The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-07-08

tell III WOFuS why, Ioi llhO INC LlSCI
pierced by the arrow, the sullen hate
and fury of peoples wrath can find
no words and hath no boupds-a cruel
wrath, that makes no distinction be-
tween the good and the bad, the false
and the true, foolish wrath, which
makes an ideal to-day of the dema-
gogue who best plays upon the fierce
frenzy of the passing whim or caprice.
whils tomorrow they cut his head Oft
and set up a new idol; dreadful
wrath, whose mad breath withers JUS
tice, and sends mercy trembling out of
sight, while vice and virtue guilt and
innocence, patriotism and selishness,
are swept into common grave. Then,
exhausted, slowly and painfully so
ciety struggles on its feet again, old
abuses and worn out traditions have
cen shattered, and out of chaos comes
order, and humanity makes another
milestone.
The last century beheld the changes
and phantasies of the French Revolu-
ton, when with common instinct the
masses rose and went in search of
equality, and liberty, leveled all
ranks, tramplcd in the dust thrones
and crowns, only to seemingly
establish a despotism more pro-
found. Yet the seed sown in the
bosom OF each nation then, in these
latter times have borne fruit. A La
feyette came to fight for American in.
dependence. A jefferson returned
bearing the grand simple message, all
men are born free and equal" Not
equals in courage, intellect and ener-
gy, but equals in opportunities before
the law-no specially favored classes
or individuals, but each man, each
class, with exactly the same opportu-
nifty to make the most of God given
gifts.
A GRAND CONCEPTION.
What a grand conception these
fathers of the young republic had of
the function of government! Here
was realized the dream of liberty, for
which through many tragic century
the lowly and oppressed had yearned
and fearlessly fought and proudly
died.
How is it now2 Special legislation
has created specially favored classes.
Giant trusts and monopolies laugh at
law, and all property steadily gravl-
tates toward the possessors of wealth.
Toilers increase, while labor'saving
machinery passes into the control OF
capital, and worker competes with
worker for work. The tyranny OF
party caucus and faction has well
nigh robbed the masses of the
power to govern, by arraying in hos
tile camps those whose interests are
identical. The people feel this, they
know, and yet seem powerless to act.
There is some hidden force struggling
for expression and finding no nation
al exponent or depository, which
shakes the fabric like some mighty gl
ant straining to break his bonds. A
vague, troubled unrest-that is what
the Alliance, the Knights of Labor and
kindred organizations mean. The
people are all right, and were it not
for the selfshness and meanness of
those who thrive by playing on igno-
rance and prejudice, the problem
would soon be settled. New tools,
new methods and new institutions
must be devised to take the place of
those that are worn out or have served
their purpose. 1t is ever thus in the
evolutionary progress of humanity.
The will of the people will find some
channel if, like the river, it must leave
the bed and cut its course anew.
We talk about the stability OF our
government based on written Con-
stitution; this amounts to nothing, for
like quicksand it is forever shifting
and changing to suit new thoughts
and new times, either to bless or curse.
A great Italian statesman has said:
"The actual state of society is war, ac-
tive, irreconcilable war, on every side
and in everything. Never has the
struggle, as old as the world itself, be-
tween fact and right, fatalism and lib
erty, assumed character more uni
versal than at present" Never, per-
haps, on the one side, in the history of
man has there been such period OF
social, political and moral uneasiness;
never did the conflict between labor
and capital appear more irreconcilable,
and never greater the discomfort with
existing conditions, nor the distrust of
the governing power. On the other
side, as q counterbalance, never has
there been more true charity, never
more earnest efforts for the abatement
of human suffering, woe and sin. 80
clal wounds were never so fearlessly
probed, their origin sought and cure
attempted with brave compassion.
Political rights were never more fear
lessly expounded, nor more earnest
efforts made to strike the fetters from
the soul and mind of man, as shackles
have been from the limbs of the slave.
Upon us, young men, and upon our
generation is devolved the duty of set
Ting these complex problems. Our
destiny as a nation is IN our own
hands. We can make it what we will.
Our salvation lies in educating the
people to an intelligent and patriotic
use of the ballot, when men shall vote
not for faction or party, but for coun-
try; not in narrrw prejudice, but from
enlightened self interest.
There is disease which means death.
First, small spot on the hand; it
spreads to arms, limbs and face; the
flesh wastes away and the eyes glarei in
heshless sockets; the once beautiful
body becomes living corpse, filled
with corruption; and with a shrek of
mad despair, the leper fees from the
haunts of men tn die amid the tombS
with parched tongue and dryeye, cry
ing, "Unclean, unclean."
POLITICAL LEPROSY.