The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, March 11, 1899, Page 2, Image 2

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THE COURIER
!'
llajitlML church or tills city to pun,
preach and publish some portions of
the Hortiiuu which ho delivered last
Sunday. From that sermon, as pub
lished, this Is quoted.
"The negroes we enslaved and bru
talized. When liberated by the for
tunes of war we have lynched them
by the thousands when they gave any
suspicion or misbehavior."
Evidently the word "we'' as here
llrst used refers to the government
which, by law, authorized the cnslav
ment of the negro. The liberty lov
ing, united colonies that put forth the
instrument described by Dr. Row.
lands as "our nationally inspired dec
laration that there shall bo no gov
ornlng of the people except with the
consent or the governed," later be
came the liberty loving United States
that adopted the constitution and
thereby made human slavery a part of
the organized law of the nation.
Having abolished slavery we are sol
emnly told by one who cannot be sup
posed to have forgotten the command
"thou shalt not bear false witness,"
that "we" have lynched negroes not
by ones, twos, tens, or hundreds, but
by thousands. Not because they were
guilty or crime, not because they were
charged witli crime, not, because they
were suspected or crime, but "when
they gave any suspicion or misbe
havior." Lynched because or a sus
picion or bad manners. Who is the
"we" he referred to? The govern
ment has not since the immortal
Lincoln issued his emancipation pro
clamation lynched any negroes. While
the pastor may be slightly addicted to
exaggeration he will hardly assert
that he singly and alone or in connec
tion with the congregation he was
addressing has lynched so many ne
groes on mere suspicion or misbe
havior. To quote rarther from the
sermon:
"No Armenians have suffered from
the Turks and Bashi Hazouks more
unjustly and cruelly than have the
Indians suffered from the American
agent and soldier. What ground have
we for believing our treatment of the
I- llippinos would be any better?''
Our high standing as barbarians
will beapp -eclated by a brief reference
to the suffering of the Armenians
At puge 445 of ' Turkey and the Ar
menian Atrocities," by Rev. E. M.
HI iss, appears a tabulated statement
of the outrages to which the Arme
nians were subject in the Ilarput dis
trict in the month of November, 185)3.
From this statement it appears that
2S),rS; persons, including 51 teachers
and ecclesiastics, were killed, l,38.'l
were burned. ;j,2H died from hunger
and cold, 4,U:iO died in the fields and
on the road, 700 died from fear, 8,000
were wounded, 15,179 persons were
forcibly converted to Islam, l,0:i2wcre
married by force to Turks. 28.5(52
houses were burned, 227 churches,
monasteries and schools were burned
and 94,870 persons were made destitute
and needy. This in one district in
one month. And yet wc are told this
does not exceed in brutality and
cruelty the treatment which the In
dians have suffered from the American
soldier and Indian agent. With such
a record for barbarity can we longer
wonder at the crime of seven ty-three?
What may not the Filipinos expect
from the First Nebraska?
Having stated the exact facts with
reference to our civilization the pas
tor proceeds to deal in romance thus:
"Had we delivered the Filipinos
from the oppression of the Spaniard,
and then offered them sympathy, help
and protection to organize their own
government, how much splendid in
fluence and confidence we would have
fostered. How these poor, persecuted,
oppressed and down-trodden people
would look upon us as their very pres
ent help in time of trouble. Our
statesmanship, politics, morals and
religion they would have welcomed
and blessed.'
Equaling, If not excelling, the Turks
and Hash! Hazouks for cruelty and
barbarity, our "statesmanship, poll
tics, morals and religion" arc the ele
ments required for the elevation or
the Filipinos. Possibly the Inhabi
tants of these faraway Islands have
heard of our tendency to lynch people
of color by the thousands because of a
suspicion of defective deportment.
They may have learned what the
characteristics or an Indian agent are
and becauso of this knowledge they
may not prefer either our morals or
religion. The loss is theirs.
not be read ir it were not ror the illus
trations which are all that the story
ought to be and Is not. The Illustra
tor has evolved so decorative and
elaborate a signature that it io Impos
sible to read it or I would take great
pleasure in announcing his name.
Some of the society women In New
York city have organized a society
which they call "The Woman's Sab
bath Alliance" Induced by the fear
Unit the Puritan sabbath was being
attacked In the increasing frequency
of Sunday teas, musicalesand dinners.
