Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1894-03-09
The Farmers Leader
NUMA'S REFLECTION.

|
Mr. EDITOR: Everyone will admit that
public opinion is always playing great roll In
| transpiring events, and the customary proverh
| is, that public opinion will not err. How far
this is true, or not true, may, to some extent,
develop in our investigation.
Any person, who at all offers thought upon
matters of general concern, will confess that
| there are certain persons among certain classes
of the people, who are professional shapers OF
pu blic opinion. In q superficial view. upon
everyday events, such persons may be said, in
general term, to be editors, and ministers OF
the gospel. Proceeding upon the investigation
we may find that the great mass Of these
professionals are Influenced by certain powers.
Although. in this republic, all persons are equal
before the law, we will observe, in practical
life that the people are divided in two great
divisions termed the upper class and the lower
class. This lower class you may liken to the
workers. i beehive; they always busy them
selves about their vocation, meddlng with
matters of public concern in an insignificant
way, and, as q rule, upon superficial
appearance. Z 'f' pc g.. -, = >.,. .
The upper class, who, as o rule, are deriving
their fortunes from the physical exertions Of
the lower class, busy themselves mostly with
brain-work, and deliberately, upon we'll design
ed plans form and regulate public opinion in
their self-interested favor. To prove this, we
start our investigation way back in the 3ncient
history ofthe Roman Republic. ... e.,
Very early in the development of the Roman
nation there arose contentious between the
aristocracy (patricians) and the common peo-
pie (plebeians) as to the unjust division OF the
wealth as well as the burden OF the nation.
The greatest part OF the public lands were
appropriated by the patricians; the plebeians
were employed in the tllage and cultivation
and an extortionate tribute was exefted upon
their labor by the patricians. =: ',-,
About 500 years B. c., Spurius Cassius was
chosen member OF the Roman Council; he
drafted bill for an agrarian law, which pro-
vided for the division Of the public lands
between patricians and plebeians upon just
terms. This measure met with the stern
opposition OF the patricians, and so skillfully
did they work their arguments against the
measure, that they even succeeded in turning
many Of the plebeians against it; in short they
worked up public opinion against Cassius by
cunningly asserting that he wanted to invoke
public sentiment in his favor and become king
OF Rome. SIS --> j.. t-a g %,.t-t.
Cassius argued with great eloquence for his
measure; but SO powerful was the bribery and
influence Of the patricians that they succeeded
in passing death sentence against him, and
he was thrown headlong from the Tarpeian
Rock into the river Tiber. c,..a
So much Tor ancient history We will now pass
to the time Of Christ. This meek and benevo-
lent teacher always took the part OF the
oppressed; his chief argument was righteous
ness; he denounced arrogance, prodigality and
i,,e, tn1 lott Ion
age that he aroused the hatred Of the scribes
and the chief-priests, who were q special gaul
for his reformatory remarks. BY his great
divine power and his meek, and at the same
time, stern conduct, he won the multitude in
his favor. manifestation Of their regard for
him occurred on Palm Sunday, when he rode
from Bethany to Jerusalem; the people spread
palmbranches and even their garments on the
road for him. and sang TO his praise.
This demonstration fred the minds of the
naughty scribes, the wealthy and the priest
hood who, for some time, had viewed him with
suspicious eyes. For four days they held
council and delivered speeches to the people
against his teachings and conduct. and SO well
did they succeed in turning public opinion
against him. that on the following Friday they
we're able to pass the death sentence against
him, and as they marched him through the
streets Of Jerusalem the multitude spit ut him
and cried. cruelty him. cruelty him ~
For further proof we will point to q couple OF
incidents Of more recent date. >s.-
During Andrew Johnson's administration
from 1865 SO, the funding Of the public debt
was pending in congress and o proposition to
change the contract from lawful money OF the
United States to payment in coin. Andrew
johnson patrioticaly and sternly opposed every
movement in this direction and stood firmly
on his oath Of once for the welfare of the
people. ~. .R,s
The plunderers Of the public purse shouted
repudiator, repudiator! They employed the
public press to pull wool over the peoples
eyes and create sentiment in favor OF their
scheme by pretending that the credit Of the
nation was in danger. Indeed, danger for
the credit Of a nation, who had just triumph
antly emerged from establishing the
nation on firmer footing than ever before.
But so successful were the abettors to this
scheme that the press all over the country
cried, down with Johnson; impeach him.
impeach him! And no sooner was be out Of
office than the act passed, March 1Sth 1882
making the bonds payable in coin. But selfish
greed was not yet satisfied nor cunning deyil-
ishment exhausted: the next step was to
UemOnGblZe silver (loi5,) making coin mean
gold. the schemers well knowing that this
meant perpetual debt on the people. and per-
petual raking in of interest for the schemers.
BY their fruits We shall know them, says the
Nazarene; the fruits are now ripening. Anew
issue of 5000, 900 600 bonds is now necessary-so
they tell us-frmer riviting debt perpetual.
For gold sufficient to meet this obligation is
not nor never can be, with the government; it
must be bought from the schcmers always with
new bonds. To necessarily play on the string
of superstition about gold and intrinsic value
in money. and to reap financial matters well
enveloped in obscurity before public opinion
just as priestcraft has always been most
successful as they could keep divine matters
well enveloped in mystery.
Prof. Briggs of the Presbyterian church is,
perhaps the latest sacrifice ON the religious
arena. With mind strongly saturated on
principles OF honesty and truth, he undertook
to break the crust of mystery by lifting the
curtain and let the people have peep on
natural planness and reality: forthwith was
he placed on the rack of torture. With the
courage of conviction he stood his ground, but
such proceedings could not be tolerated in this
nineteenth century. he must be declared a
herefic and pet his dismission