The age-herald., 1898-03-03
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Every age has had it's moral heroes;
 every century has produced men whose
 names have been indissolubly connected
 with certain principles of justice and honor. which have caused them to be en-
 shrined in the hearts of succeeding gener- ations
 Periods of public excitement. and of war and tumult, naturally develope character. and produce leaders. who in greater or less degree influence the history of their
 times. It was proven by the results of the late war. indeed of nearly all wars, 1 that many hitherto unknown. modest men. suddenly sprung into public notice, be- cause of a military genius that had lain dormant and which would never have been recognized but for the exigencies of war and the inspiration of battle.
 Many of these military heroes would. under more peaceful conditions. have lived quiet, unassuming lives and have been gathered to their fathers unknown except within the radius of limited circle. A moral hero. a man who has the cour- age of his convictions, and stands bravely for great principle, unswerved by the claims of expediency or compromise, Is de- veloped generally under peaceful skies and at time when the world is going along at jogging pace. If man has mes- sage to deliver to his fellow creatures, no matter what the noise and hustle, there will come the hour when the ear of man. kind will be open to hear the truth.
 Columns have been written in all the leading journals of this country, and of Europe. regarding the trial and recent conviction of Emile zola because of his effort to establish the innocence of Drey- fus, and yet the interest in his remarkable case continues unabated.
 While he was convicted by the courts of France. he is acquitted by the best pub lie opinion of Christendom, and the cause he advocated-that of an innocent man condemned to humiliation and imprison- ment-has become an issue with thinking men and women in all parts of the civil ized globe. Zola from being one of the marvellous writers of the century, has be- come a moral hero, whom the world is ready to canonize.
 He has lost his freedom; he lhas become a criminal in the eyes of French law be- cause of his efforts in behalf of fellow man, whom he believed to be innocent of wrongdoing. And this man belonged not to the race religion of Emile Zola.
 Personality Is the great lever in moving the world upon its moral axis today, and Zola's personal force and influence will be indellibly marked upon the history of his generation. His proclamation of a truth, in behalf of a fellow creature, has been heard above all the rumors of war, and the explosion of submarine mines.
 Alone and in prison, he will be one of humanity's heroes.
 William Jennings Bryan's Is another per- sonality which stands as the representa- tive of a principle which has for it's ob ject the improvement of the conditions of a large per centage of the human race. Without the power incident to official po- sition, MT. Bryan stands today simple American citizen, who represents great cause As such, he has more personal in- fuence than any other American of his generation, whether in office or out of it. He has made humanity's battle his own, and under all circumstances and condi- tions, whether buoyed up by the hope of success or confronted with temporary de- feat, he has been true, loyal and unfinch- ing in proclaiming the rights of a. peo- pie.
 Whatever the future may hold for him, William Jennings Bryan will always have an exalted niche in the temple of fame as one of the grandest moral heroes of this or any other age He isthe embodi- ment, the impersonation of great cause. He represents the rights of a. people; he stands for a sublime principle. BALL.