You have found an item located in the Kentuckiana Digital Library.

Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, July 25, 1909.

Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, July 25, 1909. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.). 400dpi TIFF G4 page images Blade Publishing Co., Lexington, Kentucky 1909 blu1909072501 These pages may be freely searched and displayed. Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, July 25, 1909. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.). Blade Publishing Co., Lexington, Kentucky 1909 $IMLS This electronic text file was created by Optical Character Recognitio n (OCR). No corrections have been made to the OCR-ed text and no editing has be en done to the content of the original document. Encoding has been done through an automated process using the recommendations for Level 1 of the TEI in Librar ies Guidelines. Digital page images are linked to the text file. r ej Ji BLUE GRABS BLADE Volume XVIII LEXINGTON KY JULY 25 ijjog Number 12 n DEVOTED TO THE PROPAGANDAOF FREEDOM OF THOUGHT lIt Ra Nut IKttmu By J C Watkins Is there somewhere in boundless space A perfect world a grand Celestial place t A ponderous Central Sun whoso glorious light IF Shining afar tho Universe makes bright A mighty Orb around which move Suns systems planets worlds as in a groove Hold to sot course as on through space they go It may bo true we do not know Is there a Goda Being good and wise Omnipotent omniscient and Can see to spaces most remotest boundsrWhoso cars can hear afar tho faintest sounds Has ho a body parts and form like ours But perfect both in form and mental powers Doth ho take count of mortals here below I- Wo cannot tellWo do not know When from our frame tho vital spark has fled And that in which it dwelt lies cold and dead Where is tho spirit which the clay once thrilled Does it dio tooIs it forever stilled immortalityrA hope a dream a nonreality Or shall wo live ugainIt may bo so Wo fondly hope but wo do not know But this wo know a still small voice within Admonishes us to shun tho ways of sin And to tho voico of Reason give good heed Obediently following whither She doth lead That they who really desire more light Must strive to do what they believe is right Abstain from wrong if they desire to find True happiness and perfect peace of mind Kanawlm Tails W Vn i J fP lI 4a11l l1k1L UJL lliW1Il 11 n aUt URat nt OWN p 2 BLUE GRASS BLADE The Triumph of Rationalism Church Doctrines Have Been Clearly Defeated But the Church Yet Remains Upon Which the Conflict Now Ragesw By Manly Abbot Brigham The religious situation has very materially changed even since I began the fight against what God Well that was what I was toldand ba Godworshipping person was informed that allIthat remark has been manifest in some phase in every Chris tian sect save the Quakers and Advents Until within u few years churchmen defended the doctrines of the church strenuously and the appearance of a rational byhoatedhim The situation has greatly changed Ministers no longer fend their creeds and do not affirm with that assurance that formerly marked the pulpiteer and the keynote of the church mans acclaim is not creed not belief but the church The Nationalists the infidels of yesterday have won a great victory but the world at large that gets the benefit does not realize the victory nor only in a limited way the change The church folks as they como on to the stage of action from period to period know nothing back of their own time hence it is that roligionistsThese demonstrations of religious fanaticism that make up the great part of religious history are either kept from the knowledge of the average church member or tae laid at tho door of some other sect The absurdities of the creeds and dogmas are skilfully concealed in ambiguous language in the church literature and sermons Many church members are un conscious of the real meaning of tho doctrines As the bible is known mostly through the selected readings raid pulpit texts few know tho real character of its contents And it frequently hap pens as all Rationalists know that statements concerning tho character of the church dogmas and the evil and absurd tales l t A of the bible are met with denials As to the former he is told The church docs not teach itand as to the latter lie is likely to be asked What bible do you find that in It isnt in mine There is a strong undercurrenthalf expressed feeling among thingitthey have not thought enough about it to find out what has happened to it and still allow themselves to be classed as believers and are so classified by the census bureau and will be so long as they eliminate nothing more than H helland presentdayreligion and the methods of its propagation is the accumulated result of all tho work of all the infidels of the past but more immediately that of Ingersoll and the corps of able speak ers and writers that labored contemporaneously with him It dawned upon the church leaders during that period that anIeffective defense of the claims of the church was impossible and that in polemics they were always at a disadvantage They did as their predecessors did following the failure of their desperate effort to discredit the new astronomical discoveries in the six teenth century and maintain the scriptural conception ofII Jehovian universe They adapted themselves to tho new order and saved the institution by manning their enemies guns after the fight was over and then claiming that they were always behind those guns As then tho word was sent out that no more arguments attempting to sustain the old order should bo made so now the word has been passed that argument is the sure pathway to defeat It is difficult today to find a churchman who can or a clergyman who will dismiss religion with an whole force is devoted to saving tho institution The devotees are directed to attend to tho charitable and social wel fare concerns of tho church Many members and u fair number of ministers are thoroughly honest and earnest in their work flnnncilillleadersfor tho personal benefits They care for nothing cave the maintenance of the privileged institution Although the harm that tho organization has done and is capable of doing and the evils of religion are always apparent to tho freethinker there is no doubt that in a limited way there is local good ncwm plishcd by the institution Therein tho opponents of too church are handicapped for as previously said the average man sees and knows only that which is nearest and most affecis his personal affairs Tho church the local membership of which is t largelyof wellintentioned men and women works reform in some person now and then and jt is apparent to tho peop10jthat tho church has done a good work It is of but little use for tho freethinker to explain that for one such instance tho church has caused a hundred persecutions and that all the JIIlmithus saved in a thousand years would bo an offset or value re ceived for one Bruno incident or aH witch execution The fact and tho inference is too far removed for tho average man and woman to grasp It is however observable that the same average man and woman sees dimly that God and religion play but a secondary part in tho reform of tho man but they ire also unable to see that tho institution through which tho good JJ Jtw BLUE GRASS BLADE B is wrought has been the agency through which all these horri ble persecutions have been enacted hence can not make the proper deductions The change is a remarkable one and one that we should all bo thankful for While the change has been brought about by the freethinkers they get no personal or financial benefit and not even the credit Tho clergy with incomparable skill appropriate the financial benefits and get the credit for the improvement in the god given religion They still draw the salaries and the rationalists speakers and editors continue to work for the love of truth and right and then often times receive the curses of the truly pious In a selfcommuning way they may get much satis faction from the situation They have beaten the clergy on all the great and essential theological issues and shaken the vitality out of the creeds But the organization with all of its wealth and a constantly decreasing number of honest leaders who are supplanted by the element that is always looking for an easy snap still remains And there is where the fight is now cen tered It will engage tile same class of men that have fought the dogmas to a finish Just how the fight is to bo conducted it is hard to say but that the enlargement of and maintenance- of our civil and religious liberties will depend as heretofore upon the ecclesiastical opponents is evident There is greater need now for the liberals to support their various publications than ever It is just as incumbent upon the editors to keep the incidents of religious history and the controversy about the divine inspiration of the bible before the minds of the people as ever The motto or admonition Lest wo forget should be at the head of every rational editors column rho ofttold story becomes stale to those who know it by heart and there is a tendency to stop reading and talking when it is seen that there are none to defend the deeds and creeds of the church That is the trap that we must avoid getting into While we have temporary relief from the acute evils of religion the nature of the institution has not changed or if there has been a slight modification of forms and outward manifestations we feel sure that there is danger of atavism As this manuscript is being prepared there comes the report