The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-04-17
NUMBER Is.

When the speaking hcyan Stuart
pressed his way as close as possible.
drawing Nan with him, Ile was as
tonished at the genuine eloquence and
power with which the first speaker.
evidently of anarchistic !eanings, de-
velOped his theme. a passionate plea
for freedom and the highest develop
mcnt of the individual man His CON
clnding sentences reused his crowd to
pitch Of wild enthusiasm
I'm the old world. from which your
fathers and mothers fled in search ut
freedom. men cnslaved their fellow
men by becoming lords dukes or
kings. numbering or poisoning their way
to castle or Il throne. The meth.
DDS Of yOur modern masters are more
subtle and successful You vote to
make them your masters. and still
imagine that ynn are free"
A cheer like the roar of IN angry sea
swept the crowd Again and again 1t
rose and fell. increasing in volume as
its contagious spirit set fire tn thp rest =
less minds Of the thousands who had
the man who was voicing their faith.
In the deep roar OF their cheers there
was no sodden despair As Stuart
looked into the faces Of the crowd he
sa " no trace Of the 1egrneracy and loss
of elemental manhood which make
the sight Of European mob toath-
some and hopeless These men We're
irl,k of tn fhnis
souls and good right arms.
When the last echoes Of the cheers
had died away there was a stir near
the stand and Stuart saw the Staiv"-.
figure Of DR.. WOodman suddenly rise.
He lifted his arm over the crowd. de-
manding silence.
The doctor plunged at once into the
| message with which his heart was
| quivering:
| LET no man tell you. my friends.
that the God OF our fathers Is a myth.
| You can't lose faith iu iod because
you have not lost faith in eterna! JUS
tice. This faith Is just coming into
conscious existence in the hearts Of
millions. BY this sign we know that a
rev age Is born. Poets and.artists no
longer gaze into heaven Their eyes
are fixed on earth Men have ceased
to long for another world. therefore
their hope is now for this one. To bring
justice and beauty to pass on this
earth In wisdom and fearIessness Of
deatll-this is the new creed Of the
people:
MY friends. the workingman OF to-
day lives better than the kings Of the
middle ages. Have patience, my
friends. the workingman Of tomorrow
will be the heir of all the knowledge.
Of all the pain and all the glory Of the
centuries. We should not he so i'm
patient. we should not be discouraged.
The progress Of the world has really
Just begun. And 50 !. who watch the
darkness pass and see the eastern sky
begin to glOw-l cry to you who may
still be below: BE OF good cheer. the
day dawns!"
A feeble cheer rose from the hum
dred or more who knew THE doctor
personally. 1t was the only response
the s,lIlen crowd gave to his burst 1T
feeling. They were not in sympathy
with his optimism. The anguish OF
the present moment OF bread hunger
and cold was too keen.
When the doctor sat down Stuart
saw Harriet suddenly lean over. draw
his big shaggy head down and kiss
him. He hadn't recognized her before.
The next speaker made his attack on
the corruption and graft OF our system
Of government with brutal frankness
He assailed the foundations of the re
! public. and at last the principles which
underlie civilized society itself Tn
tlonbtetlly he was madman, driver
! insane by the fierce struggle for bread
bHt none the less dangerous maniac
With scathing. bitter wit he fiayed th'
corruption OF our system OF democracy
The speaker closed his trade witt
a fierce personal attack on the maj
who had made five millions in a corne
on bread and Haunted his III gottel
gains In the face of starving men ant
women.
Mans face flashed with sudden rage
Take me to my cnr. Jim. I've al
tlea-Fm going to execute it at once.
Wouldn't you like to meet the doc
kr and his daughter before yon go?"
Thanks. Hardly. You know he
on Mr.. RIvens' black list"
"I'd forgotten that" he answere
regrctfully I'D like awfully for go