The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-12-25
A POPUuIST PRIEST.
FAMOUS DIR. McGLYNN SPEAKS
BEFORE A CHICAGO AU-
DIENCR,

More Than Ordinary Politics Its De-
mands Heaven Born and Will be
Heaven-Sent.
DR.. McGlynn, the famous New York
priest who has so often refused to obey
the mandates Of bis church whenever he
considered it unchristian like, is an
ardent Peoples party man. Recently
he was asked to make a speech in
Chicago. The Times gives the follow
ing partial report of the speech:
In introducing DR.. McGlynn, Mr..
Cox said: Il have the pleasure to in
trOduce a man whose religion is as
broad as his politics, whose politics
are as broad as his religion, and both
are as broad as his humanity"
DR.. McGlynn said in part:
Il am nothing if not a priest. The
ideal of my earliest childhood was to
dedicate myself to the service of the
most high, and / have never had the
slightest temptation to tear myself
away from the as pirations of my youth.
Some Of you may have come here out
of mere curiosity to see q preacher on
a political platform. If the principles
for which this party In contending
were the same as those ordinarily COZ
tended for by the old political parties,
would agree with any one who should
CT i5icise that I was entirely out of
my place. But this In not mere po
litical party. 1t stands for something
higher and nobler than we find con-
tended for by mere politicians. The
religion within me will not allow me
to sit still when see the great wrongs
which are being done against Gods
people by others of his creation.
was for many years ministering be-
fore the altar to Christ's poor, and,
knowing the ills of poverty with which
they had to contend, while preached
to them of Chriss's mercy 1 was con-
stantly aware of the poverty and deg
radiation by which they were sur
rounded on all sides.
Lhave been besieged by women 7nd
children as well as men begging me
not for bread or even money, but for
my assistance to secure them work
that they might earn their bread, and
have been compelled to turn them
away empty handed of this right which
they regard as a boon. Seeing this
terrible condition of effairs on all sides
was compelled to ask myself, can this
be G DIS law that this advance in civ
ilization which we call progress must
be attended by so much poverty, suffer
ing and tdegradation3 Is it the law Of
civilization that the high culture shall
be at the expense Of the lives of the
oppressedi If such be the truth, civil
ization is bad and not good thing.
Ny religion would not permit me to
believe that this was law of God. No,
the misery and the poverty, the press
ing out of human lives, are not the re
suit of Gods law, but a violation of
Gods law. Knowing these things and
feeling the injustice and iniquity which
had been propagated in the name of
law was impelled in spite of myself to
come forth from the pulpit, whatever
else you do have no quarrel with the
verities revealed by true religion.
am glad to be here tonight to speak
in behalf of the important essentials of
the Peoples party platform. The pre-
vious and eloquent speaker has told
you of the two old parties. Their diff
ference between tWeedle dee ard
t Weedle dun. I am glad that I shall
never have to ask the forgiveness of
God for having had anything to do,
except in the humble way of voter,
with the mistakes which they have
made.
l am hsre TO demand in the name of
UwOet religion, not charity, but justice
for man. We are charged with trying
10 expunge that most important among
the commandments. Thou shalt not
steal" We are not here to steal, but
10 put o stop 10 stealing.
/ am not here 10 cry out against the
stealing of geese when men are stealing
the great rights of the common people.
The essential principles Of the Peo-
ple's party and of the united labor
party como nearer to those great prin-
ciplOs than enunciated by any other of
the parties of the day. These principles
have been declared inalienable, and
Ihsy are, because the gift of the Crea
sor. We are essentially equal because
members of one family and children-Of
0ne father. Take away the great law
If the golden rule and how hollow
human life ia; the mere competition of
,ho animal for the necessities which