of the missionary girl that has been killed by a Chinese convert to Christianity in New York 1Liberty and Equality For Woman Strong Replies Made to the Recent Criti cisms of SR Booher on the Subject of Woman and tho Ballot By T C Jeffries Mr S R Booher in tho Blade of July 4thcriticizes certain words of mine regard ing trio liberty of woman In the first place anIof reasons why women should bo allowed to vote It was on Woman and therein were contained incidentally a few reasons why women should vote The Editor named the article Why Women Should Vote and I am glad ho did so for while I did not undertake to mention all tho many reasons for the fair and equit able treatment of woman cvcnvif I were able to do so still the fact that I drew fire from a male camp of oppression is proof that some people still cling to the old false notion that man is the whole u yearshavotaughttheChristianity The Christian people have scoffed and paid no girlhashave not been killed There would not be any stir now about familyWheninspiration tho personal conduct of those engaged in the con troversy did not count for as much as it now does A man of bad habits might make a telling argument against some idea The truth of a statement was not changed because of the un truth of tho man who made it In tho fight now and in the future character will play a great part and it behooves all Rationalists to cultivate good habits and bo able to make their lives a testimony to the worth of the principles they advocate It will be useless for a Freethinker to pose as an exponent of rational thought and at the same time expose a great moral personal blemish Tho Christian is held up as an example of upright living and while we know that it is not true we cannot ignore the fact that the associations in and about a church are ofa moral tone so far as conduct bees I am referring to the majority The subtle and immoral influences that have permeated the body politic as a result of the teaching and belief in the doctrines of vicarious atonement are too intricate to be grasped by the average mind hence it is not practical to seek to war upon that ground under present conditions It is also useless to point out the failure of the in dividual Christian for ho is not now a full believer in the efficacy ofsubstitute penalty payer The Rationalist must show by an example of good citizenship that his principles are productive of moral character He must always be a sentinel on guard and ready to sound an alarm when ho detects a move of the enemy The character of argument must bo determined by the nature of Rumford Falls Maine thmej thing That same idea held in past turies made tho Christian god a male being and it made woman so insignificant that sho como from a piece of mans rib and tho Christian account is that woman is re sponsible for the fall of tho world And everybody knows that whatever uplift there has over been in human affairs has been duo to the efforts of woman Tho physical supremacy of man has in tho past placed woman down as a menial a slave for his use and not for his companionship His ignorance and his arrogance has held her there and some men continue even to this day to worship these old musty false stand ards and ideasfBut she is active and gradually silo is thlowinlfoff the yoke that has oppressed edit es Some day she will meet man on ant absolute level and then silo will not have to beg like a dog for the necessities of life or for decent t v 0 trenhlj tit she will just simply take them It is true that man and woman are physically different Man is womans superior in this respect But this is the only respect in which ho is her superior naturally Mentally they may bo in some respects different but it is not the differ ence of inferiority Some women are men tally weak but this is also true of some perhaps many men Trio reason womans mental horizon has been lowered and nar rowed is on account of her long continued oppression and persecution made possible by the physical supremacy of roan and his resultant arrogance which has prompted him to enact laws discriminating against womanhood A few centuries of freedom would put woman in the front ranks in all professions and among great thinkers Even today there are many women whoso brilliance and wisdom matches that of any Boohcr mentions as one of tho occlusive characteristics of man that lip is just And yet the greatest forms o justice of all times have been enacted by l a 4 BLUE GRASS BLADE Imau One present form of this injustice is in denying to woman liberties and privi leges which he claims for him If It is womans nature to raise children but does it necessarily follow that she must give up everything excepting affairs purely domestic May she take no interest in the government that rules her and which will soon rule her childrenmust she be blind to existing social and political evils evils of society which scourge and curse her sex Can she not cry out in protest at the many forms of injustice and cruelty indeed can she not take a hand in the fight and become actively interested in movements for the amelioration of her sex Must she sit idly by and allow the cruelty of man to crush her to the earth and blot out her very existence as a useful member of society No These very conditions have already prevailed too long and only in the comparatively recent past has man taken a concerted stand to resist further insolence and oppression All lovers of liberty will find pleasure in helping wo man to free herself of the shackles which have so long bound her and they will applaud each new victory which she gains Women have only to move as a unit in order to gain their ends and change the long continued tyranny and brutality of males into kindness and respect Many men rail at the idea of the ballot being placed into the hands of woman for they realize that that would give woman additional power She would have prestige and the prestige would compel respect from the opposite sex especially from the office seekers With the ballot in her hands she would be a power to be reckoned with and she could not be treated as an inferior Mr Booher says Now has not woman enough labor to perform in her own sphere that she must be compelled by men to assume a part of mans work Compelled indeed You do not have to compel women to accept what is rightfully theirs and what they are struggling to get It is unnecessary to use force Their per sistent demands prove that they insist on having what belongs to them and the only compulsion is in their forcing men to give them what is theirs Compelling women to take what belongs to them and what they are fighting for and especially in con nection with the ballot is like forcing a square weal onto a hungry man Then again Her own sphere to which Mr Booher refers is no doubt in his opin ion very limited That is the old idea Man has said to woman Woman this is your sphere between these two posts but nature has said Woman your domain is hold aloof from woman something which she gives freely to man Woman of course has certain physical functions to perform but is she otherwise U lJ Jll fLrun JIlt III different Has she not as much right wan to as great a measure of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness Good women do not neglect any home duty for church or club work and need not do so And while it is improbable that women would care to hold office very ex tensively still that is a matter that should be left to the majority of the voters with women included among the voters Does Mr Booher know of any conspicuous fail ures among women office holders Woman he says is preeminently adapted for the part of a queen in her sphere but in the past she has not even been allowed the place of a woman Here is Mr Bookers Utopian plan H Man to secure the food woman to pre pare it and make it pleasing to the taste Men to get the goods to the house woman to arrange and make it pleasant A home in deed and in truth Ladies how is that Make man the dear little thing comfortable Tickle his palate with goodies and his nose with a feather At all times see that he is full and contented When you see him coming make a dash for his slippers Take off his shoes then get his pipe and his paper and lift his number tens onto the footrest then when he grunts satisfaction proceedwith the ticklers the while keeping an eye on Mister Man that all his whimperings are duly recorded and recognized But how many women are compelled to secure the food and get the goods to the house themselves Women are taxed to support a government in which they have absolutely no voice Mr Booker says change the laws But I say no Let them be as they are women will do the changing themselves be fore long and they can tell better what they want and need than we can Mr Booher continues Woman today without the voting right has more honor and is accorded greater rights for her sex than she could hope to have were she given the right of franchise Here I am inclined to be a little lenient with Mr Booher and to sort of make ex cuses for him I feel rather sorry for him Let us believe that his mental apparatus slipped and that ho didnt mean exactly this Surely his idea of honor cannot be what these words would suggest For stance how about the women of those Western states where they have the use of the ballot Have they less honor than their Eastern sisters If the gentleman ever saw and conversed with a native wo man of Colorado was her honor and intelli gence conspicuous by its absence Women vote in Colorado and the women there are freer and therefore in many respects better oil and they realize it and they