The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-07-08

order, and humanity makes another
milestone.
Tne last centacy beheli tue changes
and phantasjes OF the French Revolu
ton, when with common instinct the
masses rose and went 10 search OF
equality, aud liberty, leveled all
ranks, tramplel in the dust thrones
aud crowns, only to seemingly
establish despotism more pro-
found. Yet the seed sown Ia tie
bosom of each nation then, in these
latter times have borne fruit. A La
feyette came to Eight for American IN,
dependence. \ jefferson returned
bearing the grand simple message, AL
meu 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, bat each man, eacn
class, with exactly the same opportu-
nity 10 make the most Of God given
gifts.
\ GRAND CONCEPTION.
Nnat 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 AID oppressed had yearned
and fearlesSly fought and proudly
died
How is it nov? Special legislation
has created specially favored classes.
Giant trusts ana monopolies laugh at
law, and all property steadily gravl-
tates toward the possessorS of wealth :.
Toilers increase, while labor.savlng
machinery passes into the control of
capital, and worker competes with
worker for work The tyranny OF
party caucus and faction has we'll
nigh robbed the masses OF the
power to govern, by array!ng 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 aud 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-tnat is what
the Alliance, the Knights of Labor and
kindred organizations mean. The
people are ali right, and were It not
!; for the selfshness and meanness of
, those who thrive by playing on lgno-
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. It is ever thus IN the
evolutionary progress Of humanity.
The will OF the people will find some
channel if. like the river, 1t must leave
: the bed and cut its course anew.
, We talk about the stability of our
t government based on a written Con
stitution; this amounts to nothing, Tor
like quicksand it is forever shifting
and changing to suit new thoughts
and new times, either to bless or curse.
2 4 great Italian statesman has SAID
The actual state Of society is war, ac
tive, irreconcilable war, on every side
2 and in everything. Never has the
struggle, as old as the world itself, be-
tween fact and right, fatalism and LIB
4 erty, assumed a character more uni
, versal than at present" Never, per
haps. on the one side, in the history OF
= man has tnere been such a period oi
: social, political and moral uneaslness
never did the conflict between labor
e and capital appear more irreconcllable
and never greater the discomfort with
e existing conditions, nor the distrust oi
5 the governing power. On the other
, side, as counterbalance, never has
, there been more true charity, never
r more earnest efforts for the aba cement
. of human suffering, woe and sin. So
/ clal wounds were never SO fearlessly
! probed, their origin sought and cure
1 attempted with brave compassion
j Political rights were never more fear
:, lessly expounded, nor more earnes
|, efforts made to strike the fetters from
: the soul and mind of man, as shac zle!
e have been from the limbs of the slave
{ Upon US, young men, and upon ou
e generation is devolved the duty CT set
7 Ting these complex problems. Gu,
;. destiny as a nation is IN our cwr
t hands. We can make it what we will
r Our salvation lies in educating tn
o people to an intelligent and patriotic
= use of the ballot, when men shall vot'
i not for faction or party, but for coun
v try; not in narrrw prejudice, but from
j enlightened self interest.
t There isa disease which means death
Y First, small spot on the hand; i
/ spreads to arms, limbs and face; thu
D flesh wastes away and the eyes glare II
). fieshless sockets; the once beautiful
t body becomes a living corpse, filled
|. with CORFU ption; and with a shrek O
;, mad despair, the ieper fees from the
e haunts of men, to die amid the tombs
! with parched tongue and dry eye, cry
It ing, "Unclean, unclean.
POLITICAL LEPROsY.
There is disease as deadly aud a
e dangerous to national life. Whel
n msn vote to crafty hate and envy. o
e in sullen despair and disgust remair
S away from the polls and refuse to par
i ticipate in the affairs of government
Y it is the small spot on the hand, Who's
+ ravages unchecked. will spread like .
J. dry rot to all parts of the system. l
d means abandoning the country to th'
e professional politician, whose horizon
d is bound by the dollars and cents h'
It can wiring from the public treas
|. ury. In means, that henceforward W,
e have abandoned regular and vii
d adopt irregular methods of rightln&
# wrongs. Itmeans anarchy. ltmean
: revolution. The man who remain:
t away from the ballot box is as culpa
f bic as the man who makes q bad us'
n OF a God given privilege. When mer
n shall use the ballot as high and sa
e cred trust, then. and not till then, vii
b the dream of the early fathers of tn
< Republic be realized and every Ill ant
/. woe that afHicts the nation 6nd a SUR
|, and safe cure.