The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-08-08

ton to postpone your trip abroad
pleases me. l agree with you that the
times are critical and that 1t Is the
duty of good citizens to remain at their
posts until the crisis Is past. Europe
can wait what you say con-
corning the political situation surprises
me. Your father was one of the most
devout Christians 1 ever knew, and
am sure a more earnest republican
never lived. He was essentially a poll
tician of the highest type. As you
know. I was expressly prohibited in
the terms Of trusteeship and guardian
ship which I accepted. from seeking Ia
influence You in any way in matters
religious and political. 1t was your
fathers wish that you should do as he
did, from your own opinions. You
know how / have lived up to the con-
ditiOns imposed upon me. 1 have never
said one word to you on the subject of
politics or religion. You selected your
own college and followed your own in
clinations in everything. SO far as !
can remember; and Tom, / was always
willing to trust you to do the right
thing. 1t is three years now, since you
came Of age and my trusteeship came
to an end. / am no longer bound tn
keep silent. and as you ask me to
speak freely. l gladly comply with
your request.
Your statement that though you are.
through your fathers thrift finan-
cially Independent, you are none the
less deeply interested in the serious
problems of life. does you credit.
know you are sincere. I quote your
letter:
I'm my last two years at Harvard
/ gave much attention to sociology.
and so far as possible kept up with
contemporary discussions of the var
ious problems relating to the condi-
ton of society. / have acquired ideas
on this subject, but, strange as 1t may
seem, / have as yet formulated no
theories. / am still investigating. But
/ am continually reminded that we
are in an age of oppression: that a few
people are being enriched at the ex-
pense of the many; that the mass of
the people is held in commercial or
industrial bondage. i am forced to re-
gard Mr.. Carnegie. who makes his
millions, while his employees get poorer
every year. 5. to a certain extent. an
enemy of society. 1 find in the much
abused platform adopted in Chicago
many things that I approve. Free sill
Yer seems to me TO promise some
benefit for tremendously large num-
Der of people who. unfortunately. are
badly in need of aid. You will believe
me when I say that / am not an an
archist. i have only disgust and con-
tempt for such men as Altgeld and
Tillman, but / must say / am inclined
to agree with much of the socialism
that is ingrafted in the Chicago plat
FORM
You are right in saying that there
is oppression in the world. Some peo-
pie appear to be having an easy time
of it, while great many more are
laboring. and laboring hard. for small
wages. 1t would be trite for me to
say that you have run directly against
The problem Of human life, the ques-
ton of all ages. A great many people
are mixed in their ideas of proportion.
They have incorrect ideas of perspec-
II they make the mistake of re-
gafding the present as markedly worse
than all the ages that have preceded.
When Adam and Eve were pushed
out of Eden the gate was locked. They
never got back. Eden has always been
in sight. but it has never been re-en-
tered. Do you not think that in the
days of the Pharoahs the people were
oppressed? The children of Israel
were held in bondage that was quite
as hard to bear as any industrial or
commercial bondage that any succeed
ing people has endured. Solomon was.
/ believe. more of a monopolist and
certainly a harder taskmaster than
Mr.. Carnegie. A small part of Solo
mons force of employees was three
score and ten thousand that bore bur-
dens. and fourscore thousand hewers
in the mountains" And since then.
there never has been time when the
elementary conditions of human society
as they obtained in the earliest time.
have materially differed. I believe
the wise men generally agree that the
tendency has been upward.
There is, as philosopher has said
no today for mankind. With youth
all thought is of tomorrow. with age.
all thought is of yesterday. The pres
ent. when il shall have become part
of the yesterday the past will show
generally the same signs and features
that have marked all other periods