show it The use of the ballot is bound to help woman and sooner or later they will have l1I11f u r the use of the ballot in every state in the union It may bo a bitter dose to some men but they will have to grin and bear The fact that some children know more about such things as physical geography than many older people has nothing what ever to do with tho question at issue Chil dren are not mature and for that reason are incapable of the intelligent use of tho ballot Development and years ofexperi ence and instruction will prepare them however for the time when they must as sume suchresponsibilities Mr Booker says Give her the full and sole freedom in her domain her sphere and hold her acouutable for her short comings in her domain and likewise man in his Her domain is everywhere and so is mans but man rolling in his presumption and arrogance has given to wo man what Mr Booher refers to as her domainallotted to her a certain domain what he thought would bonot- rightbut easily given to her and not interfere with his own reservation and he has taken his certain rights and privileges which ho called his very own Nature does not do this She puts no fetters on man woman or child Mr Booker dwells on mans or womans spheres and the result of their getting out of them but ho should realize that nature allows them a wider latitude And even if they have respective spheres how can man claim to exclude woman from such a right as the use of the ballot From having a voice in a govern ment which taxes her rules her and pun ishes her7 The gentleman does not allow to women the free measure of liberty which ho claims for himself Ho is ruled by the old barbarous customs from whence our present day mouldy standard came It is a mistaken idea to think that by nature woman is mentally politically or socially inferior to man If learning is not as common among women if they are be hind on certain matters of government or matters of national or international import ance it is owing to their long continued oppression by the stronger sex an oppres sion which has placed every obstacle in her path as a bar to progress Let us now turn about and help for a few years and note tho change Site will develop into u new being and it seems to me that the only motive that will lead men to fight against her is the fear that ho will be engulfed CertainI it is that he will not continue to occupy his present position of Lord and Master There will be no Lords and no Masters These two things have been curses to humanity And they will bo replaced in tho new order of things and we will have that which is far far betterEquals Cleveland Ohio d BLUE GRASS BLADE 5 ANSWER PROM A WOMAN By Hazel Putnam- I would like to say in reply to Mr S R Boohers Why Women Should Not Vote in the Blade of July 4th 1009 that if ho will study the conditions arounil him more closely he wIli see need of more of womans sympathy love and kindness If there had been more sympathy George and kindness in our government George Pettibone an innocent man would not have been unjustly imprisoned for more than two years and thereby murdered Nor would thousands of young innocent girls be forcibly ruined in our cites every year By law a woman cannot dispose of her children as she thinks best Who made this law Man of course A woman can do nothing with her children that is against the wish of the father If womans sphere is that of motherhood and man can not occupy womans sphere either physic ally or mentally why not give her abso lute power to treat and do for her chil dren as she thinks best Such conditions as these are examples of mans firmness reasonableness and justice On every hand we are confronted by mothers engaged in other labor than that for which she seems especially adapted Why Because man is not able to furnish her with the necessities of life Give her the ballot and she will help bring about the ideal life Where there is one woman go ing to clubs and thereby neglecting her children there are 09 going to the factory washtub and field to pet the food that it takes to keep their little ones from starva tion And it is the 99 who need the vote and would use it that wo want equal suf frage for Go to 100 homes and if you do not find that 00 of tho queens in their spheres are not drudges may I never behold the pitiful sight of a drudge Take the farmers wife for an example Sho gets up at 5 oclock in tho morning gets breakfast by 0 oclock or a little after then oversees the dressing of 4 children at least combs their hair and in 8 months of the year packs lunch and gets tho okler ones off to school by 8 oclock But before 8 oclock she has had to milk 2 or 3 cows and feed the chickens Then there is tho kitchen to clean up and beds to make and Bythisafternoon tho dishes aro to wash and there is tho sewing for this family of 0 and ner haps fruit to can Then comes supper with moro dishwashing and babies to bo put to bed and some mending to do by lamplight These are only n few things your II queen has to do How many woo men want to bo this kind of a queen Not many I think And the farmers wife is not tin excep r tion You can consider a woman with 4 children who does her own workand you cant consider n woman who Fires help for if you do what are the servants Queens- If a woman is fit to train a child she cer tainly is fit to say what conditions that child should live under when grown If woman were given the right to vote and holdoffice she would not do so unless she wanted to She could be queen of her sphere just as much then as now And if she does not want to be queen of her sphere but an officer instead do you think it a fair sample of mans reasonable ness and justice to hold her there by force If women are willing to give themselves their children and their property to men now when they cnn not do as they will with them do you think they would be less will ing to do so when they could have as much sayso as the men The work of office holding is not so heavy as a great deal of the factory work now done by women Therefore if man is better adapted for the sterner and heavier duties of life why not give him the factory work and the women the office holding And where can a woman be a better counsellor than in an office of the people Woman today without the voting right lies more honor and is accorded greater By Annie Brown In loving memory of Mrs Margaret wife of Peter P Brown born in Dituurk Jan 7 1842 died in Scipio Utah June 19 109 wo pen these few lines She wits mi oM subscriber and friMid of tho Blade anti was always interested in the uplifting and betterment of tho human family 1he was a lover of Nature and tho beautiful and good and tried to make her home her heaven and to bring her family up tobo noble men and women She ran away from home in the night to join the Mormon Church coming to Utah in 18C2 with the Mormons Site was sin cere ambitious and a hardworkcr and left titian Church of her own free when she could letter her condition and live a nobler life away from it She has suffered much from persecution for years sho was tho only one hero not a Mormon or Presbyterian has laid away two grown daughters and lived to be a credit to tho community The services were held at tho Mormon Church hero and was very largely attended Two infidel friends Mr Lois Peterson and Mr Wm Memott wo were disappointed not to have been able to have your old UM1 Ivl rights for her sex than she could hope to have were she given the right of fran chise These words are an insult to every selfrespecting woman in the world What woman is so low as to want honor and rights because of her sex We want honor and rights because we areand want to be so recognized by the law mans equalGive her the full and sole freedom and liberty in her domain and likewise man in his Who is going to hold her account able Why man of course He can as he has the power to and enforce laws by which he can hold her accountable Who is going to hold the man accountable Woman you say How The laws are against her and she is un ablo to change them So please tell us how she is going to hold man accountable when the law is and she has not the lawfThe Bible says God helps those who help themselves I do not know if this is true or not but I do know that no one helps those who do not help themselves and as we cannot help ourselves without equal suf frage we are going to have the ballot or die trying to get it Wilburton La Tribute to the Dead friend Dr West of Salina Utahalso spoke very nicely of making heaven of this life and trusting no future howeer pleas ant and several Mormon relatives testi fied to Mrs Browns nobility of character love of homo and right and though they be lieved in their heaven beyond this lifetthey hoped to meet her there arguing her goodness right living and fulfilling her duty to her family and homo would merit their reward It was gratifying to notice tho advancement in thought even in a little town like this to sec Christians willing to acknowledge the worthiness and nobility of a fellow Freethinker Mrs Brown died as sho had lived bravo and sincere in her convictirn that death ends all Sho was buried beneath the ers site lad tended and loved so well Moro homelike seems the vast unknown since she has entered there Scipio Utah Sands a Renewal HARVARD ILLTit renewing my sub scription from March 1909 for one year you will please find enclosed 150 in P 0 order Wishing you success W I FOX 6 BLUE GRASS BLADE MANS ORIGIN AND DESTINY l POPULATION REGULATED BIOLOGICAL LAW SUPPLY AND DMIANDSOCIALISM BROUGHT UNDER FAVORABLE DISCUSSION By Dr A Hausman That there is something rotten not only in