The National tribune., 1908-07-16
JOHN BROWN.
Ex-Commfssfoner Wares Opinion of the
Hero of Harper's Ferry.

hero OF f1ufper y FeTTys
Great men change their minds;
fools never
Col. Eugene F. Ware, former Com
missioner of Pensions, and well known
as "Ironquill' poet, evidently prefers
to be in the first named class. He has
changed his mind. Not only has he
changed his mind. but he has taken
whack at one of the popular Kansas
idols and he has done it so vigorously
that ii looks as IL he intended to throw
the idol off its pedestal and drag it in
the dust. The Kansas pioneer and
literary dean of the State has made an
assault on John Brown of Kansas, he
who was hanged for treason and muir
der committed at Harper's Ferry in the
unsettled and ominous days of 1859.
Twenty-Five years ago Col. Ware
composed his poem John Brown" one
of the most noted of his compositions.
1twas laudatory of Brown and his pur-
pcseSto the extent of enthusiasm. From
this he has changed to his bitter at
tack A few years ago Col. Ware
deserted the realms of poetry-he for
mally announced his retirement as a
poet Since that he has been think
ing in prose and he has evidently been
led into new paths. He has just given
to the world a new book, prose work
which he calls THE Lyon Campaign
and History of the First Iowa Infan-
try" 1t Is a well-written, concise story
of the early days of the war in the
West and it Is in this book that the
erstwhile poet makes his savage assault
on John Brown and his memory. The
following is an etract from THE Lyon
Campaign"
John Brown and his career became
one of the episodes of the times. When
he was in Kansas he was drawback
10 the cause, and did nothing but point
arguments against it. He was one of
those men who are utterly without gift
to benefit principle which they
espouse. He could not write anything.
Horace Greeley could with his pen
do more good in 30 minutes than a
regiment of John Browns could do
with pen in year. He could not
make speech. Jim Lane, an Anti
Slavery Democrat, could get onto a
box on five minutes notice and dc
more for the cause than John Brown
could do in lifetime by speechmak-
ing. John Brown was ambitious, law
less, and egotistic. He wanted to be a
leader, but lacked pen, speech and
ability. He never could get but few
very few, followers, and they were
gullible nobodies whom he picked uI
here and there. He was a mono.
maniac on the subject of his own inn
anu Will d utsIc ~ Ut d
leader. A man who does not seen
ambitious until late in life generally
has bad attack of it. Brown was vain
and wanted to be a subject of neigh.
borhood discussion. His mind had q
prepo5terous way of working, and he
had no scruples. He made more trou-
bic for his friends than for his foes
His actions gave talking points for
his enemies against his friends. His
Free State colleagues had to be apollo
gists. and many little fictions were in
vented as reasons for his lawless acts
Finally. the Republican Party had to
run him out of Kansas. They were
glad TO get rid OF him. This was De-
cember, 1858. 1t was quite & while
afterwards that he turned up at Har.
per's Ferry. He had there a mongre
lot of half-bal1ed. witless followers
none of whom were ever heard of be
fore in any reputable connection, ant
of whom the survivors were neve
heard afterwards. The whole plan o
attack on Harper's Ferry was senseles
and irrational. The time and plac
were impossible. AS mental effort
the scheme was enc of hopeless i'm
becility. 1t could end only one way.