New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-03
nREM M4JOR REFORMERS.

O,o Of tho oueer ,st Droducts Of every great
ro,,.,, movement Is the reformer who feels 1t
his duty 10 tell the world that the particular
reform i'm question is impractlcaDle or uh"is''
and the men who are carrying IL on are ui''
worthy of confidence. He Is man-no we
are wrong there for he Is sometimes woman
who believes so arcniy in reform III geherhi
that he is at any moment ready To sacrihce NM
sc,f Inv marching at the head OF the reform
nboIonx But this Is a selfish and ungra'eiui
world and for ore reason or another he mas
his individuality dried up. to Use happy phrase
coincd by our esteemed fcllow-ctizcn, the Kew.
Thomas Dixon.
Now il Is not pleasant to have your ihuN"-
u,lity dried up just when you are about 10
sclZ,. the baton and don the chapcau vi 'he
dr,im-major. II is Il circumstance wen c''"
lated 10 make IN apostle Of reform ask hiliseh
II civilization Is not dream, especiahy wiz"
some plain person with a large contempt ioi
the stage trappngs Of the drum major not OILY
gets the people To believe in him, but pcrs"a"cs
Them to follow him TO victory. 1t IL tough WE
may say very tough. on Il lot OF ardent eho"S'
who sit I'D nights thinking how they may re-
form the world. by standing in the hmeigh'
of pubiciy at the head Of the reform process
sion II Is often said that THIS age N Waht'"-
In Il sense Of artistic fitness. And we are con
WINGED that The charge Is true wheh we see
how a mere self forgctful believer In reform Tor
tho s,kc If reform. like Dr. Parkhurs Is placed
ON q nedestol Of honor while such truly picti-
rescue rcformcrs rs the Rev. Thomas DiNoh anu
4 host Of others find their individuality drieu up
We are glad 10 record the fact. however, tha'
the dr,inl-Inajo r rcformers themselves W.
may :, designate thcm-havc by no means drici
M ON the contrary. their vocal chords are III
fine fighting TRIM and they are equally ready To
fir. protty vocal hombShclls into the camp oi
lin, enemy or M the poor devils OF real REFORM
ors down I'm the trenches, who are so effectively
fighting the enemy
This j. an acr Of criticism The higher crit
iclsm Of the Bible is becoming firmly estab-
li>hcd largely through the attacks made upon II
by men who do no, know what the higher crit
,,ism + /, II not possible that reform may
be- promorcl In the same way? Whenever a
man arises with the power and The VIII |" i''u
= movement against some evil abuse or wrong.
when he has convinced nine out OF ten hoil"st
pconle I'm the community that he is a leader
worthy ~ their confidence and support ana
when nj las, ne has done what he set ont To DO
has put an cnd 10 an cNlI, HIS T'ioi"'' 81"
abuse or rightcd a wrong then * the time TOT
the higher critic Of reform To give Inc go"h
cause "A final boost 10y showing. first. mat Inc
rcfprmcr j. pretty small potatoes and, second
that The system he trel 10 reform wasn't 80
very bad after all We said that the real leader
~ reform generally gets the support of nine
ont ~ ten honest people In The community fo'
one reason or another. however. the tenth man
STAYS out II the procession. M least III the p''
ginning And this Is where the higher critic
II reform gets In his good work. By his slang
whanging attacks on reform and by his apollo
gle, FOR evil he promptly converts that TENN
man. M, fo his own views. but Ia III" cause
~ genuine reform All ~ which teaches H.
that even The NOTES. whose existence Is Only
made known 10 Us 10y the beam OF sunlight. may
have their uses In the economy Of Nature.