Denmark but also in the U S is a fact universally conceded and there is no end of propositions how to check the growing evil of sOCIalextremes the increase of poverty on one Ado and the accumulation of largo fortunes on the other But before any plan can find practical application it is absolutly necessary to comply with a few postulations of which the prin cipal one is that it must be possible In the preceding chapters the character and limits of progress were defined and shown that allefforts at reform must fail if they are contradictory to the natural laws governing all living beings As the first and principal one we found the law of inequality and inheritance inequality of functions and as the nat ural sequence inequality of possession All plans based upon equality are against the law of nature and therefore impossible and chimerical as are those denying the law of inheritance And so are all devices disregarding the rela tions between numbers and means of subsistence based upon the absolute law that every individual requires a cer tain amount of material for sustenance and if he docs not produce it himself somebody else must do it Thus the existence ofa large number of people on a limited area depends on the exchange of the products of physical and mental industry against the produce of agriculture etc and is consequently regulated by demand from the outside v This demand or consumption as we have found in defining luxury and necessity does not represent a fixed quantity and the supply can therefore not be kept up at a uniform rate MrIT George is evidently not aware of this import ant circumstance which must lead to overpopulation in certain localities as soon as the supply of labor exceeds the possibilities of application ITe does not discriminate between the kind of production to which labor may be devoted and seems ignorant of the impossibility to establish an equilibrum between consumption and production There is no power in the world to regulate this relation and consequently this part of the social question must be solved by everyone himself We have to search for a field to apply our abilities there is no one else to do it for us Leaving these factors of society out consideration cause they are not amenable to human correction wo must constrain the measures for reform within the boundaries of possibility which were outlined in previous chapters We must endeavor to direct the physical and mental faculties of every member of society to the production of value ma rrn1oj ll U nJ1 terial or immaterial conducive to the welfare and happi ness of the community Individually we can contribute l1oidingtoCollectively wo can abolish such institutions which give some persons an opportunity to live on the labor of the peo ple without performing any productive work themselves If the laws are badas they really are they can bo substi tuted by better ones If public institutions the means of traffic and communication railroads telegraphs etc are operated in the interest ofIt few individuals there is no law of nature to prevent the people from converting them into public property and operating them in the interest of all Hero and at another occasion further on I take pleasure to introduce a few objections made by Mr neditor of a monthly magazine in Chicago because they afford an ex cellent illustration of how difficult it is to overcome preju dice even in literary circles His verdict on this suggestion is brief socialistic and bad Of course ho has the right to say so I do not know his definition of socialism nor do I care I can only give my own opinion and the reason itLet us assume a railroad is to built between two J places to cost over a minion and to bring a net profit a hundred thousand This moneyniay bo furnished ofIone a few or a great many persons the inhabitants of terminal points of the county state or federal For the people who actually build the road the engineers graders track layers etc it does not make any difference by whom they are paid whether by one man or a hundred thousand and after the road is finished it does not cost more or less to run it But it does make a great difference whether it is built by a few for the purpose of their wealth or by the cooperation of all who sire hOllefitellrby its construction for the sole object of exchange of products In the first case it becomes necessary to make the sates sufficiently high to pay the in tho second they can bo adjusted so as to pay ning expenses and repairs Then tho largo sum inlerestIdred thousand a year would remain in tho hands instead of going to a few and make them cllp monopolists This is what I would call rational socinlismV In reality physical power count alone and tho results showJthe value of a measure or action Mr B is an ardent advocate of individualism and bitterly opposed to any socialistic measure such as coopers lion which ho calls combined ignorance What is tho re l sult of this ignorance Some time ago the cooperative J BLUE GRASS BLADE 7 system was introduced in Germany by SchnlzDolitsch and has proved a decided success Largo establishments hand I ling millions have developed from small concerns and the wealth they represent instead of being owned by one or a few persons is held by a largo number who arc each indi vidually richer than they would bo otherwise I must confess that I prefer this combined ignorance to Mr 13s in dividual wisdom Far from destroying individualism socialism tends to preserve it by avoiding those extremes in possession which mako many the slaves of a few Social ism is simply multiplied individualism But whatever reform may bo introduced it can not have a retroactive effect its object can only bo the avoidance in tho future of the evils the preceding faulty system has pro duced Tt must respect tho possessory titles in validity at tho time no matter by what means they may originally have been obtained because it is impossible to question tho jns tice of prior transactions endorsed and sanctioned by tho laws then in force It is impossible to distinguish dollar earned by honest work from ono that was stolen Tho only remedy to ameliorate tho irreparable evil lies in taxation by means of which it would be possible to counteract all danger and injury arising from accumulation of wealth in single hands Tho people havo tho power to do all this as soon as tho comprehension of their own interest has suffi ciently advanced to teach them tho significance of their is a movement beginning to stir all over the world which has for an object tho reform of social evils whoso promoters liko H George mako the fatal mistake to direct J their efforts against tho effects of tho evil insteadagainst tho cause itself I Among the numerous moro or less confused theories wo can distinguish three principal groups tho anarchists tho communists and tho socialists What kind ofsociety the anarchists want to establish I do not know probably they do not know themselves But history shows us tho picture in tho French revolution it means murder robbery etc in short every crime of which tho unfettered beastly in s of human nature are capable The communists are wrong in as far as they demand a f redistribution of all wealth otherwise there is nothing in tho world to prevent them from carrying out their theories to organize a community on these principles demon to tho world tho superiority of that state of society 1and not familiar with tho results of colonies established this principle is tho natural principle on which as demon previously is built up not only every human but 11nlso every animal community or state This principle is too little understood by tho majority of individuals who ascribe tho mechanical effects resulting from their pas heingIyears ago wo a prog ress in every department and when we investigate tho rea son wo find that improvements are almost exclusively duo to the exertions of the officials themselves They are guaranteed permanent position dependent on the faithful performance of their duties and it is but natural that they take an interest in the condition of their special province of labor While in the shade of tho throne progress has advanced it is scarcely perceptible in this free republic Tho laws are nearly the same as at the time of the founda sluggishness t whichcan not bo calculated in dollars and cents right off a striking contrast with tho usual quick perception and i clear sightedness of this nation To illustrate the conserve tisin in science wo are using the most unpractical unscientific f thermometer inconvenient for use and illogical in theory Whnot take tho freezing point of water for zero when its boiling point is taken as the norm for heat While other nations are gradually introducing the wo are clinging with absurd obstinacy to the stupid dhisiontof FahrenheitAs of such institutions which are a detriment and a burden to mankind the standing army government and church we found tho ignorance of tho people in regard to the relations of man to man and ofman to nature Wo ha millions of fools as the cause and one Napoleon as the result Thousands of beggars and a few millionaires Wo further demonstrated the impossibility of removing tho cause at once a man can only convince himself and tho progress ofa nation must bo preceded by the progress of the single individuals composing a nation An individual however can progress only by substituting correct ideas for wrong ones And we found further that some persons derive material benefit from social institutions and strive to maintain them from purely selfish motives Thus in the old country the monarchy and tho church are