“—just to stir up stagnation, you know, and rouse interest by telling
people how things really are; for it’s ignorance that’s the matter,
sheer ignorance, and I’m convinced that if the rich can be made to
understand the condition of the poor, they’ll take measures to better
it, so I’m trying to raise the standard of general intelligence and
bring the classes together—”
The sentence went on and on. I could hardly remember when it had begun.
The Young Reformer, who was calling on me, had asked me to co-operate,
and I had innocently asked in what.
“—public opinion is what we want,” he was saying, “and we are safe if we
can get the press on our side; for it’s the press that really rules the
country, and not the pulpit, and I say the thing is to get the great
popular organs on our side and let them work with us instead of against
us, and they will if we only use tact; for I’ve found that if you only
use tact the thing is done.”
“What special work are you attempting?” I asked.
“Oh, everything,” said the Young Reformer, cheerfully. “It doesn’t make
any difference. When I see an evil I begin to call attention to it. You
have got to be busy if you are going to accomplish anything.”
“And what would you like to have me do?” I inquired, gazing at my guest
with undisguised curiosity.
There was an indescribable air of aimless activity about him. He sat, in
a somewhat vague and tentative way, on the edge of his chair, holding on
his knee a bundle of newspapers and manuscript that he had been too busy
to put down.
“Well, what’s your strong point?” he demanded.
I was staggered, but it made no difference.
“Now mine is the platform,” he continued confidentially. “Yes, I’m at my
best on the platform. It took me a long time to find it out. I tried
business and I tried the law, but I was always restless and felt that I
wasn’t in the right place. Then I got interested in social questions,
and thought I’d give myself up to public effort.”
I wondered if this young man were one of those who, finding the duties
of citizen difficult to perform, condemn society.
I repeated my question.
“Oh, do anything you are interested in. Just begin where you choose, and
I’ll try to help you. It doesn’t make much difference.”
Here he smiled encouragingly.
“May I ask in what way you learned my name?” I inquired.
The slight reproof for his intrusion passed unnoticed.
“Oh, I’ve heard everywhere in the city about what you’re doing. I’m
trying to get acquainted with everybody who is working for the general
good, and I thought that if you would co-operate with me in some way it
would be better than for us to work alone.”
I was conscious of a momentary wish to write a manual of etiquette for
reformers, but my guest looked so innocent that I forgave him.
“My opportunities for influencing public opinion are limited,” I said.
“I doubt if I can assist you.”
“But I am sure you can,” he answered, cordially. “I want to undertake
something new here. I try to adapt my programme to the needs of each
city. In Chicago I gave a course of lectures on ‘The Crying Evils of the
Day.’ The press co-operated, and we made an organized attack on wrong of
all kinds. I couldn’t follow it up because I had to go on to another
place. That’s the trouble. But as I said, the great thing is to rouse
interest. I know that here there’s a great deal of study of social
questions, and I want to do something to encourage that. I like to be in
the crest of each wave of progress. Just what are you doing now?”
I described for him some of the minor workings of my Cause. The details
were dry.
“Now that kind of practical thing doesn’t appeal to me,” he said. “I
know it’s necessary, but there isn’t any emotion in it. You can’t get
hold of the popular heart that way. There’s nothing like the platform,
not even the pulpit. Well, I’ll tell you. I’m going to begin a series of
banquets at St. Mark’s Hotel to bring the classes together. I’ll have
one next week, and I want you to come. I’ll invite some up-town people
and the leaders of various movements to meet some of the lower classes,
the real People, you know, and we’ll see what can be done.
“There’s nothing like beginning and just letting a thing get under way,
and then when it’s started you know better what to do. Start a movement
and you can turn it into almost anything you want to. All you need is to
get your forces going.”
I accepted, I fear from curiosity, the invitation to meet the People,
and my caller took his departure. He stood irresolute on the steps for a
moment, as if wondering in which of all possible directions he would
better go. I reflected that in the battle with human nature to which he
stepped out so airily, he would at least have the satisfaction of never
knowing his defeat.
And I wondered who would deliver society from its deliverers.