Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-05-01
PULPIT UTTERANCES.
DR.. Dana Reviews the Local Situation In
reference to tho Election ON Tuesday
Rev. q. e. Cline Defends Methodist
Itfneraucy,
At Plymouth Church.

at ftNOtOUtH NUNTcNs
DR.. Dana spoke last evening on some OF the
phases of the approaching charter election,
taking for his text Cor, 16, Is, "Quit you
Ike men," Such an injunction, he observed,
shows the estimate the scriptures put upon
manliness. Earnestness and intelligence In the
performance of all duties, civil as well as
religious, are fostered by these sacred pre-
scepts. No part Of q mans life may be
labeled common and secular, and be given up
therefore to sslflshness and political Scheming.
The gospel aimed to make men manlier, and
citizenship something so sacred that its pre-
negatives should never be perverted or
neglected.
CIVIC CHOICES
come to publicity through the act of voting
Every election tests the intelligence and pub
lie spirit of community. We are too apt to
forget that elections are q burden and dis
cipline They have in themselves no magic for
securing good government; for that inestima-
BILE boon can be won only by the earnestness
and civic virtue of the people. In the final
analysis, elections are simply struggles for
power, where conclusions are reached by
count rather than by crossing swords or ex-
changing shots.
AN EXAGGERATED ESTIMATE
of the right to vote has always had wide
prevalence in this country. The imagined
cure for every political and social evil has
been the ballot, and so the tendency
has been, and still is, to extend the right OF
suffrage. Sight meanwhile has been lost OF
the fact, that intelligence and honesty condi-
ton thessafe exercise of that right. tThe more
of ignorance and selfshness that votes, the
worse off will be the community or common
wealth.
THE PROBLEM OF THE HOUR
is to know how to heighten the sense of re-
sponsibility for the wise exercise of the right
to vote, and make every citizen recognize his
obligation as well as privilege in the premises.
1t is the average business man in our enter
prIsing cities, who to-day, says he has no time
to attend to voting, or to do aught towards
securing the nomination OF good and capable
men for Office. He and those like him are
responsible for the corruption and misrule
now so general 10 large municipalities. The
whole matter of running the city and putting
up and electing its officials is left to those
who have only selfish interests to serve, and
their own petty schemes to carry out.
THUS COME THE PERILs OF GREAT CITIES.
They are controlled by ward polite ians, by
the ignorant and unprincipled, and only when
there is some great crisis does the intelligent
ami virtuous, well-meaning body of citizens
turn out to make themselves and their will
felt at the polls. At the last municipal cleo
ton over 1900 registered voters stayed away
from the polls, and to their absence may be
attributed whatever ill has come since to
the community, in the way
of unfit officials being chosen-whether it be
distasteful or not; whether it take too much
time or not, only by the conscientious dis
charge of freeman's duty can we hope to
maintain efficient economical government
Every defaulting voter, invites and makes
possible the rule of the demagogue, and the
office holding OF the Enthusiastically.
THE CITIZENS
can dictate who shall be nominated if they
will, and we could have men named for Office
here. as they should be, without reference to
their political or religious affiliations. Ma
tional politics ought to have nothing to do
with municipal elections. All parties are in
terested in having our best men administer the
city's affairs, and such are the ones whom by
some concerted non-partisan movement all
citizens should unite in nominating for sci
ecting to civic office. The caucus, the manp-
uating of wlre-pullers, ought to be abau-
doned, and a generous wise endeavor made to
call into service men who command public
confidence, whose ability and character COM
mend them to universal favor.
THE PUBLIC VERDICT OF TUESDAY
next, is one of great consequence. The city
needs more than ever wise, honest and able
men in Its council; the schools call for the
supervision of intelligent, non-partsan and
sagacIous citizens.
The appeal OF the hour Is for attention to our
municipal interests, and for general turn out
on the part of all our voters, to elect only the
most deserving candidates before the people.
We are at stage in our history when we can
not afford to be Indifferent to the needs of the
community, and when we are called upon to
make wise discrimination as to those who
shall be entrusted with Office. II will be an
omen of good for future days if there is an
earnest effort Tuesday next to get the best
that is possible out of this election, and make
it the last one of partisan character. After
this let the lines be drawn SO that all in favor
of able and honest officials can stand and vote
together, by whatever party names known be-
fore; and the grand purpose be, to combine to
this end those who think city should have
the service only of its most trustworthy and
capable citizens. For this movement we are
better prepared than ever, and for it's coming
all the people who are public spirited and up
right are hopefully waiting.