The advocate., 1894-01-24

John Cotterell was yet young when
his clerical companion came into his
life, and showed him that the vain
hope of happiness in the pursuit of
wealth or of the dreams of ambition is
really utopian, while ideal life in ideal
society offers the most intensely prac-
tical object human endeaVor can seek
to attain. Practical, because it is
natural; because the whole universe is
pledged that, in some way, the natural
law of human solidarity shall prevail;
and because all the WretchedneSs of
mankind is but the result of our futile
attempts to prevent the operation of
that law of human brotherhood and
equality.
Let not the reader misunderstood me.
am not urging that socialism is a
true philosophy, altogether. | speak
only of the sublime hope it inspires in
young men. l am not advocating
theories; but, in relating events, wish
to show the elements which entered
into the characters of the actors in
those events. And | feel certain that,
as a consequence of his depression, from
which it is time to return, the reader
win better appreciate John Cotterell,
whom we are soon to meet at his
fathers house.
Labor day in 1890 was not celebrated
with much pomp in the city of Graham.
The leaders in the unions were always
quite anxious that labor organizations
should remain strictly 'non partisan" "
which, being interpreted, meant that
the unions should always be controlled
and managed in the interest of the re-
publican party. The Labor day orators
were usually republican politicians, al
| though ON one occasion a very conser-
Vative clergyman, and on another, a
professor from the university, had
spoken; the former dealing in his ora
tiOn with the highly germane subject,
can Answer to Some Attacks of In
fdels on the Mosaic Account of the
Creation of the World" while the
latter discussed the doctrine of pOliti-
cal economy as to "Value in Use and
Value in Exchange" which themes
were, by even the union leaders, CON
sidered harmless in tendency.
But when the preparations for Labor
day 1890 were in progress, John Cot
terrell and some others learned that
distinguished socialist would be in the
state soon and would, if invited, de-
liver the Labor day oration, and sup
posing themselves to be bearers of good
news, they hastened to the committee
which met that night. Their proposal
created the greatest CONSERVATION.
"Have a socialist for our speaker? ?
Why, it would ruin organized labor!"
said one of the committee.
"Ruin it lCitb 1OhOm?" quietly, but
with a keen, searching glance, asked
John COtterell.
"Why, with everybody" said the
committeeman.
aren't unionists tolerant enough to
listen to what at least claims to be
way out for working menp" asked
John. "If sOcialism's true doctrine,
what interest have s0e in keeping it
from being heardP"
"But the publicl Public sentiment
would be against us" said the non
partisan toady.
ga richer man than any of us said
once, the public be damned Why
can't we follow his mottoP" asked
John.
But the socialist was not chosen.
The orator of the day was the Hon.
Hezekiah Bernard, a safely conserva-
tive republican politician, or, as John
called him, "a republican fixer." Then
it was the union politicians discovered
the character of the man with whom
they had to deal. John COtterell held
meetings of shopmen and others, and,
amid deafening cheers, carried reso-
lutiOns reciting the conduct of the
committee and declaring that no self
respecting working man, whether q