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About The independent. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 1902)
I I i. 5 : 4 (I 1 THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT. FATALISM lid Fore Btlleret the Doctrln of a Fatal lira U Rci pODi)bl for 1'reient Dhj Degeneracy Editor Independent: If there is one belief more than another that is re sponsible for the degeneracy of the present times that belief Is the fatal ist's belief. Fatalism is known by dif ferent names; in religious discussion it is known as Calvanism, predestin arianism or foreordination; it is the old "hard shell" doctrine of election. It is taught or preached by a class of thinkers who have the impudence to believe that they can understand, ex plain or make an analysis of the plan and purpose of Almighty God. It is a finite attempt to measure the infinite. The reasoning of the fatalist begins with an assumption of the Infalibilitv of human reason or judgment, and ends in the process of reasoning that makes everything that is, or is to be. part of one great plan. Now, I will not deny that the fatal ist established on the foundation of the infalibility of human reason or judgment (but since when did human reason or judgment become infalible?) can build a fine thought structure. I know of no way to attack it or tear it down. Nor do I propose to try. I do not know whether "is to be will be" or not, and it is none of my business. The Almighty has had the manage ment of that matter through eternity past, and can be trusted to manage it through eternity to come. But there is a command in the good old book, to go and preach the gospel of the Sav ior of mankind to every creature, that is easily understood. These fatalists such of them as are fit for the work would be better employed if they would obey the command instead of reasoning or preaching a philosophy that leaves out the idea of human agency in everything, and teaches that man "formed in the image of God" is simply a part of a plan or machine like a stick of timber in a building or a cog in a wheel, and that God created men for different destines some to an eternity of delights, and some for an eternity of torture, some to honor, some to dishonor, some to be masters, some to be slaves, and that the man has no choice in the matter. That man cannot serve God if he wants to, unless it is in the plan of destiny, that he cannot refuse to serve God, unless that is in the plan (and the worst of it is that according to fool human rea son they are correct in their conclu sions). Thus do they go .on substitut ing human reason or philosophy for the old faith of the, Bible. Thus do they drown with noise and confusion of words the sweet wooing sound of the Master's call when He says, "Come unto me all ye that weary and are heavy laden." Thus do they with blasphemous impudence presume to analyze or explain the plan and pur pose of God. 'Tis said that "Bvron walked upright where angels, feared to tread" and it can be said with greater truth that in this blasphemous attempt to analyze God men will do what devils would not dare. This fatalistic belief works to the detriment of all human effort. And it is in the matter of making excuse for wrong-doing that a belief in fatalism works a great deal of harm. There is not a crime in the calendar, from the theft of a penny piece to the cutting oi a human being's throat, that the well developed fatalist cannot find ex cuse for. He will say that "it had to be," that "it was in the plan," "it was destiny ordained of God" or it could not have been. What excuse did the imperialists of this country make when they were asked why they made war on the Filipinos? They hunted all over the earth and found none. When asked why turn and stab the murderous knife in the bosoms of those who made common cause with us against a common enemy, and they answer with the fatalist's "destiny." This coal Baron Baer, who makes the blasphemous claim of partnership with God in the management of the coal beds, is another example of the development of the fatalistic belief. The man that stood before the presi dent of these United States with mur der in his heart, and demanded that troops be sent against the striking miners, (if he had been addressing a Cleveland his command would have been heeded), but honor to the presi dent who was too much of a man to be dictated to by him, who saw that there was a "fair fight" and gave to union labor the first recognition it had evrv received from an executive of this (onntry. This deadening, benumbing belief that teaches that some are born to hope, others to despair; that some are elect, others non-elect; that dis courages the frail, struggling human in his efforts to right himself and get nearer to his God. this fatalism, this philosophy, this substitution of human reason, for the old simple child-like faith of the Christian, the faith that lay as a foundation for all right liv ing, the faith that led men to martyr dom and caused them to die rejoicing amid the flames of persecution; this faith Is thought to be Insufficient now; It must needs be scaffolded up and proppe I up by the flimsy sticks of hu man reason. And these "reasoners' undertake the task. There seems to be no limit to the attempt of these men gone mad with learning. If there ever was a time In this country when the sober, common sense should take the reins of man agement, that time is now. 