Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1902-10-07

tBy the Rev. rhomas 3. cregory.l

quoted above died In 1862, In the
midst of The great Civil War, when
the nation was struggling for Its
very existence.
When Thoreau died 1t looked
dark for our country. 1t was an
even chance as to whether we would
"sink or swim, live OF die, survive
or perish"
History repeats itself, and to a
great many of our people 1t looks
dark today. Blind Is he who does
not see that the spirit OF pessimism
Is abroad in the land.
He who has ears to hear finds but
little difficulty in detecting below
the superficial cry of prosperity the
deep, bass undertone of unrest and
despair. =,
There are a great many good
Americans today who have but lit
tie hope of the perpetuity OF the
principles for the sake OF which the
government was founded. They
do not hesitate to say that they
have 10 faith In the permanence OF
free institutions In this country, and
they are prepared at any time to
hear that the republic has had Its
day and ceased to be.
Our country Is In bad predica-
ment. For the time being the
principles of the fathers are for
gotten. Beyond a doubt we have
departed from the wise and safe
paths marked out by the good and
wise men who founded the nation.
The America of today Is so radically
different from the America of the
past that good Americans may well
grow respondent of The future.
The malfeasance of public Off
Gals; the corruption of city coun-
ellis and State legislatures; the brib
ing of juries; the general rotten.
ness of politics, State, municipal
and national; the sale OF legisla-
lures by which the few are en-.
riched at the expense of many; the
combinations of capital by which
the masses are exploited at the
pleasure of the moneyed despots at
the head of combines; the con-
sequent unrest of the people and
the despair that seems to have to-
ken hold of so many-these things
together form a condition of affairs
that Is we'll calculated to make us
pessimistic as we think OF our
country's future.
But we get back to the matter at
the head of this article and take
courage from Its wholesome 1nsptr-
atoms.
We have all seen some pretty
black clouds come over the sun,
but we never failed to see the sun
come out after the clouds had
rolled away. The day may be
dark. as Thoresu says, but back OF
the darkness are the Laws of Light
which the darkness does In no way
affect.
Every patriot In this broad land,
everv man who loves his country
and illustrates this love by life OF
Justice, truth and good will, may
take courage from the fact-for
that fact is-that the political and
social ideals upon which this Amer
| lea of ours was founded are right,
and that because they are right
are omnipotent and must eventual
ly win.
In all the universe there are not
jury bribers, political adventures
or trust magnates enough to per-
manently harm one principle OF the
Declaration of Independence, or
one truth for human liberty or well
being as set forth In the charter OF
our American nation.
Today $4,000 very ordinary peo-
pie own 60 per cent OF the wealth
of this nation, but I am absolutely
certain of the fact that this owner
ship is but thing of a day, and
that tomorrow the wealth of this
great land will be owned by the
people of the land.
Today the rank and file of the
American people are slaves, denied
the right of contract, exploited at
pleasure by the heads of the big
corporations, denied the rights Of
men and made to live as though
they were soulless serfs; but I know
that a change will come In the
morning and that the serfs shall
stand up free, happy, self.respectine
| al