that lives.
And go long as man finds again the
night time, and the desert OF his doubt
ing, still the cry will 20 up even as of
old, "Watchman, what of the night ?O
Ir was 80 alter the fail Of the Roman
empire as chaos came again to the
world, and night settled down over civ
il zation. 1t was 10 in the darkness OF
the French revolution. 1t has been SO
in the history OF our own land; and to-
day, in the face OF the problems which
have nsvsr vet been answered, and Is
the darkness OF doubt settles down over
the nation, thoughtful men are looking
out into the dark and crying again the
old cry, Waterman, what of the
night?"
That a deep unreet, disshtisfaction
with and q diatrust OF our form of gov
eminent and ito practical workings has
come to many OF our people, no man
con deny. The frequently recurring
strlkea and the banding together OF
trades unions and labor Organizations
are evidences Of this spirit. And with
1T has grown up q disregard of law
which lie new thing to our people.
This 10 not the time or place to discuss
the question: ct Issue. Brief allusion
only may be allowed to some OF them.
Some things which were open queations
III the psss are now among the things
which may be considered as settled.
Thus may be mentioned: Government
by the people, public education, elavery.
Among the questions yet lying before
us 10 be settled may be mentioned:
Restricting and sitting OF immigration,
intelligence test for voting, compulsory
education in the English language.
Chrietisnzing the incoming food of
population, the liquor problem, prevent.
ing the entail of vast fortunes, checking |
and controlling great corporations.
more equitable distribution of the pro-
and RbaRh1gy Rt aR1y teS hRhTsssSng algs up Of great
for the rghte OF others.
Theas questions ara mentioned not to |
discuse them, for as before stated this is
neither the day nor the place for their
discussion, but only to chow how much |
yet lies before ua TO be settled And |
how shall these questions be- settled |
without a, battling OF conflicting inter.
eats such as shall wreck our civilization
in the clash? Is it to bs wondered at
that RS the night of doubt and msgiv-
ing settles down upon mems hearts
while they face this uncertain future,
they should turn them and cry out as
the voice Of old from the midnight of
Sier, Watch man, what OF the Dight?"
Cry iu the hope that somewhere in the
dark eomeone may be wise enough to
give answer.
Tho great strike which is now on in
our land IL not thing OF chance. 1t ia
the logical outcome CT conflicting forces
which exist in the land, unrestrsined by
that regard for mutual rights which s
an absolute essential TO the existence of
free government. That there are wrongs
to be rishted, no man can deny. Yet
the un6kill0d attempt to right wrong
may in it's turn be the means of inflct- !
ing rev end greater wrong upon inno- |
cent third parties. That the small fruit |
farmer OF California, dependent upon
the crop CT his few acres, shall be denied |
a market and go ruined. because OF q dis
pute in factory two thousand miles
away, ia q mockery of law and justice. !
That such condition of things ls pos
sible destroys, the very foundation OF
honest industry and takes away the |
incentive to labor.
That the business OF the nation with |
all its complicated ramihcatione and its
varied and widespread interests should |
be called upon to stand etill until such |
dispute shall be settled, is burden up
on the nation that is utterly intolerable.
This would not be government, but an
archy. Civilization would quickly per-
ish under such strain. Some other
and less costly method OF procedure
must be devised to meet such quee-
tions.
That a single man, responsible to no
one, should exercise arbitrary powers
such as no president, mo monarch, pos
eeeses. and that in land devoted to
law, is state of affairs
utterly incompatible with the perpetui-
ty of free Institutions. That murder and |
pillage and arson should be invoked in
the name OF liberty, msans, if un. |
checked. the speedy overthrow OF liber-
l. L