The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-04-13

that somewhere in a more cOngenial
environment his strenuous and tender
spirit continues its immortal journey
Of development. we still should re-
cognize, in the just and courageous
life that he lived, in the true doct-
rines that he taught, in the philan-
thropy that he exemplif1ed, and in the
heroic devotion Of his death, contribu-
lions to the progress and happiness
of mankind that shall awaken appre-
citation and gratitude among remote
generations and continue to be potent
and beneficent for ages, even after
printed memorial and sculptured mo-
nument may have persisted utterly.
From what John P. Altgeld did;
from what he said and wrote, and from
what we and others who knew him
leave on record concerning him, the
world will finally construct it's estim-
ate of him.
Contemporary judgment of men who
bear a large part in the life Of their
times is very often revised by poster
ity. When the violence Of the contests
in which they participated has died
away; when the acclaim Of the part
isan and the denunciation Of the ant
agonist are both stilled; when the
events that formed their environment
have drifted into proper perspective in
the infinite corridor Of the worlds
progress, there are possible a more
complete review Of the evidence and
a moro calm and reasonable temper
in its consideration than any contem-
porary could command.
It is undoubtedly true that history
has been unjust to many Of it's great
men. A general acceptance Of the
justice Of it's verdict is not inconsist-
ent with the assertion that they have
not infrequently bestowed praise
where it was not due and visited CEN
sure where it was not deserved. In
numerous instances these mistaken
conclusions have endured for centuries
before a tardy Justice corrected them,
and beyond question a large proper
ton Of them will never be corrected
at all. It is a sad reflection that the
world must continue to lay the chap
lets Of its gratitude before many a
pretentious mausoleum while the men
whose tombs theyshoul d have con-
secrated must sleep forever in unre-
membered graves.
Contemporary opion has, Of course,
great influence upon posterity; and in
proportion as this opinion is general
and wrong the danger of erroneous
posthun1ous judgment Is multiplied.
When, therefore, a man passes away
who has wrought nightly in some no.
Bile cause, but who in the struggle
aroused the antagonism and enmity
of opponents so powerful, so resource
full and so vindictive that they filled
all the channels of publicity with
systematized detraction and calumny,
1t IS the sacred duty Of those who
knew him as he really was to rally,
with all possible despatch and en-
phasis, to the defense Of his memory;
to the end that his character may
be indicated In the minds Of sincere
men whom Misrepresentation has de-
ceived; that fair and honest record
shall be submitted to the Judgment
of after time; and that the great primo
iples for which he stood may be ad-
vanced and fortified.
Such sentiment, my friends, ex-
plains the existence of this Memorial
association, whose purpose is thus ex-
pressed In the language Of its found
ers: ITO keep alive the inspiring
memory Of John p. Altgeld, volunteer
soldier, jurist, statesman, publicist and
humanitarian, and to inculcate the
principles of free government to which
he heroically dedicated his life"
The task of vindication is proving
easier than at one time it seemed
possible it could ever be. To men
who remember the Infamous accusa-
tions with which Governor Altgeld was
loaded in those awful years Of 1892
to 1900, by the most widely-read news
papers in this country; the confident
mendacity with which his acts were
m1srepresented; the reckless aspersion
OF his motives; the tireless reiteration
OF catch phrase and innuendo to foster
false impressions Of his personal ap-
pearance, his mental attributes and his
moral character; the diabolical skill
and audac1ty with which his utterances
We're distorted and mutilated, it is to-
day almost impossible to realize that
so much Of the truth about him has
already become so widely known. Some
mitigation of these outrages was no.
t1ceable soon after the great CAM
paign of 1896, and during the last two
or three years of his life there was
marked change in the treatment ac-
corded him by the leading newspapers.
Yet the progress of justice was so slow
that when on that bleak day five years
ago We stood about his new-made
grave and pledged fidelity to his men,
DRY, not one of us would have dared
to hape that the fifth anniversary of
his death would find the ancient ran
cour almost entirely gone, his teach
1ngs more and more widely studied
and the essential elements of his char
acter so generally understood.
Yes, my friends, the world at large
Is coming to know what manner OF
man John P. Atgeld was. PASSING
strange is 1t to us who walked with
him and loved him that any one should
ever have failed to know. He him.
self has said that ideas write thei,
characters on the countenance Of
man." and who that had once looked
uopn his sad, benignant, serious face
| furrowed by thought, rescued from
an almost ascetic severity by as hndl,