Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1902-02-21
TOADYISM.

ers, as usual in such cases, beseiged the Throne
of Grace fol- his recovery. One would think
that President or his children were de gods,
from the way church people take on when there
is any trouble in the region of his excellency.
Maybe it is all righht but it seems to me
there is good deal of Partially. read in the
daily papers of whole families sick and in want
who, so far as know, the preachers never pre-
tend to pray for. l read, the other day, OF
family of seven in Chicago who were even
without fire. The head OF the family had his
legs cut off in a railroad accident, and, there
fore, was unable to provide living His little
girls picked up Jumps Of coal that were dropped
along the railroad track, till the supply was
cut off by the public guardians of law and
order. The little store of money melted away
till the family had the supreme satisfaction OF
choosing death from freezing and starvation or
prison for stealing.
Another man, with wife and three children,
were set out on the street one cold day last
week, He was an electrician, and his eyes
had failed at the age of ffty-fve. He could
get no work, and the old lady supported the
family for while. Rent was $3.50 month
for two small apartments. The family could
not live and pay rent, so the police took the
old lady to police station, the children found
a temporary refuge with friends, and the old
man stood by the little pile of household goods,
with tears trickling down his furrowed cheeks.
This is mere newspaper item, and there
are plenty more such items.
Wonder if the preachers read the dailies
1t is given out and discussed in the Chicago
American that corporations will not employ
men over forty-fve years of age, and the policy
will be to retire men at that age in all great in
dustries. Turn men out to die at forty-6ve or
shoot them. Which will be the policy? Is
anybody afraid to pray for men forty-fve years
of age? If so, lots of room at the mourners'
bench.
To be sure, there is the poor-house, but some
people feel too proud to 60 10 the poor.house.
This Christian civilization of ours has branded
pauper with the stigma of disgrace, and it is
almost as bad to be seen IN the garb of pau
per as to be seen in the stripes of a criminal
This starving and freezing family ought to
be case for general prayer; or, at least, the
preachers might divide the time, and give the
starving family half as much time as the Pres
dents son.
Just few days ago, read of family whose
head and bread winner had been down with
rheumatism for three months. Not only was
there no bread or fuel, i'll that mans house,
but the floor was covered with ice, water main
having bursted This would seem to be anoth-
er case for prayer, or something more substan-
tial, but never prayer l heard of, and the po-
lice relieved the family of their present dis.
tresses. 1t is comforting to have to remark
that neither one of these families was accused of
drinking anything stronger than water.
1 guess the preachers ard corporations pro-
coed on the principle that "to him that hath
shall be given, and to him that hath not shall
be taken away that which he hath.'
Those poor families Lad no friends, no
money, no food, no fuel If any people ever
needed God, they did, and it strikes me that
if preachers wanted God to do the fair thing,
hey would petition Providence and WI TX with
Providence for all or any good thing, for all the
people, enjoyed by the Presidents son. Why
not? Did God not create the children of the
man who had his legs cut oft, or the man down
18th rheumatism? Do these men not love
their children? and do the children not love
heir parents? and is it not unspeakable agony
q, PARENTS TO see their children cold and hum