The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-10
Address By II. N. Casson on Eu-
rOpean New England.
The Spirit of Independence Has
Gone West.
EAST VIRILE NO MORE.
StalWart Pilgrims Are Super
seeded By Wax Figures.
They Lisp and Shipper, Bow and
Look Dignifled.

Ayuus OCT. lU--ln the LABOR CnuTCn
political address was delivered by
Herbert N. Casson on the subject "Eu-
ropean New England" in which he en-
deavored to show that the Puritan
spirit of independence has declined in
the eastern states as evidenced by the
influence of foreign dnanciers. He said
Nearly 800 years ago Great Britain
said to her citizens: You must accept
a single standard in religion and thou
sands of her bravest and noblest sons
replied We will not accept the Epis-
copal standard, for we have better
one of our own They were called re-
pudiators and rebels; they were con
fined in prison; they We're prosecuted
to death; but they steadfastIy refused
to accept the single standard At last
they resolved to be Independent not on
~ of the Episcopal standard but Of the
whole European continent and sail
ing vessel came tipping over the waves
to Plymouth Rock. That ship was the
Mayhower and those regulators were
the Puritans-the pioneers of New Eng
land and the founders of her fame.
They were the best people that Eng
land had at that time Standish was
more merciful than Laud, and Govern
or Carver was a better legislator than
King Charles. If we have happily es-
capped from their faults we have also
neglected the cultivation Of their vir-
tues, their courage, independence, har-
dihOOd and self-reliance.
Every Puritan settlement was a lit
tie Independent commonwealth, and
they followed their own judgment in
all matters without regard to any 9TH
er country They were men of rock,
and not of pastebOard.
The Puritan principle is this: BE
sure you're right, then go ahead, even
if all the world is against you This
principle has been operative in almost
modern times in the heroic lives of
Garrison, ThOreau and John Brown.
The charter obtained by the Puri-
fa0S was declared unconstitutional hut
they did not submit to passive despOn-
dency. as we did when the supreme
court unjustly annulled the income tax.
While the lawyers were debating as to
whether they had a right to come to
America or not, they hired a ship and
came.
with disastrous results They borrow
ed a large sum of money from London
merchants and were nearly ruined pay
ing interest Not until they made de-
termined effort, and sent every dollar
they owed back to Europe, did they es-
tablish prosperity.
This sturdy nonconfornlist spirit
does not rule Massachusetts, today.
believe 1T still exists in the hearts
of the working people, but it is
not at present clothed with authority.
Massachusetts is the slave of social and
financial forms that are approved by
the aristOcracy Of Europe She wishes
to do the correct thing and look wise.
whether she understands the question
or not She struts and poses among her
sister states, and haughtily remarks to
them: had ancestors, and you
hadn't If any irreVerent state VEN
lures to criticise her opinion, Massa-
chusetts paralyzes her with the unan-
swerable words: Remember Bunker
Hinn
"The spirit of independence that
crossed the Atlantic 276 years ago has
now crossed the continent. 1t took HOr-
ace Greeley's advice and went west The
Puritans had convictions, while we in
the eastern states tremble to have
opinions. Instead of the eagle we have
the butterfly; instead of Bunker Hill we
have Back Bay; instead of the Decla-
ration Of Independence we have Lon
con bank circulars; instead of the stur-
dy WinthrOpS and the noble BraGfOrdS
we have bandbOx legislators and tory
sOphists who never in their whole pub
lie career performed an independent
act.
Instead of the stalwart Pilgrims we
have a very pretty wax works show,
which looks quite life like until you ex
pect the figures to act. 1t makes a good
appearance at the theater and horse
show 1t Hsps and shippers and bows
and looks dignified. 1t organizes the
Sons of the Sons of the Sons. and issues
dainty pink satin cards of membership
in perfumed envelopes. with an English
crest on the corner. 1t banquets on the
Fourth Of July, persuades real live
English duke to preside and applauds
with three fingers, while some young
man just returned from London de-
claims upon the equality and fraterni-
ty of this republic.
Just as the Puritans in their day de-
clared themselves Independent of the
religious and political despOtism of Eu-
rope, so we must have set before US
as our life task the conquest of the
financial and industrial mOnopolies that
Obstruct our prosperity.
1T is not true that a nation depends
for its welfare upon the success of
any small professional class America
does not depend upon hnanciers and
spectators for prosperity any more
than New Jersey depends upon her
mosquitoes Too many of our captains
of industry have looted and scuttled
their ships and transformed legitimate
commerce into piracy Our secretary
of the treasury resembles the Irishman
who owned ieaky boat and bored an
other hole in her to let the water out
Why should capital always be the
idol whom the nation Worships, and la
Dor be the sacrifice upon the altar of
trade2 What is capital but the labor
of yesterday Why is it more valuable
than the labor of tOday2 Let labor
cease for one year and the human race
would perish. Capital needs to be con-
tinually renewed. Unless labor nOur-
ishes it. it dies It would be safer and
more prudent to utterly abolish what
we call capital than to allow its inn
rnense power to be concentrated in a
Few selfish hands and used as a weapon
against the general warfare. When
some one told Wendell Phillips that a
heavy income tax would drive capital
out Of the country, he replied: Good
heavens, let it go
These insolent trusts damage bust
ness at both ends. They limit produc-
ton and check distribution. Upon whom
does the wheat crop depend, the spec
ulator. or the farmer2 Who rehnes the
oil the Standard Oil magnates. or a
host of toiling, poverty stricken druid
res in PennsyIvania2 Who manage our
railroads, Vanderbilt and Huntington.
pr an army of poorly paid hirelings who
are killed and wounded by preventible
accidents at the rate Of 10000 every
year2 Upon whom does our currency
depend. upon the absent gold Of foreign