opposed to free thought because they owo their existence to ignorance to a wrong conception of tho world expressed in religion All progress springs from a class of people standing between tho two extremes of society tho lowest and tho high est wedged in between two hostile powers being assailed by the mob from prejudice and ignorance and attacked by tho ruling powers from selfish motives because their wealth and power depends on tho moral inferiority of tho masses tho mechanical cause andeffect To be continued Our corps of contributors is receiving sonic valuable additions and wo can promise much of interest to our readers This is exceedingly gratifying By subscribing in advance to Dr ITausmans now book you can save the cost of postage Our readers have had abundant opportunity to judge of its merits Tt will bo completed in its serial form in about ten moro issues ON IIC BLADEi8 BLUE GRASS BLUE GRASS BLADE Published weekly at Lexington Ky Founded by Charles Chilton Moore In and edited by him until his death February JAMES E HUGHES Publisher and Manager JOHN CHARLESWORTH Editor 1268 N Limestone Street Lexington Ky P O Box US SUBSCRIPTION RATES By mall postpaid 168 per year advance Five new yearly subscribers at one remittance 101 each Five trial subscriptions sent In with one remittance for six months It cents each Trial subscriptions cents per month Foreign subscriptions postpaid 200 per year ADVERTISING RATES One Inch single column Insertion cents one month or four Insertions 1111 six months 600 one year 110- Quarter column single Insertion 219 one month 400 six months 2000 one year 000 Half column whole column or larger advertisements at special rates upon application The publisher has the right to reject any and all advertisements offered GENERAL BUSINESS RULES ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS to the Blade will be discontinued at the expiration of the term for which the subscription has been paid up In advance The address slip on the paper will show scribers the date of expiration of subscription Back numbers or number omitted will be sent If asked for upon renewal it case of dlRclntlnuance SHOULD ANY SUBSCRIBER change his or her address advise thl office giving both old and new address as desired THE OFFICE of publication of the Blad Is at 1SC1SI North stone Street Lexington Kentucky to which all Freethinker will be given a hearty welcom THE BLADE Is enterd at the Postofflc at Lexington Kentucky as sicondclasa milling matter ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO THE BLUE GRASS BLADE P Box Lexington Ky WANTED A LEADER We are told that necessity knows no law that sudden emergencies tolerate departure from the proprieties that every worthy movement will able to find It willing and capable leader who can andwill devote his talents energies and skill to a realization of its objects But leaders call accomplish very little unless given the unselfish support of numerous and willing followers Leonidas would have been lost to history were it not for the three hundred braves who backed his bluff while the history of Napoleon is written in the blood of the unknown brave and Washingtons deathless glory was male by forgotten millions If a cause bo worthy it may find both leaders and supporters and right hero wo tire brought face to face with the present condi tion of the Freethouglit movement in America At different times wo have discussed the proprietyof a more extended and more effective organization of Free thinkers What wo want and what wo need is a practical working organization It must bo something more than more name Communications sent to and received by tho Blade all ofwhich have been published in our columns indicate that tho most solid strength of our cause tho best brain the most liberalhearted are in favor of tiny plan that will bring into existence an organization worthy in character plan and purpose to command the attention awl support of tho Freethinkers of the country Wo have dis cussed tho merits and demerits of existing organizations I Other Freethinkers have given expression to their opinionsI on the same subject Tho letters published in our point to no other conclusion than the demand for a capable organization That existing organizations do not receive that support necessary to declare them a success speaks volumes regarding them and argues that the foundations upon which they aro built tire not in harmony with the vast majority of Liberal minded men and women in tho country Tho logical inference then is that organization being demanded and regarded as a necessity for the successful prosecution of our work it must bo effected along lines that will bo acceptable to tho majority and calculated to draw within its fold tho thousands who hold aloof from such organizations we now have Somo time ago the Blade suggested that Freethought editors and tho recognized Freethought leaders of America meet at some suitable point centrally situated as a matter of convenience for the purpose of formulating and agrccIing upon plans whereby such an organization brought about and till uniting on a common basis for its success This happened several months ago No Liberal editor so far as wo have been able to learn has yet made the slightest response thereto On the other handa few Liberals of individual trend a dozen perhaps IrmowrittenIthe Blade approving the suggestion it then Beyond this no action leas been taken It is evident therefore with tho existing demand for a closer and stronger compact of Liberal effort the demand is for a leader who will take tho initiative and work to bring these forces to gether and put them in operation The history oforganized Freethouglit in America though exhibiting some flashes of splendid effort a few brilliant successes is not suchas to give encouragement to an organization along tho old lines In the new organization there must bo no potty jealousies such as have characterized the past no personal end to serve no personal end to gain To be successful it must bo an organizaztion having as its principal working motto Each for all and all for each Tho common good of tho cause must be made tho ambition ofevery member and officer In England tho lato Charles Bradlaugh saw and ItIItho great power that lay in organization and he constantly urged the Freethinkers to organize and give mutual aid t and mutual strength to tho cause President G W Footo of the English Secular Society is now pursuing tho samo policy with increasing success Even in America the late Col Ingorsoll and others felt that organization would prove beneficial to tho Frccthought cause and the great apostlo of human liberty though for some years the Presi dent of ono of our national societies held himselfaloof during tho litter years of his life and never attended its annual gatherings for reasons only too well known A few spasmodic coffrls since that day and time have borno but little fruitage resulting in an expenditure of money with nothing to show as a result thereof These may bo un welcome facts but that they are true is known to till the old guard those who have labored worked and toiled and 4 BLUE GRASS BLADE 9 contributed of their means to keep the cause or organization alive The Blado does not wish to assume any attitude of leadership in this undertaking Onco the movement for a now organization can bo inaugurated and the initial stops taken tho lender will bo found Ono of the right kind will como to tho front Every state in the American union can boast its quota of capable men and women who are firmly allied with tho cause of Freethought Let these como together counsel together discuss each with tho other the best plans upon which to proceed and build a platform big enough and broad enough to enable every man and woman of anti orthodox sentiment to ally themselves therewith For this purpose tho Blade would like to see a meeting of such men andwomen at some centrally located point during tho coming fall after tho harvest is in and tho greater number afforded some leisure time Of course at this writing it is impossible to formulate any call there being none author ized to issuo such a call However to bring the matter to a head tho Blade invites correspondence not for publication at present from those who aro ready andwilling to take part in such a work who can and willattend such a meeting Therefore all Blade readers are earnestly requested to ponder upon this very important subject cast a vote by mail on tho propositions submitted below and tho Blade will thereupon give a summary of those voting tho manner of their vote and tho general result from which some defi nite plan for tho suggested meeting can bo formally an nounced It is understood that a majority of the votes cast shall decide If tho meeting is held it should be as representative as possible While in session it must agree upon and adopt a general working plan so as to bring its entire membership into active cooperation It must be given a practical work ing basis Some definite plan sonic definite purpose must bo placed before it ore it is fully and finally launched All these matters can bo brought up for discussion and settle ment at tho meeting provided it is held Tho enemies of liberty havo succeeded only by organization ond as these aro tho elements against whom wo must bo prepared to fight lot us then follow their attempt and meet organization with organization The votes of all Freethinkers not to bo limited in any r senso to Blade readers and subscribers alone aro requested upon tho following questions 1 Aro you in favor of this organization 2 Will you attend It