Mrs. Darwin .Fames has drawn up a
pledge discouraging Sunday assem
blies of all kinds outside of church. In
the circular sent out by Mrs. Darwin
.lames, president of the Alliance, the
members are req nested to pray at
15:30 o'clock, the hour of the musical
teas arranged by Mrs. Robert Osborn
and held a the Waldorf Astoria, that
they may be failures. Such a circu
lar and such a praver is in doubtful
taste and of still more doubtful efll
cacy. Tho change from the Puritan
sabbath to the present regime has
been very gradual, but these Sunday
entertainments signalize an abrupt de
parture from tradition which is neces
sarily shocking. Fifteen years ago
society gave no large dinners, or re
ceptions or musicales on Sunday. It
would have been very bad form and
even members or society who were not
In the habit or going to church, were
controlled by traditions of those who
did. There Is nothing harmful in
dinners and musicales and receptions,
but there is also nothing spiritualiz
ing. It seems to me unless we keep a
special time for dismissing the devil
and encouraging a contemplation
which concerns not material things,
we will rapidly degenerate. Of course
there is the danger of giving Sunday
too much work to do and consecrating
ourselves arresh eTery Monday morn
ing to the world and the flesh Tor six
days, but only the hypocrite who has
never really experienced the uplift of
religious contemplation and worship
habitually divides Sundays from the
six days which follow it.
If "The Woman's Sabbath Alliance"
Bucceed in drawing the attention of
the society leaders to the influence
which Sabbath observance has lmd
upon Mie history of this countrv. in
retarding the growth of materialism
and the exaltation of the dollar and its
effect In qulckeningthesplritualsense,
the influence or the Sabbath in pre
serving a sentient spirituality and
in strengthening and solemnizing
home ties it would have performed a
noble work.. In yielding to foreign
fashions and turning Sunday into the
favorite day for social functions so
ciety may be thoughtlessly undermin
ing its foundations.
Tho Rphcopal church of thiB city has
lost one of Ha most gonoroue and de
voted supporters in Mr. Homan J.
WuIbu of Lincoln. T'jo city has lost an
induBtriouB and ublo citizen. Born in
tho north of Ireland among that settle
ment of Scotch-Irish folk whoso do
Bcondnnts havo attained distinction and
roputntion whorovor thoy huvo 89ttlod,
Mr. Wnlah has proved himself net un
worthy of his ancestry. Ho hus mado n
fortuno by industry and ncumon and a
reputation by long years of patient on
duranco of a diseaso which would havo
conquored a loss sturdy and indomitablo
spirit.
Mr. Walsh was a choory, church lov
ing, God fearing bachelor, whoso friend
ship and acquaintance list was coinci
dent. Tho last fow years of business
troubles have tried his courage and hie
physical endurance without affecting
his spirit, which remained cheerful and
loving Hnd apparently submissive till
uisueatn.
Aitnougn rolatod by no family ties to
Mrs. Putnam and Miss Saunders, Mr.
Walsh, hb tho guardian of Mis3 Putnam
and the partner and friend of Mr. Put
nam, is sincerely nournod by tho three
kind friends who havo so tendorly pro
longed hi& invalid life, as well as by
his imtnediato family. The sympathy
of a large number of friends is extended
to them in their Iobb of a never indiffer
ent friend and councillor.
It ib lamentable that while business
is rapidly reviving and tht peculiar
afflatus of a new century and a new com
merciHl epoch is distinctly felt, so many
of tho elderly but most enterprising
citizens should yield to the offectB of tho
panic now that it is paBt. Tho brave
old men who went through tho past six
years go gallontly are needed now more
than over. With tho revival of legiti
mate speculation tho fibre which was
elastic and tough enough to weather the
crisis is necessary in order to avoid the
quick recurrence of another.
Mr. II. G. Wells, whose story, the
"War of Words," has introduced him
to a largo number of readers, has
written another called "When the
Sleeper Wakes." It is appearing in
Harper's Weekly. Hy good luck Mr.
Wells has secured an illustrator of un
fettered Imagination and or wonder
ful draughtsmanship, who can make a
half page picture of the enormous
buildings, statues and engines in his
story look as vast as the letter press
says they are. In vain I have striven
to get the same impression from the
story. The action drags, tho descrip
tions are complicated and uncom
monly tiresome and the story would
Omaha people are trying to induce
the council to cut down tho expenBOB of
the city to the income, but so far with
out success. For a month no session of
the council has been held where all the
members were present and those who
were, replied to the arguments of tho
taxpayers who felt that their burdens
are unnecessarily heavy, that they
thought it best not to takeanv mnara
of the kind proposed until every mem
ber was present. None of these bravo
men wish to bear more than a one-twen-ty-fourth
of the responsibility thepaes
ago of so just a measure would cause
and tho absence of any membpr de
creases tho sizg of the fractional and in
creaseB bis share of the responsibility.
