The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-12-29
JOHN BROWN AND THE Mona
MARAS

/ The Appeal to Reason Of Girard,
Kan, which is accepted as the voice
of socialists in this country. repro
duces the account of John Browns
attack on Harper's Ferry in 1859, and
then gives an editorial intoxicating
! the doctrine that John Brown was
once condemned for his lawless acts
as the McNamaras are condemned
now, but that his soul marched tri.
umphantly through the south while
his body lay Wondering in the grave
the moral teaching that the McNa-
maras may become the heroes of a
new crusade, the teachers of a new
cult and the evangels of a new era
about TO dawn upon US.
What of it? Taking thought on the
comparison, the Springfield Republi
can, which may be accepted as the
sublimated essence of that thought
and culture, whose home is in Massa-
chusetts, delivers this verdict:
The chief significance of this com.
parison between the McNamaras and
John Brown, however, lies deeper
The mere fact that Browns acts are
not referred to as a justification for
violence should awaken people to the
peril that attaches to any resort to
physical force in order to right
wrongs and bring about reforms. A
heavy price is ultimately paid, at
least by posterity, for every step of
progress brought about by means of
terrorism or bloodshed. Future gen
erations are sure to see idealized the
chief promoters of violence in causes
that finally succeeded, and the exam
pie of the users of force emboldens
those who come after them TO adopt
essentially the same methods for the
sake of a cause or principle which
they hold dear. Under governments
which themselves rest not upon VIC
lence and terrorism, but upon the bal.
lot box and the intelligence and
sense of justice common to civilized
people, the advocates Of no cause
whatever can plead that physical
force may properly and honorably be
used in its behalf. The appeal should
indeed be to reaosn, and reason will
prevail.
The blood has ceased to flow; have
we also passed through the period
of "idealism for the chief promoters
of violence?" Is it no longer claimed
that the men of violence saved US and
that by blood and fire we were saved
and purified? We are invited to be-
lieve that Brown is better than Mona
mara because Ibis methods were not
cowardly" Why discuss the qualities
of the instruments? The question at
issue is the quality of the proposed
achievement; at the last, but only at
the last, Brown confessed his pur-
pose, as Mcnamara, at the last, but
only at the last, confessed his guilt.
The man who dares ruin thousands
and STAY other thousands TO carry out
a purpose of his own can be credited
with the bravery of unselfish sacri-
fee only by a perversion of morals
all these are brave as Alexander was
brave when he marched against the
populous east with little expedition
airy force of 10000 men. If this ca
pacity for daring be still accepted as
high and noble quality then Chris
tianity is a mistake and Lincoln can
not furnish us one of the heroic fig
ures of our national gallery-the
Roosevelt that galloped where he was
not needed or wanted in the hope of
earning a wound whose scar might be
exhibited on the stump is the, real
thing.
But since an appeal to force was
made in 1861 rather than to reason,
may the verdict so obtained be re-
versed in some future day by an ap-
peal to the higher tribunal Times
Union.