The Washington times., 1894-08-20

alton Of which on the part Of the public makes
that public responsible for these Infamous 30
tiohs. The right of which those people have
been defrauded is a right now conceded by
every civilized government on earth, and no
nation that permits its denial to the very hum
blest and meanest OF its citizens has any right
to the fellowship of liberty-loving people.
MUST DEFEND OUR NEEDY BROTHERS.
'Shall we suffer this priceless heritage Of
freemen to be stolen from US by the tyrants
and usurpers of our time? II we don't de-
fend our needy brothers In this right we eshall
not long hold 1t for ourselves. When regard
Tor right and justice departs individual lib
erty Will not tarry long.
1.-THE general use OF these great words,
rights and liberties, is not as intelligent as
| it ought TO be. The words do not stand for
clear and definite ethical conceptions, and SO
there Is confusion both in thought and action.
| what do we mean by right? We do mot
| merely mean legal claim. Under the estab-
lished laws of this country at the present time
every man not ranked as insane or criminal
has the right OF personal freedom. But this
was not always 30. More than thirty years ago
millions of persons In this land were slaves.
The right Of personal freedom was denied
them and they were held in subjection to the
will OF others. The emancipation proclama-
tion and the thirteenth and fourteenth amend
ments set them free and secured them in their
freedom. No intelligent person believes that
the law which made these slaves free gave
them the right to freedom.
"The right existed before the law and II was
the consciousness of this fact working in the
minds of society at large that led to the
recognition OF their right In Presidential pro-
clamation and Congressional enactment
These men always had right, that is a just
claim to freedom. Law did not confer the
right. 1t only recognized it and secured them
in the exercise of that right. Vow do we
come to get rights of this sort.
''1he only rational answer to this question is
we have rights because they are necessary
to our best growth as men. Because we can
no. attain our true end as human beings with
out them. Rights have their origin in the
nature OF the being to which they belong and
are determined by the end indicated by his
constitution. Human rights have their cor
relatives in human obligations. Men have
rights in order that they may do right. II
there were no such thing as right: :if men were
under no obligation to pusure one course
rather than another, there could be no such
thing as rights.
THE INDIVIDUAL PART OF THE MASSES.
SIN affirming mans right and duty to make
the most and the best of himself we do not for
get that the life of the individual is bound up
with the life of the masses; that mans high
est and noblest powers are those which make
him a social being and that he can only make
the most and best of himself as he comes in
to the life of those powers that have con-
trolling regard for the welfare Of others.
IF government is to continue it must
serve the end for which it rightfuly exists.
Society must do for individuals through this
what they cannot do for themselves. but what
must needs be DONE it, as individuals. they
are to go forward toward that end indicated
by their powers.
1.-The popularity of the situation in this
country is that the very individuals who most
need the interference OF government TO keep
the doors OF opportunity and the paths of
progress open to them are themselves part.
and might be the most Influential. as they are
already the largest part. OF that social organi-
Zation. whose agency and instrument govern
ment is. The great need Of the day is first
that men should realize the dignity of their
nature. the great possibilities OF goodness and
OF happiness that belong to them as men, and
the weighty obligation that rests upon them
in view of these possibilities and powers TO
press forward toward the goal to which these
faculties and possibilities point. They need
also to realize the fact that this end of indi-
yidual manhood is not an end that can possi- |
bly, be furthered by WAYS and means that
block the pathway of progress for others. |
Ii is a development that can only be effected |
through lifelong devotion to the welfare of |
self and Others a devotion shown not in the |
leisure hours devoted to charity and benevo- |
lence SO called, but shown in q purpose and |
spirit OF actual service, carried into and male |
a controlling factor in all the activities OF the
daily life.
.'i'hey need to realize that society must |
adopt soon or late system of industry in |
which the purpose and spirit of service can |
become universal; a system under which it |
will be practicable for all persons not only to |
cherish feelings OF mutual helpfulness and |
brotherly Service. but TO act on these principles
in every relation. discarding those principles OF
ungenerous rivalry and unmanly competition |
which at present prevail. And lastly they |
must realize that IL this system of mutualism |
or cooperation is ever TO be ushered in; i. |
the industries of this country are ever to be |
organized in the interests of the people, |
organized In a way to secure suitable employ |
ment and adequate support for every member |
of the social body, 1t must be done chiefly by |
that portion OF the people now most seriously |
in pecuniary way, by the |
existing industrial anarchy.
NO POLITICAL REVOLUTION NEEDED.
Ifthey continue to be the tools OF those who |
use and exploit them; il they continue to sub |
nit to be led and fooled or bullied by their |
present masters, then there is no probability |
that the near future will bring them release |
from present burdens. Ii any great changes |
are to come in the interest of the people, the |
the people must effect thesa changes. They |
will not come without an earnest and persist |
ent struggle on the part Of the masses. They |
have the future of this country. and there
fore largely OF the world, in their hands.
III they can only be led to rise to the level |
OF their opportunity and privilege. if they can
only be made to see clearly and perform faith |
fully their high political duty. single decade |
might witness the practical abolition Of idle |
ness and poverty from every portion OF this |
country The rights of the individual and |
the rights of government unite TO plead for |
such action. There is nothing in the way |
but the greed, ignorance and petty iealousies |
OF the very people who are clamoring for re-
lief No political revolution is needed.
..Political action along lines already pro-
jected. and on which we have Travelled good |
way. is all that is necessary.
''There are some fields already ripe for the
harvester The grain Of the railroad, the
money and the land. the telegraph and tele-
phone, is waiting to be gathered. Then
..Shoulder the sickle; the fields are white;
'Tis the time of the harvest at last.
Reapers, be up with the morning light,
Ere the blush of its youth is past
Why stand on the highway and lounge at the
gate,
With a summer days work to perform
If YOU wait the hiring 'tis long you may wait |
Till the hour of the night and the storm
.Sharpen the sickle, how full the ears!
Our children are crying for bread;
And the field has been watered with orphans
tears
And enriched with their fathers dead: