The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-05
THE HICKORY ELM CLUB.
The Presidents Sage Reasoning on
the Resurrection.

The president began the conversation of
the evening by inquiring: What are the
evidences that tend to prove the possibility
of the resurrection of a dead issue, or of
dead political party on a newly discovered
issue? 1 confess that some of the phe-
nomena which Colonel Bryan claims to
have observed as tending to prove such
possibility, are not explained by any law
of nature with which 1 am acquainted
Science has made more Roadway in the
observation of effects than it has in ex-
planning causes. When we see a big purple
nose on total stranger, we are apt to
attribute the purple tint to one of three
causes-frost, heat, or rum. But we can
not be certain as to the cause without
a chemical analysis of the organ, and as
most men would object to having their
noses dissected, the cause of the purple
hue would often remain a mystery And
again. when we have discovered the cause,
we cannot tell why it operated to produce
that particular effect We only know that
certain causes produce certain effects, and
that like causes produce like effects.
"Rough-on-rats will kill cats as well as
rats. Its mission is death. and it never
deviates from its business. This is a beauti-
full thought in connection with the idea of
endless punishment 1t teaches us that
there is escape from the penalties of
the law. The Apostle tells us that the
wages of sin is DEATH but he adds that
we may be saved by faith and works. This
is the only way provided by the Great
Jehovah for a suspension of the penalty,
but there is no promise in it for political
party. 1 have taken the trouble to go into
the argument rather fully i'm order to have
the club understand my position on dead
cats, dogs, issues and political parties, and
my views on the possibility of their ressur-
rection. Once IL is admitted that the is
sue on which party has relied to get
into power is defunct the party itself is
-defunct, and ii cannot be revived on the
old defunct issue any more than a dead
jack rabbit can be brought to life by hit
ting him on the head with the same club
that killed him.
But the party has new issue this
time said Colonel Garlic.
1T only claims to have one. Ii hasn't
proved it yet replied the president.
Candidates cannot make issues. They are
spontaneous. proceeding from internal i'm
pulse energy or natural law, without the
influence of external force. They come
from state or condition of the public
mind divided on some great public ques-
ton. Colonel Bryan informs us that the
paramount issue just now is imperialism
that is TO say, a large element of the OPP
position party is in favor of empire. while
our IL nOlOlnS out IOI the Republic.
the Constitution and the Declaration of
independence. | am unable TO see il as
Colonel Bryan does. OF course he has been
around more than I have. and has come
in contact with more people, who may have
told him they were tired of the Republic
and wanted good old-fashioned empire
from now on. but, as he generally does
all the talking, i cannot understand how
he got an expression of any kind from the
people on Imperialism or any other imagin-
airy question Mormon elder out on a
Atxrff s~r.
real opinion and temper of the audience
before him until rotten eggs begin to land
in the vicinity of the pulpit and splash
upon his shirt front. AS long as he dis
covers no decayed vegetables or stale eggs
in the circumambient atmosphere, he is apt
to believe that his audience is Ell rapport
goes away feeling that Mormon was
prophet sure enough. If Colonel Bryan
would furnish list for publca ton of the
names OF all persons who have told him
of their fears concerning Mark Hanna
intention TO bust up the Republic and es-
tablish an empire, together with a list OF
those who have expressed their consent
that 1t might be done, 1t would go very
far TO satisfy the members OF this club
that there is really something in ii.
Hanna may have a large galvanized
friends TO bestow upon William Mckinley
Off he doesn't decide TO use IL HIMSELF, but
1 do not think Colonel Bryan has been
able TO find IL. Just between us. and TO go
no further. / have lent my assistance to
candidates on the Democratic ticket at
every election since I became a voter;
have supported the party on all the false
issues IL has raised since 1856. including
the charge OF brutal tyranny against Lin
coin. or Caesarism against Grant. OF
nepotism against Harrison, and now of inn
perialism against Mckinley; but want TO
say 10 you on the dead. there never was
and is not now the slightest ground on
earth for any OF these charges, and every
man IN the United States knows IL, not
excepting the illiterate members of this
club.
THE only man on a bronco that / have
discovered in this campaign is Roosevelt
He and his rough riders may have a sin
lister fmperiaiistic motive in securing the
country and waking up the tired farmer
at night. but before the campaign is over
most OF them will be laid up for repairs