The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-03-28
The Light Spreading.

The Rev. DR.. M. d. Shutter, a
learned Protestant divine of Mime
apolis, delivered remarkable adj
dress on the 18th of March, which
shows how Populist doctrines are
spreading into the ranks of the min
istry This is most encouraging
sign The consciences of men are be-
ing aroused. We quote some extracts
from Mr.. Shutters address,
Factory fires have been going out,
the army Of the unemployed has been
increasing, and want and penury have
assumed large proportions. The set
tie ment of the financial question to-
day would affect the future policy of
the country. The thinking man who
looks down into the faces Of the little
ones around him can but ask himself
what will be the conditions under
whic h the children of today will live
when they have grown to maturity.
Herbert Morris, in his review Of
the history of civilization and it's
progress, has said that there have
been two potent powers which have
ruled the world until now. when
third has made it's appearance. In
the age of barbarism the ruling pow
er was superstition. In succeeding
ages the power OF superstition gave
way to the power of the sword and
the Scepter as welded by kings and
pOtentates. Just when the change
from one condition to the other has
taken place cannot be defined, but it
is plain to all that these forces have
hn bin1,
has come in as a factor of advanced
possession and for accumulated
wealth. The new phase has it's good
as we'll as it's bad Sides The desire
for material possession has inspired
industry. and being thus inspired,
new inventions and wonderful con-
trivanceS have come into general use,
increasing production and wealth.
All the powers of the human mind
have been turned from other objects
to the accumulation of wealth. 1t
seems to have become the one end OF
man. Nevertheless, it has had it's
grand effects upon the human intel
lect. 1t has cultivated foresight
and sagacity: it has produced pa
thence and ShrewdneSS and skill. 1t
has built our cities, laid out miles of
railroad, spanned the earth with the
| telegraph, and launched the huge
ships of the ocean. 1t has provided
the homes of the poor man with the
comforts which kings could not pro-
cure. The good which this fever for
wealth has accomplished will always
abide and can never be eradicated.
| The evil which it has wrought can
never cOunterbalance the good. But
1T has dangerous sides as we'll. This
trait of the human character, which
has an Unsuitable greed for gain, has
stimulated many forms of legaliZed
gambling, which for their degrading
effect are as bad as the faro table. 1t
has brought into common practice a
system whereby the heavy stOckhOld-
erS of corporation can, by the
manipulation of their shares, squeeze
out the smaller stockholders, per-
haps to the financial ruin of the lat
| ter. The man who wrecks railroad
train is sent to prison, but the man
who wrecks the entire road is sent to
congress. The speaker thought that
there was not much choice in the
selection of destinations.
OF the G5,O00,00O people in the
United States, 100000 men controlled
Is per cent of the country's wealth, a
record unparalleled by any other ma
ton on earth.
Great power breeds great tempta-
tions, and the speaker said that no
matter how steadfast man or cor
poration might be for the right, the
possession of great power would surely
result in abuse of that power.
We hope to see all the clergymen
of all denominations taking up the
discussion of these questions.
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