national gathering of Freethinkers to effect such an organization 3 What isyour choice as to tho place where such a meet ingought to bo held 1 What dato do you prefer attend and such an organization5 If you aro unable to is effected will you become a member If such a gathering can bo hold its sessions whereat organization and tho plan for organization is discussed should bo hold private tho plan formulated agreed upon j organization effected and then all due publicity should then be given to tho project Organize first then advertise If but fifty determined men and women can be brought together for such a purpose the organization can be success fully started More than that number will mean greater strength and a great success Lot those who favor organization now speak and if this plan fails the Blado will let the matter drop FIERCE GROWS THE CONFLICT With tho lino of demarcation between the churches and the collegiate institutions of the country clearly andcleanly cut tho independence of all assumed supernaturalsanctions toward education we can plainly see in the not very dis tant future the complete eradication of tho bible from the common public schools Then and not till then will the triumphof tho progressive elements of the country be on tho road to completion Since Harold Bolco began his dissertations upon tho church and science in tho Cosmopoiitan Magazine other and similar publications havo taken up an approximately similar undertaking but with tho challenge now sent forthtfrom the leading educators and the growing unpopularity of the clerical element church power and church control in tho legislature and public affairs of state and nation must rapidly disappear The war is now being carried into their own camp for it is announced that after successfully obtain ing tho expulsion of Prof Foster from the Baptist Confer ence Johnston Myers tho Chicago preacher who led the attack is now in serious danger of being ousted from the Boardof Trustees of tho Chicago University as a sort of punishment for his pains This very idea administering a punishment to a preacher assumed to bo in good stand ing with his church is indicative of tho fearlessness with which tho issues aro to bo plainly met and the general out conic must bo a more rapid advancement of tho essential principals of Freethought In fact no other end can be logically reached Onco tho authority of the church and its advocates is brought into dispute an antagonism created between opposing elements in tho same institutions the friction is bound to end in a general breakup of theology The most important issuo confronting the forces of Free thought is whether or not they aro prepared to meet tho burden of tho situation in which they are now thrust If defections from theological institutions are to occur wo should bo ready to receive tho disaffectionists and have a place prepared for them to enter The break may not be entire at tho outset It would bo unwholesome were it to bo so Revolutions of mind and thought aro not accom plished in a lay the twinkling of an eye It is a long stop from supornaturalism into Freethought and tho more gradual tho change tho greater stability in mentality On this foundation Freethought must build New elements arc being laid boforo us New forces aro beingadded Tho action taken by tho college professors will give oncour J BLUE GRASS BLADE il2 Report of Paine Centennial Secretary Sends Particulars of the Recent CelebrationSome Information Con cerning Paine and the Junius Letters By James B Elliott I desire to inform the readers of the Blade that the Paine Centenary meeting at New Rochelle was a decided success and to thank those subscribers of the Blade who contributed funds that helped defray the necessary expenses incident to the event The most interesting feature of the occasion was the interest taken by speakers who have never before spoken from the platform of Thomas Paines Associations The interest taken by clergymen in Thomas Paine since the writing of his biography by Dr M D Conway is indeed gratifying and the good work done by Thomas Paine is being discovered and is now acknowledged by those who formerly ignored his services Indeed your Secretary was proud of his work It took two meetings to give oppor tunity to express appreciation of Thomas Paine At the Brooklyn meeting the Rev Robert J Lochark and Rev Henry Frank and Henry Rowley spoke and at New Rochelle meeting Fra Elbert Hubbard Dr David Saville Muzzey of New York Ethical and the Rev Thomas R Slicer delivereda most interesting address which the Association hopes to print later for the benefit of its members and those interested I have received letters from all parts of the country giving particulars of Paine meetings Those wishing to keep posted should address the Secretary for particularsI to announce the death of two ofour membersMrs Carrie Burnham Kil gore on June 20th age 71 years She was the first woman to become a doctor in New York and the first woman admitted to prac tice law in Pennsylvania Her husband as the President of the National Liberal league 1876 and that raised the 1500 to purchase the marble bust of Thomas Paine accepted by Independence Hall in 1905 trough this association Mrs Kilgore was spiritualist and has addressed many nine meetings always willing to defend Js character The funeral services were eld in the Unitarian Church which I ttendedI informed by Mr John Cyrus of New Rochelle that Captain Lloyd the vet eran Paine defender and an old resident died July 9th at 3 p m Captain Lloyd was present at the Paine Centenary on June 5th and enjoyed the services very much I shall have to defer particulars I want the readers to get tho news as fresh m t U as possible I wish to add that we are indebted to Mr Van der We deL of New York for his services to our Associations in photographing the Jarvis bust of Paine and for the views taken during the services The number present was large consider ing the threatening weather Philadelphia Pa HOW TO READ JUNIUS UNMASKED- By B 0 Fenton The genius of Paine was a flower that blossomed slowly but life is a sequence and the man who does great work has been in training for itElbert Hubbard Those who never readlJ U should get n copy also a bottle of red ink and in every instance where there is tho same wordor a similar word underscore it or as will be necessary in some instances to draw the red line from a certain word down across several lines to a similar word for instance page 254 On line third are these words Repeatedpetitions On the ninth line are repeatedpetitioning draw the red line across six lines and all like instances throughout tho book and when you have critically read and marked as suggested your book will look as if dipped in the blood of the lamb There are hundreds of Freethinkers who never read tho book and doubtless but few who have made ita critical study It aims to demon strate two things namclythat the Junius let ters were written by Thomas Paine also tho Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Paine I have a letter of Junius which was published in London in 1774 Hear himItFor to what regions of the habitable globe shall we go to find a set of men so detestable as our clergy for their pride haughtiness covetousness voluptu ousness indolence and selfconceit InIt C S in speaking of the continent Paine wrotelOf at least oneeighth part of the habitable globe the last two words are in both Junius habitable globe Painehabitable globe There are over three hundred similar instances between Paine and Junius In Modern Thinkers there is a chapter devoted to the end and aim that Pnino was Junius Right hero I desire to ask tho Freethinkers of Englanl or elsewhere if they can prove Captain Payne to bo Tims Paine further can you ascertain if Dr Wilmot the brothcrinlaw of that mysterious Capt Payne married n sister to tho wife of Thos Paine If you have or can obtain any valid information on this point you will have served one fact namely that Capt Payne wns Thos Paine All who have Modern Thinkers can realize by study why I have made the above state ment Wm Henry Burr says all of his biographers have represented him as being poor Burr thought otherwise See his pamphlet Thos Paine was He Junius It appears reasonable to infer that if Thos Paine was on tho ocean and II just returned from several years privateering to the West Indies as Denslow says page 347 I say that it is reasonable to infer that he gained a pittance which enabled him later in life to stand by Washingtons Army and con tribute a years salary How else could he have lone it f ConWay says nothing as I remember about Paine being aIt Sailor as he wholly ignored tho Paine authorship of Junius perhaps he deemed the Paine Sailor matter of no importance We want the facts Burr has annihilated Con way on this issue SeeIt Junius Casca C S and Thos Paine Let every reader of Couwnys Life of Paine obtain this tract 10 cents The facts are overwhelmingly in favor of Paine being the author of the Junius letters us well as the Declaration of Independence One of the greatest living critics has discovered now additional mat ter against Jeffersonian hypotheses Let every reader send 150 to Mrs W II Burr 1017 K St N W Washington D C and obtain the work in question also tho pamphlets cited and one more Thos Paine Was Junius Do not confound the one called Thos Paine was He Junius with the one Tlios Paine was Ho Junius Three pamph lets in all by Burr Devote ono yeme critical study to eachantl five years to It J U You will begin to get one foot on the first round of tho ladder in studying Thomas Paine These have