The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-02-05
Highwayman of Progress

The following from George Jacob Holyoake,
author of History of Cooperation and History
of RochdaIe Pioneers, is such keen bit OF sa-
tire, such smashing blow to the destructive crit
ic that we pass it on to YOU OF It's KIND IS gem
worth reading more than once:
In most working classes, and indeed, in
most public societies of all classes, number OF
curious persons are found, who appear born under
dsagreeable star, who breathe hostility, dis
trust and dssenson; whose tones are always
harsh; it is no fault of theirs, they never mean it,
but they cannot help it; their organs OF speech are
cracked, and no melodions sound can come out OF
them: their native note is moral squeak; they
are never cordial and never satisfied; the restless
convoutions of their skin denote "a difference Of
opinion their very lips hang in the form of a
carp, the muscles of their face are drawn up
in the shape of an amendment, and their wrnkl-
ed broWs froWn with an entirely new principle
of action: they are species of social porcupines
whose quilts eternally stick out; whose vision is in
verted; who see everything upside down; who
place every object in water to inspect it, where
the straghest rod appears hopeessly bent; who
who take always the one you do not intend; who
know that no statement can include everything,
and who always fix upon whatever you omit, and
ignore whatever you assert; who join society os-
tensby to cooperate with it, but really to do moth
ing but criticise it without attempting patiently
to improve that Of which they complain; who, in
stead of seeking strength to use it in mutual de-
1oo1, fo,, %o - IL
mon enemy; who make every associate sensible of
perpetual dissatisfaction, until membership with
them becomes penal nfction, and you feel that
you are sure of more peace and more respect a.
mong your opponents than among your friends;
who predict to everybody that the thing must fail
until they make it impossible that it can succeed,
and then take credit for their treacherous fore
sight, and ask your gratitude and respect for the
very help which hampered you; they are friends
who &C, as the fire brigade of the party thew al
ways carry a water engine with them, and under
the suspicion that your cause is in a constant con-
fiagration splash and drench you from morning
till night, until every member is in an everlasting
state of drip; who believe that cooperation is an
other word for organized irritation, and who, in
stead of showing the blind the way. and helping
the lame along, and giving the weak a lift, and
imparting courage to the timid, and confidence r.
the despairng, spend their time in sticking pins
into the tender treading on the toes of the goutv
pushing the lame down stairs, leaving those in
the dark behind, telling the fearfu! that thew NAV
weIl be afraid, and assuring the despairng that It
is all up" A sprnking of these damned ANN
good-natured friends !" belong co most societies:
they are few in number, but indestructibIe thny
are the highwayman of progress, who alarm every
traveller, and make you stand and deliver vour
hopes; they are the 1agoes and Turpins of democ-
racy, and only wise and strong men can evado
them or defy them. '-Rochdale Pioneers NV
George Jacob Holyoake W