A hardier race of men may reside in
Omaha, but it has been found impossi
bio to coax or coerce tho Lincoln coun
cil to reduce tho expenses of the city to
correspond with tho income. Enough
members of tho council fear tne hangorB
on wnoso salaries are out of proportion
to the work performed, to prevent the
financial work bo sadly neoded. Most
of tho city employes are politicians of
more or Icbh influence, each one of thom
is the centre of a circlo, whose porlphery
is dependant upon him. Thoroforo tho
cutting down of fifty or more salaries to
a private employer's scale meanB tho loss
of five or six hundred votes. The cir
cumstances are the same all over tho
country. Wo are not so much of a democ
racy in fact as in name. The industri
ous and enterprising are continually
and everywhere imposed upon by the
lazy and incompetent who happen to
know how to work tho primaries for
jobs. To such men tho fact tbi't they
havo asked tho samo nomination at tho
primaries twice boforo 1b no embarrass-f
mont, and of course tho pooplo who elect'
them aro moro to blamo for tho number
of paraBitos that iivo on tho city than
tho parasites are for their own habits
and lack of activity.
Lord Charles Hercsford succeeded
In his mission to this countrv wiiti-i.
he said, and there is no reason why
wc should not believe him, was to con
vince the American merchants of the
advantage of trade with China under
the condition of an understanding
with England, Germany and .Japan.
America has, so far, almost ignored
China and the business opportunities
there. An enlargement and quicken.
Ing of trade affects the whole world
just as inevitably as aipatfic depresses
it. Neither pays any attention to mi
tional, arbitrary and accidental boun-v
daries. Trade's the thing and Eng-N-land
has always been more conscious
of the universality of trade and the
impossibility as well as the undersir
ableness of clipping the wings of pros
perity. It cannot be confined by
force. It can be stimulated so that
all men will be benefited bv its
elusive and indefinable presence:
"I am not usually a nervous man,"
said Lord Charles, "but I confess to
have felt nervous as to the reception
1 might get here. 1 was afraid that
your people would fancy I had come
here to crack up that alliance, though,
as a matter of ract. no such irion ovnr
entered Into my head, for I felt that
big questions like alliances can sarely
be left to our respective governments.
My object in visaing this country was
to awaken, if possible, interest in
China, and to convince your business
men that it would be to their advan
tage to work hand in hand with Eng
land, Japan and Germanv In nnnnin.r
up trade In that great empire. I have
every reason to be satisfied with the
results of my labors. In each of the
cities 1 have visited I have found
quick, cordial and responsive audi
ences. 1 have attained my ends by
quickening interest in China, and
posslbly-as I hope-1 may have done
something to help on the Anglo
American Understanding that seems
to me so desirable. More than that 1
have not attempted. I have seen no
member of the administration, and 1
have tried to see none. My mission
has been quite private and commer
da , not otllclal. And tho kindness
which, both as a private citizen nnri ,Sl
as an Englishman, I have met here
has touched mo exceed I ntMv
'lou ask me," added Lord Charles,
n reply to a rather pointed inquiry,
why I have gone to all this trouble.
That question has often been put to
me. Why, you say, have I gone out of
my way to tell Americans how they
can develop their Chinese trade? And
you wonder whether, in the long run,
the increase I foresee in American
commerce with China will not come
at the expense of England. My an-
Jer Is simple. Anything and every-
nf 'L ,lL?:Ve,,S the wenoraI volume
orade In the world is good for each
business America does the more
money you wl myo t(j e
tho moro business, as a consequence,
country. Suppose Canada, for in-
o Mndusn m l hUV U "dl0
of industrial prosperity. Would you
United States? Of course not. Quite
he reverse. For you would bene I by
it. In the struggle for commercial
upremacy, individuals and imrtKr
industr es miiri.t. .,-.. ' '.. " ar
.....,: i """" "!. iiut tne in
V
V
crease Ule volllmo , w",.-
trade, however brull(rtll ,, Js J
i m ffi,r-irur-