The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-11-22
MOB SPIRIT.
Americas Only Possible Dan
ger in the Future.
Geo. R. Vending Draws Lessons from
the French Revolution for Our
Guidance--A Brilliant Lecture.

The Y. NJ. G. A. lecture course
was auspiciously opened Monday night
with the lecture on "Mirabeau" by
Geo. R. Vending of Washington, D.
G. The opera house was we'll filled
with an intelligent and interested
audience. The course starts out with
every promise of success, and that it is
well worthy of the patronage OF the
people is shown by a glance at the list
of attractions. Some of the best are
yet to come.
Mr.. Vending is no stranger in this
city, having appeared before Man
kato audience on one or two previous
occasions. He has oratorical ability Of
the high order and holds the closest
attention of his hearers. He was in
troduced last night by Rev. F. e. II.
Miller, pastor of the Baptist church,
in few we'll chosen words.
Mr.. Vending briefly reviewed the
events leading up to the French re-
volution and paid particular attention
to those Immediately preceding
that remarkable period of disorder.
He spoke of the formation of the Ma
tionaI Assembly, its successful strug-
gle for existence while opposed by the
king, the nobility and most of the
clergy, and mentioned some of its
legislative proceedings. 1t was here
that Mirabeau acquired his influence
and started the revolution by causing
the assembly to defy the king. The
early life of Mirabeau, with its hard
ships caused by the secret prosecutions
of his wealthy father, was recounted.
Mirabeau's death after leadership
of twenty three months closed his
career at very unfortunate time for
France, as he was guiding the revolu-
tion in right paths and holding it in
curb. He was in favor of law and or
der. In his younger days he wrote
much, and one of his articles was an
address to the Hessian soldiers who
were being hired by England to fight
her American colonies. He urged
them not to fight people that was
striving for its liberties, but rather to
fight for their own liberties.
Mr.. Vending referred briefly to the
horrible features of the revolution and
closed at the point where Napoleon
overturned the government. He drew
several comparisons during the lecture
between the struggles of the French
people and the American colonies for
liberty. He drew several lessons from
the French revolution which the Ameri-
can people should profit by. He did
not think that any of the causes of
that revolution could exist in this
country. There are no classes here,
and the only possible one would be
that caused by wealth, but the mo-
ment that this small class would at
tempt to assume any special privileges,
the wrath of the people would sweep
their wealth into the public Golfers
through the tax gatherers. The
American people have the conscious
ness that they themselves are the gov
erning power, and through this very
confidence allow abuses to exist which
are rather astonishing. There are no
religious questions to settle. as there
were in France. 1t has been said that
the clery OF this country are growing
away from The people, but this is not
so. Mr.. Vending paid the ministers
a glowing tribute for their unselfish
and untiring efforts on behalf of the
people.
The only question in America that
ever could ctme up to divide the peo-
pie into factions was settled forever
at Appomat0. The only possible dan
ger ahead TO- this country is in the
growing split of disregard for law.
Who is to cr1sh the mob spirit if it
ever arises, where the people them
: selves are tn, law2- Our institutions
derive their vital energies from the
thinking people, and it will be fol-
them to chek the mob spirit wherever
it shows itsef The thought of the
great mass q the people is sound, but
we have p'pulace composed of social
agitators, anarchists and idle and vi
cious elements. This has come abou'
3 quickly. Il was the same kind of g
mob that ws the tool of the Jacobin:
in Paris AMI that stopped short Of
nothing when it got the upper hand o.
3 law and ordr.
This mob is, now standing ready
: with torch and bomb shell to caus'
+ destruction o property and social or
Q der. Let tbs mob understand that W,
have here in America mighty soyer
g eign, befor whom it's will must al
g ways bowie law. Mr.. Wendlini
q referred to he mob outbreak in Chi
q cago few ears ago, when thousand
/ of misguide! men sympathized wit
Z it. He rebrred to the promptitud
II displayed b, the government in check
|. ing the mol spirit there and restorin
law and ordr with strong hand
The mob spirit is a disease, a con
tagion that quickly spreads, and tina
y needs PROMPT and effective treatment
[e The danger to the United States
D not from tie outside, as was show
t, three years ago, when troops wer
ID called for t. fight foreign foe.
a was then demonstrated that 10, 900, 90