Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-04-17
DEFENDS REV. CORNELL.

DEFENDS REV. CORNELL.
About three weeks ago, we took occasion to
criticize Rev. w. D. Cornell, of Fond du Lac,
Wis, president of the American Anti-Tramp
Association, for his action relative to tramps,
and we, in turn are criticized by Fond du
Lac correspondent: We wish to be fair with
everybody, and will not Intentionally harm
any one, personally, and it is with pleasure
we present our correspondents letter:
EDITORS AGITATOR: presume you will be
anxious to rectify the injury to the cause you
advocate, which is the most important, and
perhaps improve the privilege of retracting
your most gross defamation of the character of
the Rev. w. D. Cornell, as expressed in an ed
itorial in your paper of the 18th of March last.
We are responsponsible for our ignorance,
but sometimes eXcusabe, and, in this instance,
| am sure you have written from an entire alb
sence of knowledge of the work the Ameri-
can Anti Tramp Association is doing, and Of
the character of Rev. Cornell who is really
much more than the reverends of the day, as a
rule, stand fora real deeplyinterested friend
to humanity. In this criticism, you have G wen
a thrust at your own and gross injury
to fellow mortal, so far as the influence of
your paper extends. Had you read the pro-
ceedings, of the conventions and the names of
the speakers in attendance, You would have
seen the discussions ranged all along from the
most conservative, who sec in the tramp only
subject for the work house, on up to the most
pronounced socialist: for instance, Victor Burg
er, editor of socialist paper in Milwaukee,
and others, who pointed out the tramp to be
the result of our efete social system. The
tails in this state were crowded with "tramps'
This touched the pockets of the tax payers,
and all "anti-tramp" discussion easily attract
ed the attention of large class who do not
read your paper, or any other, on this indus
trial problem. In the free discussion, it was
quite plain the tramp had the sympathy of the
meetings, rather than the opposite The sher
ifs Of two counties said go per cent of the
tramps would work if employment could be
found" One sheriff read long, able letter
from a tramp, addressed to the convention
Being as deeply interested any in this
great industrial reform Gone of the original
Greenbackers) my Judgment is that this
movement is reaching more people with true
understanding of the cause of tramps and the
causes of dissatisfaction among the people than
YOUR own and a number of socialist papers
combined-among class that do not read the
literature of that order Without any question,
were Won residents of this city, you would be
Rev. Cornell's warnest friends--maybe attend
ants of his church, where you would find the
liberal, progressive element Of this city, and
congregation numbering twice as many as all
other Protestant CHURCHES combined without
creed or statement-just the Christ life-hear-
nq a man who never resents, for instance, such
hard, harsh words as your Editorial contains.
OF course, you know Robert Schiling. He
was one of the invited speakers, though on
account of previous engagements, he could not
be in attendance,
Town supervisors, chairmen of county boards,
MAYORS of cities and taxpayers come together
to talk work-house, but, as a rule, go away
with much broader understanding: see that
the tramp is symptom, and the work house