Mower County transcript., 1903-05-27
The !;
Ref0rmer:
BY CHARLES M. SHELDON. ]
Author of I'm His Steps, Robert {
Hardy's Seven Days." Etc. j
Copyright, 1901, by Charles NJ. Sheldon :
Copyright, 1901, BY Charles NJ. Sheldon

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+ Copyright, 1901, by Charles M. Sheldon +
< X !. !. !. X
horse because he-the horse-is alive.
But an automobile Let's change the
subject. Give me your programme"
"My programmes
"Your programme as reformer.
What are you going to do? What lies
in your mind? john David Barton
swiftly changed from the careless, flip
pant manner he had assumed over his
physical condition, and John Gordon
instantly knew the friend who loved
him was talking now cut of his great
serious heart. John, if you are really
going to try to make the old world bet
ter you've held out your arm to wres-
tier who will give you the struggle Of
your life. | want to help. | don't be-
lieve it will amount to anything-the
struggle, mean. And maybe not the
help either But tell he your hearts
desire"
"N'ell, them" John Gordon answered,
while his whole expression Glowed
with his real deep religious enthusi-
asm and Il pride that swept his thought
even of Luella Marsh out of existence,
Il have Il programme. First, plan to
live at Hope House as long as l can be
Of use there Or as long as | can from
that place in the city learn the city. 1t
may lie five years, it may be ten. If
&c cI, c,,]1- fc7.tv 4 ma
cannot do much public work worthy Of
the name until he is fOrty.'
"IIstory and biography say other
wise but never mind," muttered Bar
ton. "Go On'
"My plans OF course do not cover
possibilities that may come into my
experience at the end of my residence
in Hope House. But l have dreamed
of many things. | don't mean book
knowledge, but live, personal knowl-
edge of people. Not the kind that
makes a man Il professor of sociology
in the university. but the kind that
makes a man want to change bad laws
or make good ones; the kind Of know-
edge of people that Paul had when he
said, Woe is me if l preach not the
gospel the kind Of knowledge of peo-
pie that compcls a man to see in every
other man a universe of eternal value
and eternal happiness.'
''Thcre are mighty few people in this
city that think of run-dOWn-at- -the-hee]
humanity after that fashion" muttered
Barton again. Then after q silence he
asked:
"Who's against you in all thls?"
"Seltish greed, ecclesiastical pride in
the churches, political rottenness in the
city management, cynical Indifference
on the part Of cultured men and Wom-
en-, whisky, yellow press. business in
terests wherever they touch financial
loss, if reform calls for sacrifice; for
eign born and foreign shaped classes
but most CT all the opposition of high
bred apathy which grows out of the
soil Of ilreliyion.'
"And who is on your side?" Barton
asked almost mechanically, in low
tone.
"God, all good men and women in the
CuuICucS, iuu there are ulcny, rising
sentiment among young men against
municipal partisanship, gradually ris-
ing Journalism which in time will de-
mand the extinction of yellow journal
ism, which is an excrescence that car
ries in large measure it's own destruc-
ton, and rising tide Of popular pas
sion against the saloon as an institu-
ton and for more equal opportunities
in the field Of struggle for human hap
piness."
''You left out the largest item in the
list Of forces against reform"
whats that?''
"The people themselves"
"Of course realize that" John Cor
don replied slowly. "But it was not
the people that crucified Jesus 1t was
the scribes and Pharisees.''
'The people yelled. Cruelty him!"
'The rabble, you mean"
"What's the difference?
II don't know exactly, but the rabble
is not the people,"
"Mighty fine distinction" Barton
muttered again. "Of course you can't