The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1910-12-30
FAMOUS AG|TATORS.
They Have Risen Up Wherever
Tyranny Reigned.
LEADERS OF ALL PROGRESS.
TO tho Men Who Were Not Afraid to
% What They kns. to es Right
the Vorid Owes All tho Advance II
Has MADE.

the "orid owes All the ADVANCE "
Has Made.
The word "asitator" is favorite
one with corporation officials In the
corporate view il includes any one who
has the courage 10 staGd up and ex-
press his convictions ard opinions con-
cern!nC abuses that exist in the serv-
ice. But this blind antagonism is not
altogether confined 10 corporations.
There are some people who are bit
terIy opposed to agitators and who. if
they could only have their own way.
would eternaIly silence them by proc
ess of law. and some Of these people
are good people. too, and call them
selves Christians. though how a real
downright. honest. conscientious Chris
tian can take such position we ut
teriy fail to understand. The agitator
is to society what q stream of pure
spring water Is 10 pool-stop the dow
and the pool stagpates. becomes cov-
cred with scum and throws off its
deadly malaria on the surrounding air.
1t is the aCitator that keeps society
from stasnatins and imparts life to
the community in which he moves.
The agitatue holds an honored place
in history-in fact, the most honored.
Moses was an agitator. He dared to
stand out and agitate for better con-
ditionS for the children of Israel. and
he had to flee from Egypt for his life
age of his people. Elijah was an agi-
tator who protested against the wick
edness of Ahab and a corrupt court,
and he had to fee into the wilderness
TO escape the vengeance Of the king.
jeremiah in his day was noto-
rious agitator. He was what the
modern capitalistic apologist would
could be placed opposite the name Of
nearly every old time prophet.
Jesus Christ was the greatest of all
agitators. He came propounding a
doctrine that would literally turn the
whole world right side up, and he was
bounded to the death and crucitied be-
cause he taught the doctrine of human
brotherhood and the application of the
Golden Rule
Paul was a mighty agitator, and he
had for company the brotherhood of
the apostles.
Garrison was an agitator when he
protested against human slavery. and
lie was rotten egged and had many
barrow escapes for his life.
The reader of history is aware that
wherever tyranny has reigned. wher'
ever right has risen up to overthrow
the wrong. the agitator has always
nrst got in his work 1t is the asitato,
that always leads and swings aloft the
| haLlmcr of the truth. The agitatO;
is the man who is not content with
| things rs they are. but desires to i'm
prove them. He Is the man who be
lieves in progress and longs for better
things and higher ideals. 1t is nc
wonder that wronGdoers in high places
that corrupt corporations and unprin
cipled politicians. deCry and misrepre
sent the agitator. They know what
his work means. and il the people were
wise denunciatiors from such source
should lie the best certificate of char
acter.
To the people who have such a hol,
and unreasonable dread Of the agita
tor We might remark that there is on
country where there are no agitators
and that country is China. Chin:
is tho staCnant pool where all is cain
repose and where no turbulent lif'
giving stream disturbs and aSitate
th" never changing surface. Wha
China is ChriStendom would be bu
for the acitator who dares to speal
out and protest against unjust condi
tionS.
Thank God, reader. that you live il
a land where the lcitator is a posi-
bility. Do not forget that agitation /
an unfai.inC indication of life. Wher
there is no agitation ther" * dAoth.