The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-22
HANNA'S WORK BEARS MARK
OF A SINCERE REFORMER
Dead Statesman Is Eulogized by
Minister in a Sermon on
Prophecy.
TOO MUCH INSINCERITY

So-called ''reformers" were arraigned by
the Rev. ]. Cumming Smith during the
course of his sermon at the Tabernacle
presbyterian Church yesterday morning
Taking for his theme The Souls
prophecy. the pastor drew picture of the
typical self-ma.le man, who having forced
MS way 20 the front in his chosen line of
work, looks back over the path he has trod
IN his struggle TO the front and forward
into the unknown future, but fails to APP
preelate the beauty or the picture through
his egOtiSm.
He says l." the speaker said. But the,
use or that pronoun determines a mans
greatness The average man of this type,
the type from which refOrmers so-called
usually spring. use the personal pronoun
egotistically, extensively and persistently"
lie said in part: ~ have fought'-this is
the martial sort. He felt that things were
wrong and God set him to put them right
This is the necessity of the genuine re-
FORMER, who cannot rest amid discord in
state or inequity in trade or hypocrisy in
Snurch or deception slow-eating into social
HE any more than a mother can rest on
serene pillow when cries issue from the
cradle: The world prickles with injustices.
Despotisms abound I'm every realm.
There are not wanting demonstrations of
an unequal or misdivided civilization Ii is
the best age so far, but much more work
must be done TO save the world from wreck
still
Nevertheless there are reformers who
Ing the falsity of others. What is the
brand mark of a reliable leader in altera-
lions and amendments on even constitu-
ut is the virtue OF intense aim and
achievement in the man who aspires to
make change. It is not the lazy dreamer
TO sketch ideal conditions; II Is not the
mere theorist on paper: IL is not the failure
IN ifeImad at failure and wreaking re-
venge by harpfng on the worlds wrongs;
II Is rather the man who Is ardent along
the line of the worlds work who is a
part or the wing he tries to mend and who
1eelS that not alone Is he himself fOiled.
but all his fellows are threatened by the
same ugly cases OF fnjustice-it is he who
carries weight when he carries a reform.
such was Mr.. Hanna He was not lurnin-
Gus in all directions nor was he free from
the errors that inhere in US all as human.
We Will gauge his worth more truly If we
try 10 place him. He was the representa-
tive OF the commercialistic era in our his
tory. Here his judgment was almost in
falltble. II he had never moved outside
that domain he would have gone down to
the grave unmourned save by his kindred
His eminent greatness. however lay in this
That while forceful in business. while mas
ter or markets, he expanded into a re-
former. He widened out from the money!
making enthusiasm to the patriotic cam
paign. He tried TO heal wounds and bridge
chasmS. He sought to reconcile capital
and labor that in any true state must lock
arms
And whatever suggestions he made
toward this desired truce on amalgamation
of the true forces carried weight because
he had won spurs In actual commerce He
was. a great man chiefly because the work
ing classes felt when he fell that they had
lost a friend; a wise. far-sighted. keen
eyed adviser I'm the most mOmentOus prob
lem OF our modern world. the harmoniza-
ton OF the two classes engaged In develop
Ing the worlds resources.
Hence Paul. in his own life, was a
true. reliable reformer because he was him
SELF thick in the fray.
He was racing on the course He had
Intensity OF nature and he belonged 10 the
actual world He loved IL. To him IL was
not dungeon. but a theater of genius and
enort. To him IL was not the plague spot
OF creation. but a possible palace with
marble floors that required TO be swept
and cleaned He spoke home to men just
because men felt instinctively that nc was
In sympathy with human life and saw
its divine side. which they saw but could
not voice as he could voice IT,"