The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-04-22

volution when the best blue blood
of the land was sacrificed to rabble
mob, the result has been the same;
the spirit of independence quick to
defy and as quick to forgive has
prevaded every great movement.
Thus paradox of conservation was
at work, survival of the meek and
ay-at-homes and sacrifice of the
hardy and war-like. Who were the
first to answer the call to arms or to
danger, in what souls had the wan
derlust burned with fever heat:
The meek and plant home grown
variety? Rather the bold recalcitrant
and reckless spirits who scorned re-
straint.
1t is said that Sparta fearing at
onetime the growth of spiritual
hard yhood and independence among
her ravished, Hilot promised liberty
to as many as were willing to assert
they were entitled to receive it; and
when the high-spirited men came
for the promised boon they were
ruthlessly massacred.
The same spirit of indomitable in
dependence prevaded the crusaders,
the mercenary soldiers and sailors,
the buccaneers and adventurers, the
soldiers of fortune in all lands of all
times. OF what class were our own
Pilgrim Fathers or the Cavaliers, of
what class they, who with matchless
fidelity clung to the Father of his
country thro the terrible winter at
Valley Forge? Of what class our
own Fourty Niner's?" The stoop-
shouldered, narrow -chested, fabby-
muscled mollycoddle in whom the
process of evolution had eliminated
the vertebra? Rather, the broad
shouldered, clear eyed, hardy, reck-
less and independent spirits who
could tackle the terrors of the un-
known seas or the mountain lion
with less of dread than he could the
etiquette of the ball room. Those in
whose soul wanderlust burned with
fever heat; those whose tempera-
ment was the very personifcation OF
intense energy and activity; those
who stood ready to strike till the
last armed foe expired, to strike FOL
the green grave of their sire; God
and their native land, have by rea.
son of separation from home, thru
hardships; thru combat and death
contributed little to the blood o1
posterity. Prisoners of war. in
which this spirit was dominant have
either been massacred or sold. into
slavery where beneath the milestone
of servility their spirits have beer
crushed. While the meek have re-
mained at home that they might in
herit the earth.
The story is told of a certain
Periander. Tyrant of Corinth, who
wishing to know the secret of Thras
ybulus. Tyrant of Miletus, success
sent messenger to inquire, who after
receiving him kindly conducted hin
to field of wheat where he pro
ceeded to lop off the heads that rose
above the surrounding grain, after
which he dismissed the messenger
Periander understood. So it was
with the church; for centuries in
trenched behind the bulwark OF
superstitious fear and ignorance
preaching the gospel Go and sin
no more," on Sundays and on the re-
naming six days decorating the
public square with the gibbet,
gathering the ready fagot and de-
signing those engines of torture that
none but fends in human form could
conceive or operate, all for the man
who dared-to think. Science was
regarded as work of Satan and the
rack or the fagot closed his career.
Character Of conviction were
ground beneath the heavy hand of
moss-covered customs and archaic
| standards and conventions. Manv