Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-11
TWELVE PAGES
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY II. 1899.
"CROAKERS."

The frogs croaked under King Log,
because, If he Gid them no harm, he
did them no go6d,-hcing utterly idle
and inefficient. They also croalled. with
more reason and more vigor, when
King Storll pursued. ravaged and de-
voured them, to his own fattening and
the prosperity of all the Stork family
But they did their loudest and most
anguished croaking when they were
pelted With stones by a delighted mob
of savages who surrounded them: ut
is fun for YOU" said they, in n dignified
protest to their oppressors. but 1t is
death to us!"
Some men, perhaps, are descended
from apes and monkeys, to judge from
their characteristics, others from
hyenas and jackals. but the best breed
according to the highest teaching of
evolution, have descended from some
early batrachian, who croaked in prim-
eval marshes and 1t is this breed. as
we find in all history, sacred and pro-
fame that has furnished the croakers,
complainants, protestants and revolters
who have champoncd the human race
in all ages. in all things pertaining to
Its elevation and advancement, have
developed manhood and established
freedom-freedom from Kings, devour-
ers and oppressors.
1t Is, therefore, much to ones credit
that he Is n croaker. 1t establishes his
superior lineage and his alertness in
discovering wrong and danger, and in
raising the alarm. lie IS not silenced
by brides nor threats; and least OF all
would he cry. peace. peace" when
there Is no peace. or prosperity and
plenty" when these are not. lie is
the antipodes and natural enemy of the
vampire, who lulls it's victims to sleep,
while 1t sucks their blood and life
away; and also of the sentinel that
cries, "All is WE'LL" though he hears
the war whoops and sees the glittering
tomahawks and scalping-knives of the
approaching foe.
Patrick Henry was n croaker: Jeffer-
son and all the signcrs of the Declara-
ton Of American Independence were
croakers; the Barons who secured
Magma Charta were croakers; Crom-
well. Hampden. Pym, Sidney, were all
croakers; and so were all the glorious
throng who, since the devil tempted
Eve and Cain slew Abel, have raised
their voices against fraud. violence
and oppression: Moses and the pro-
phets, the Gracchi: Brutus, who slew
Julius Caesar; Luther. Melancthon.
Huss, Calvin. the HuSuenots: Winkel-
RE. who made way for liberty and
died; the Mirabeaus, father ana son;
Gomez. Garcia, Aguinaldo and not to
forget the Polish heroes: Kosclusko.
Pulaski. and a host of others. These and
many more were croakers and the
world is ali the better for them, all the
happier. And now William j. Bryan
leads millions OF American croakers:
God bless them! Join the procession,
every true man who would save his
country. his liberties, and restore pros
perity. Let us croak To some purpose.
"Croakers!" Intended as an abusive
epithet. let us make it n designation OF
honor! Designed as malediction, Let
us transmute it into benedlction ana
benson. Cast at us in the scorn of
insolence let us take 1t up and make
1t illustrous by initiating the grand
examples of those who have croaked
against evil government and for good
government ever since the world began!
+ LONG LIVE THE CROAKERSl