Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1897-05-07
THE "moDERN REFoRMERs.'


The Press has commented upon ex-
President Clevelands political reappear'
ance in the Reform club" dinner at the
Hotel Waldorf, New York, reserying the
"reformers" as whole on that accession
for another, this occasion.
In all ages abuses have existed which
have become hoary with years; tyrannies
which have become intrenched and near
ly impregnated; special privileges OF the
few, won by robbery and nakedness OF
the many; successful greed and fatness
at one extreme of the social scale, with
gaunt wretchedness at the other. These
are always present in the story OF the
past. and, alas, also in true picture Of
the present.
On other historic pages IS recorded the
history Of the worlds reformers. strug-
Cling against these evil conditions, striv.
ing to raise the down trodden and the
perishing from the depths; to give to the
oppressed juster share of the good gifts
of God, and an opportunity to enter into
the heritage Of mankind, ''life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness.
It is rare, indeed. that recognition and
approval have been given to reformers
during their lives. John the Baptist, "a
voice crying in the wilderness, "eating
locusts and wild honey" and at the last
his head borne on charger to the dane
ing daughter of Heroditas! Jesus, whom
the common people heard gladly, but
who had not "where to lay his head"
finally hung on the Roman cross between
two thieves! These are types Of the Re-
formers of their era,
Later in our history the patriotic Hale,
OF Connecticut, dying the dishonored
death of spy, the patriotic troops at
Valley Forge, unpaid. unclothed, march
ing over the frozen ground, with unshod,
bleeding feet; these were the reformers
who gave us our national birth, while
New York city was then, as ever, Tory
and English.
Then, later, John Brown, type o: The
reformers. who died for nations redemp.
tion; and later still, Maj. Shaw, who fell
leading his colored soldiers at Charles
town, and found the proudest burial of
any of the gallant soldiers of our civil
war, in the trenches, where his tody was
cast, buried by prejudice and hate be-
meath his faithful troops.
All these we recognize as typical and
true reformers; and to these we may add
Bryan and those others who led, or fol-
lowed, in the late glorious campaign for
humanity.
Just ut this time, however, strange
spectacle is presented by the meeting of
the so-caled Reform club" under the
most unique conditions; not to obscure
quarters, not overlooked and despised,
not in the wilderness, nor in the fields,
but In the Hotel Waldorf. Here. gather
ed around table, piled with all the deli
cacies which earth can offer, at Sl2 a
plate, are the modern reformers Of the
New York City type.
Truly here we have evolution. No
longer is the reforner a man Of sorrow.
No longer. when we call to mind the
reform leaders OF the last half Of the CEN
tury, should the sad, earnest face and the
lean. angular figure of Lincoln arises
before us.
Exit Lincoln, enter Cleveland This
monstrous fattened product of the pluto.
cratic feeding trough, surrounded by q
like 500, at the Hotel Waldorf, gorging
and euzzling at Sl2 per head, and assum
ing to speak for Democracy. The spec.
tacle would have been more complete il
as Cleveland vented his spleen upon
Bryan. the head Of that Tribune Of the
people, with its strong and noble features,
could have been presented to the verbose
and obese orator on charger, to orna-
ment the feast Of these modern reformers!
Thank God, however, time cures all
things, and this monstrous chance pro.
duct from the fair city of Buffalo no
longer defiles the chair which Lincoln
honored. For little while we must
endure his prolonged existence. Happily
his speech will be heard only in the con-
genial surroundings of un American New
York. Then, later, kindly death will
relieve US, after which holy men, with
purchased speech, will picture Cleveland,
borne by weeping angels to the city paw.
ed with gold. Thereafter, perhaps, this
nation may be spared another such one.
Let us hope that IN shaping Cleveland,
dlsgusted nature has broken the mold
Minneapolis Press.