converted Jag A Randall More about Mr Randall latter Chardon Ohio Blade and Hausmans Book LA CROSS WIS Find enclosed order for 350 for which give mo credit 150 on Blue Grass Blade and 200 for Dr IIaus mans book It Mans Origin and Destiny Have been reading the serial numbers and they are fine Want the book for my library Want to keep my children inter ested ns they will he that much ahead of where we started and that puts them ono generation in advance of their time quite an advantage I think If you or Mr Cliarlcsworth or in fact any of our friends get up our way look me up Everybody knows that Atheist for 50 miles around There isnt n day but what sonic ono is in and wants to convert mo to Christianity but they invariably go away saying It tho devil has too good a hold on you Will try and get you some new sub scribers I do a missionary business with my BladesJ M HACKETT A BLUE GRASS BLADE 13 THE BLADE AND SOCIALISM By Dennis Leahy 1 have been reading the Blade for about 18 months and I can see very little reason why anyone should find fault with it as an exponent of freedom of thought It seems to mo to give every one a hearing and that is all anyone has a right to expect at the hands of the publisher Editorially the paper is a Darwinian atheist with very liberal tendency Liberal ism is not characteristic of the Darwinian so that in this respect the Blade is the ex ception that proves the rule Socialist papers are divided between Darwinians and Christians and if there is one of them as liberal as the Blade I have never seen it They show but scant courtesy to any effort to infuse any other kind of thought into their columns They know nothing but Socialism and only a very questionable quality of that The Socialist labors under the impression that every paper for which ho subscribes should stand for Socialism and when it fails to do so ho supports it under protest Under capitalism the individual is under no obligation to buy what ho does not want Nor is ho under any obligation to support what he does not want to support And that is a very good feature I think But if Socialists refuse to support a paper simply because it runs too much to Darwin ianism while atheists refuse to support it because it runs too much to Socialism it will soon find itself between the devil and tho deep blue sea especially if all the other elements are imbued with tho same spirit as the atheists and Socialists Both atheists and Socialists have shown them selves extremely intolerant and they both seem to bo very much afraid of adverse criticism The publisher is the only one who has any right to dictate tho policy of tho paper and if ho sees proper to confine the paper to a certain line of thought or if ho thinks proper to prescribe tho lines of thought ho is certainly acting within his rights But in such a ease ho is endeavoring to secure money under false pretenses if ho advertises his paper as an exponent of freedom ofthoughtAs it no such charge bo brought against the editor of tho Blade So far as I can see its columns are open to its subscribers without any restriction being placed upon expression except such as may be due to tho amenities and decencies of life And even hero tho editor errs if ho errs at all on tho side of liberality Atheists have repeatedly denied the Socialists a hearing so far as they could prevent it by withdrawing support And Socialists have endeavored to coerce tho editor into Social ism by tho same method Both those ele ments have shown themselves to be enemies of free speech and a free press and that state must faro but ill that finds itself in the hands of such intolerant forces That cause is but a poor cause and not worthy ofnn honest leans support that seeks a favored field and fears to run tho gauntlet of adverse criticism A fair field and no favor is all anyone has a right to ask and every one is under a moral obliga tion to extend that much to his fellow man After reading Dr Hausmans explana tion of Darwinism and comparing what he calls facts and laws with what we know to be facts and laws I am satisfied that Darwinism is made up of distorted fact and unwarranted assumption Its premise is false Socialism is badly tainted with fal lacy for tine same reason That organic life commenced at what Dr Hausman calls a microscopical form of life and branched out along divergent lines has preposterous absurdity written across its face in boxcar letters Nevertheless there is a great deal of truth in both Darwinism and Socialism Tine fal lacy needs threshing out For this pur pose we need an untrammelled press and the Blade is of that caliber For Good of the Cause VALERIA IOWAI see by the tag on my paper that my subscription is a little past due Please find enclosed P 0 order for 150 to renew for another year I keep laying on my stand tho Bible with Inger solls lectures in book form laying on top of the Bible because I consider it a book of good morals and of much more benefit to mankind A book much more fit for the rising generation to read Not an obscene word in it While tho Bible contains many that our Reverend gentlemen do not read before their congregations that contain ladies for they know it would shock their decency and modesty I also keep on my stand a few copies of the Blue Grass Blade so my Christian friends can have a chance to read the other side I believe organiza tion would bo a good thing It would very probably get the people together oftener And that is what is necessary for the building up of our cause And if the organizations are small and speakers hard to obtain let some member procure a book containing nlgcrsolls lectures and some member read a lecture at each meeting One lecture is worth more than one thousand sermons preached by any of our Reverend gentle men If it is difficult to obtain proper building for such meetings let some member or any liberal who may have quito plenty of room in his dwelling givo permis sion to hold meetings at his residence I would liko to see tho time when wo could have hills in cities and a hall in every town throughout our laud for the building up of free thought And I will donate as much as I am able to for this purpose I would like to see a hall on every hill top and many in the valleys But probably it would be necessary to build those on the hill tops out of iron for God and one of his generals drove out the inhabitants of the mountains but could not drive ut the inhabitants of the valleys because they had chariots of iron Yes we would want to use iron all around because we must hold the fort and iron seems very essential in this matter I was at Colfax a short time ago a town of about 2200 a thrifty little town and tho Salvation Army was there taking in the nickels and trying to convert the peo ple in order to save their souls Now the thought came to my mind why did they visit towns liko that Valeria is a town of about ono hundred and fifty population andNI have lived in it seventeen years and the Salvation Army has never visited it to my knowledge Are not the souls in Valeria worth saving or is it tho best prospects for to rake in tho money that they are looking after Take out tho money the easy living and tho popularity and we would have but few Reverend gentlemen I am glad that 1 Mr Fisk of Della Iowa called your atten tion to keep notice of parties that will de f liver funeral addresses in your paper nut our churches have somewhat reformed as our Reverend gentlemen used to preach most all Liberals to Hell but now they work them all through to Heaven But let us work to the end that wo may be able to attend to our own affairsL E C VERNOCOM P Sqty plan of organization would bo to organize tho samo as our Sundayschools and have places to hold meeting often everywhere possible that it could be done Best Wishes and Renewal FRANKLIN PAI didnt intend to bo numbered with the delinquents to tho good old Blue Grass Blade but was sick for about tierce months and as I have passed tho three score and ten mark was not able to attend to anything So please excuse me and accept P 0 order for 150 to set my tag up to March 1910 I anti pleased to see that you have dropped Daves letter to his heavenly father Now for hardenedold pilgrims liko you and me it was all right but for people who are just beginning to think the pill was too bitter and too large and they were pretty suro to throw it up and throw tho paper down With best wishes for you and Brother Charlesworth and tho Blade I remain your sincere friend JOHN RIIOADS rsroawer r r 14 fiIaVIH ssM2rD alMS air A Forceful Argument NEW YORKI note your commenda tion of several speakers for Freethought Funeral Services In the view of some of us the notion that the disposition of a corpse must needs be attended by a formal ceremony of some sort is as rank a super stition as any other legacy from the old re ligious beliefs A Liberal is supposed to be concerned with realities not with conven tional forms and the preservation of the ceremonial instinct tends to keep the mind essentially superstitious Why should we ape the church by plagiarizing its forms They have a dogmatic reason for their cere monies we have no other excuse than a slavish instinct of imitation To one thor oughly emancipated there is nothing sacred about dead bones The momory of our friends is what truly lives with us and that is best preserved without ceremonial ism or relic worship The Freethinkers death as well as his life should be a prac tical protest against superstition The fool ishness of preserving the ashes after cre mation as possessing some peculiar sanc tity is only equalled by the foolishness of demonstrating