'Tis time that it was demanded of these "intel lectual giants, thought masters, ad vanced thinkers," that they come off of their "high perch," that they alight and let common, every-day reason in to the saddle. The reason that does not attempt to stand alone, but is based upon, traces back to, and rests upon the faith of man in his God, This change needs to be made, lest we are led by these madmen to both men tal and moral destruction. SID FOREE. Woman Suffrage What is suffrage? The intelligent expression of an opinion in regard to principles, measures, and men; and the essence of suffrage is rational choice. Are women capable of forming an intelligent opinion? Are they capable of rational choice? If so, under our republican form of government, they have the moral right to vote. If "gov ernments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed," women who are governed, who .are American citizens in state and nation, have a right to give that consent, and the only form of consent known in a republic is the ballot. But women are needed in govern ment because women are unlike men They are a class of citizens, and gov ernment by men alone is class legisla tion always imperfect, always unjust In some qualities men are superior to women; in others women are su perior to men. Every class that votes makes itself felt in the government in the direction of Its own qualities and interests. Women on the average are more peaceful and gentle, more temperate, more chaste, more economical, and more law-abiding than men. When they vote, these qualities will be felt in legislation, and they are the very qualities in which our government is defective. Our present government has in it all the masculine qualities. Add those of women, and the result will be a gov ernment of the people, for the people, and by the people. i-JNRY B. BLACKWELL. BUTT END OF A PANIC To have elected a democratic lower house of congress at this time would have been a most disastrous thing for the reform forces. That has been the opinion of Tbe Independent for so long and has so often been stated in these columns that it is not necessary more than to refer to it. Senator "Vest made the same statement more than a year ago. Unless all the rules of banking which have heretofore been regarded as sound, are false, and the science of political economy as taught by all the great authorities of the last fifty years is a delusion, then we are to have a disastrous panic in the near future. That the great Wall street bankers be lieve it is shown by the address of the vice president of Rockefeller's National City bank of New York, which was re ferred to in these columns last week. It would be the supremest folly for the democratic party to have control of any branch of the government when that panic comes. With nearly all the avenues of information in the control of plutocracy, it would be easy to cast the odium of the panic upon the op position. It would be only necessary to say that "the threat" of a demo cratic congress was what brought the panic about. The odium of the hard times caused by the panic of '93 was cast upon the democratic party, al though the policies of Cleveland which brought it about were the policies of the republican party and supported by all its leaders. The wise course to pursue is to let the republican party take the butt end of a panic, especially so when it is the result of republican policies. As far as the house of rep resentatives is concerned, The Inde pendent is delighted that it wil con tinue in control of the republican par t,v. Meantime let the work of educa tion go on so that at least a fair share of the ppople will be able to un derstand the dirpction from which the cyclone comes when it strikes them. U Y Litis Write for New Free Dry Goads Catalogue OMAHA If you are not receivers of our catalogues and price lists send in your name. You'll find them interesting. We are just issu ing our big dry goods catalogue. Get it and read about our grand co-operative plan and our SPECIAL FEE1GHT OFFER. Right at your doors. Ilayden Brothers wholesale supply house can save you time, freight and money on your purchases. Get Hayden's prices on Stoves, Furniture etc. Write tor free Piano and Organ Catalogues SEND IN YOUR MAILORDERS Nowhere in America can you secure such values in cloth ing as are offered by Ilayden Brothers. Send in a trial order Specials in Men's Suits MEN'S STRICTLY ALL WOOL FALL AND WINTER SUITS 'Made of cheviots and cassimeres, in neat checks and plaids and mixtures; also plain oxford gray; all have reliable linings and trimmings; tailored in a C flfl most careful manner, perfect fitting; worth $8.00 to $10.00; sale price. .OUiUU MEN'S ALL WOOL HEAVY WINTER WEIGHT SUITS In blue serges, cassi- iiiereb, cueviots ana tancy worsteds, very dressy and good wearing suits; tn linings and every stitch of the tailoring is of the best altogether; C"1 Cft one of the greatest values we have offered; sale price. $ I iUU FOR $10.00 WE HAVE OVER 25 DIFFERENT PATTERNS to select from; these suits come in black and blue cheviots, fancy cheviots and oxford gray cheviots, faacy worsteds and serges; these suits come in single and double breasted, round and square cut, the finest assortment to se- I fl 0(1 lect from ever offered at g UiUU HAYDEN BROTHERS. Wholesale Supply House Omaha. The representatives of the admin istration talk about good trusts and bad trusts, but whenever called upon to name a "good trust" they refuse to answer. The New Schaff Bros. PIANO Have you seen the New 20th Century wood bearing scale Schaff Bros. Piano. If not you should see it before you buy. It it is one of the finest Pianos made for tone, touch, durability and Artistic appearance. Call on or address Matthews Piano Co. 1130 O Street, Lincoln, Neb. 3E5 The November number of Wilsbire's Magazine, New York, is, as usual, bright and up to date. Its leading fea tures are some highly interesting in terviews with three of the day's most talked-of men John Mitchell, Mark Hanna and Tom Johnson. Current Events and the editor's experience as An International Office Seeker are written up with that combination of wit and philosophy which distin guishes shire's writings. There is a Study of the Trusts, by Joel Benton, and an.-able discussion of The Death and Renascence of the Democratic Party, by Charles Ferguson. J. Stitt Wilson gives An Economic Exposition, and Daniel B. Strong writes convinc ingly on the effect of Competition on Wages. Rev. A. L. Byron Curtis, in Society and Religion, holds that so ciety should be founded on the basis of the New Commandment "that ye love one another." Literature and the drama receive attention in a criticism of Pinero's new play, "Iris," and a Study of Walt Whitman by Louville II. Dyer, and Art as Affected by Econ omics is discussed ably by A. M. Sim ons. And to complete the round, Ber narr Macfadden describes some Exer cises for Physical Strength. Readers of The Independent should examine the advertisements in its col umns. It will pay you to read them and take advantage of the bargains of fered. Always mention .The Independent 1 1 9 1 64c SPECIALS. "Time is drawing near. We soon must hike." 1.00 Danderine (K. D. 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