against superstition by con ceding to the church the preposterous idea that the dead are in some way wronged or neglected unless a formal service of some sort is held JAMES F NORTON JR NEWS FROM THE WEST IF YOU WANT to learn about the Western Slope of rado good free Government land favorable relinquishments subscribe to Norwood Record A J McNASSER Publisher Subscription Rates One Year 150 Six Months 50 Three Months 40 Published Every Thursday WAflTEDBovs and Girls to sell Jewelry Novelties at BallSultorotbermoney today Send name and Arvidson Novelty Co 23033 DOG FENNEL IN THE ORIENT By CHARLES CHILTON MOORE Account of former Blade Editors visit to the Holy Land and strong criticism of the many fakes and impositions practiced w the traveling public in the name of re 1 lIOn Cloth125 postpaid rj 420 CH9TT4N00Ghssss AND RETURN QUEEN CRESCENT ROUTE JULY 19TH AND 20TH Return Limit July 31st 1909 Lookout Mountain and Chickamauga Park Stopover Privilege at RHEA SPRINGS Spring City Tenn SPECIAL RATES AT ALL HOTELS or Write JUST OUT NAMING SONG AND BURIAL SONG FOR FREETHINKERS Each a Duet and a Concert Piece for Piano Also Variations for Violin Flute or Bells PRICE 25 CENTS EACH I have composed these songs for the benefit of Freethinkers or men of Common Sense who do not wish to insult our Cre ator with Bible rot QUIRIN BACHLER 2277 Fulton St Chicago HI Naumans Orchestra K D NAUMAN Violin ANNA L NAUMAN Piano OTTO S NAUMAN Comet or Clarinet Other Instruments Added If Desired Over 600 pieces of the best music suitable for any program always on hand Phone 128 12 Lock Lox 800 SIGOURNEY IOWA WlJ A TRIP TO ROME By DR J B WILSON This work is acknowledged to be one of the best descriptive literary efforts of the century A Freethinkers view of the old world and what ho saw there Cloth4125 postpaid BLUE GRASS BLADE Lexington Ky BILLS fWENUEmakes you cheerful and ersonalIdepartment MfiDONKfi ISB ser lal running in the WHEEL BILL LIKE It Is written by Mary Ives Todd the ablest writer of Liberal notion since Grant Allen and is a beautiful presentation of the essentially modern problem of the Woman in Dullness THB WttBBL OF LIFEA monthly periodical It deals with ORIGINS the origin of Marriage of Ethics of Religion of Brotherhood of the belief In Immortality It treats broadly of Love of Human Instincts and Ideals It takes in the whole Wheel of Life treating all subjects in such aolear plain and spicy way that the dust is shaken out and they become as in teresting as a novel to even the casual reader Bend cents torn six months trial subscription or a quarter for a year CONFESSIONS O F DRONE by Joseph Medlll Vnttenon author of A LITTLE HROTUKK OF THE RICH sent without extra charge with a months trial subscription to the WHEEL ONLINE Address LIFE PUB CO Desk A St Louis Mo it Be Sure and Subscribe Per Secular Thought Fortnightly Journal of Rational Crltl dim In Politics Science anti Religion Organ of the CANADIAN SECULAR UNION AND THE TORONTO SECULAR SOCIETY Editor J Spencer Ellis Published at 18514 Queen St West To ronto Canada Terms U per annum In advance single copies 10 cents All communications for the Editorial de partment should be addressed J Spencer Ellis Secular Thought Queen St West loronto Can All Business communications orders for books printing etc should he addressed M ELLis Proprietor and Publisher Secular Thought Toronto Can THE WORLDS BEST WATCHES The Worlds Best Watches Mens Regular 18sizo Hampden Special By 23 Jewels 26 Now Ry 23 Jewels 20 Dueler Watch Co 21 Jewels 15 Dueber Grand 17 Jewels 8 15 Jewels 6 7 Jewels 450 Elgin or Wnltham Veritas or Van guard 23 Jewels 29 Father Time or Crescent Sir 21 Jewels 2250 B W Raymond 19 Jewels 20 Same or A T Premier 17 Jewels 1850 Wheeler or P S Bartlett 17 Jewels nicklc 9 Same gilt 7 15 Jewels 0 7 Jewels j5 all in Silverine screw case In 20year Gold case 3or in 25year case 5 more Every Watch fresh from factory prepaid with guarantee Send for prices of Watches not enumer ated here or order from any of my old pricelists Chains Pubs Diamonds Jewelry Optical Goods Freethought Badges Ingcrsoll Spoons Ring Gauge and my great little tract Theism In the Crucible free OTTO WETTSTEIN La Orange Cook County t t nI BLUE GRASS BLADE The Woman and The Prospector Is the title of a romance every man woman and child should read It should be in the hands of all who are opposed to supersti tion and graft as it is a protest against vaccination vivisection medical legislation and the administration of drugs to human beings at the same time points out the only method for the cure of the consump tive The booklet is really free but the cost of advertising and postage we figure at 10 cents so if you wish a copy send us 10 cents A M PARKER WATERPOWER MOTORS and WATERFANS Machine and Hardware Specialties at order CLEVELAND SPECIALTY MFG CO ClevelandSo Brooklyn Ohio The Work and Ways of Literary Folk VACABONDIAS- old by Subseriptionl per year VAGABONDIA is an illustrated month ly magazine devoted to people who write and draw thingsAuthors Playwrights and Illustrators EACH ISSUE contains interesting arti cles on the personalities of literary men and women Human Interest Biographical Sketches Appreciations and Estimates of all the present day writers and their work stories of their hobbies and recreations thrilling accounts of literary successes unconventional photographs of authors and their homes with glimpses of their workaday lifeCriticisms Short Stories and Literary News Contributions by well known writers on subjects having to do with every form of literary composition including the novel playwrighting et EVERYONE engaged in literary work or curious about literary people will find Vagabondia interesting and instructive It is invaluable to the literary worker VAGABONDIA is in a class by itself being the only writers and illustrators magazine published It is thaI trade pa per so to speak of the writer class Book Reviews Magazine News Publishers Notes and Announcements VAGABONDIA EVERETT LLOYD Editor and Publisher 1411 Security Trust Big Chicago THEPROCESSION PLANETS i 15 Do You Believe That We Humans are as Important s Pigs Potatoes and Pups Do you believe that we grownups Dud even the Children should know at much about oiirFrlvep Ill we know abut Fi3he Flowers an Flogs Do you believe In Better Fiogeny a More Elevated Race anyway K eo Fond J25 for a years subscription to the American Journal of Eugenics and be in the Van of Human Progress Published monthly at 649 South Malt St Los Angeles California U S Samples ten cents Trial three month with pamphlet Institutional Marriage T cents stamps The Holy BibleIn contradliA New Booklet showing up the Lions and fallacies of the Christian bible Justt he thing to pass around among your religious friends to Jarr their faltb and destroy their godwebs Ready Soc Order Now Single copy 10c3 for 25c IB for 100 Address J FRANTZ i1112 Eddy Street San Francisco Cal Give Em Fits j Thats what THE SCARLET SHADOW Walter Hurts great rad ical novel doze to the forces of bigotry and perstition And the sec ular press of the country goaded by the church element Is throwing a over It too No otherIlovel of this decade has been so widely and so bitterly denounced by orthodox critics which Is sufficient proof that It Is all right It has cre ated a sensation In servative circles and aused consternation among the clergy It Is enthusiastically endorsed by leadlni Frcetthlnkers through out the world You aL know how Hurt can write and In this book he at his best It Is an elegant volume fit to ornament the finest library containing pages printed on heavy eggshell paper and bound In oxblood cloth Price 150 postpaid BLUE GRASS BLADE Lexington Ky W F Bozeman Leesburg Fla Southern Fruit and Produce Broker Melons a specialty Fifteen years experi ence buying and shipping melons Will as usual follolw the business in Georgia Ala bama and Indiana t nw 1F r nJ fJ t Jf j1L J rj 4 f Mans Origin and Destiny By Dr A Hausman Alameda California tThis is the Greatest Book of modern times on the theory of Evolution applied to Sociology tt will shortly be issued in book form by the Blue Grass Blade making a book of nearly 500 pages The author hasfdedicated it to Prof Ernst Haeckel and the great Jena philosopher has accepted the dedication 1i200 200 Subscribe Now and Save Money r All charges of postage will be prepaid upon advance subscriptions The first chapters are now in the press and publication in book form will immediately followjts serial publication in the blade columns Str scribe Now Subscribe Now JAMES E HUGHES Lexington K- yTHINKINGCORRECT This Book is a Herald of the New Learning he First Gun in a Revolt Against LeisureClass Ideals of Education ByPARKERHlSERCOMBElEditor ToMorrow Magazine Expert breeders and trainers of horses permit their own children to fade and die for want of applying the knowledge they have but do not use Owners of Angora cats who know how their pets have become beautiful as the result of but a few generations of intelligent selection do not dream of the wondrous results were the same law applied to their own race The world thoughtlessly overlooks the principles employed by Burbank and other successful hybridists not realizing that each discovery has its corresponding application to the human species Man has not yet started to live a minddirected reasonedout life OUR ENTIRE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IS WRONG 25c the copy Five copies aplOO 9l5OO the hundred TOMORROW PUBLISHING COMPANY 139 East 56th St Chicag 111 Tf J 1 rmrllf11U i mw 1I J llhl

© 1999-2009 Kentucky Virtual Library

• xhtml 1.0 Strict