The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1886-09-23
GOOD PEOPLE In POLITICS.

We most heartily commend to the
consideration of those to whom it
may apply, the following thoughts
upon the responsibility of using our
suffrage, taken from the Christian
Advocate, Nashville, Tenn. That
paper says:
The minister OF the gospel cannot
ignore the moral issues that have
come to the front and leave to others
leadership in the great conflict for
their right settlement which has be-
gun and which must be fought out to
the end. Christian citizens cannot
sit in cushioned pews and sing Of
heaven, and leave it to others to
grapple with the deadly evils that
threaten the destruction of social or
der and the moral life of the nation.
They cannot afford to let it continue
to be true that on election day one
whisky saloon is more potent on the
wrong side than the entire member
ship Of church on the right side.
The suffrage is a trust. 1t is the
duty of the Christian citizen to vote,
and to vote right. The stay-at-home
vote is largely made up of what is
called the best class of voters-to
their shame be it said. The saloon
vote is always on hand the vote that
is bought is usually delivered; the
loafer vote may always be counted
on. The voter who stays away from
the polls on election day is the man
who prays for good government, but
never gives an hour of his time nor a
dollar of his money to secure it; the
man who complains of the mal-legis-
latlon, but never lifts finger to pre-
vent it; the man who groans over
! excessive taxation, but folds his hands
and lets the rascals thatpu the wires
for their own ends have their own
way; the man who seems to think
that when our Lord said his kingdom
was not Of this world he meant that
the blessing of civil liberty and good
government might be enjoyed by
leaving the administration of civil
affairs in the hands of those who fear
not God nor regard their fellow men.
Such men are anatics-fanatics of
the mild aud silly sort who expect to
enjoy the rich blessings of freedom
and happiness without the use of the
means by which they are secured
and maintained.
The very plea by which these I'M
faithful citizens often seek to Justify
their inaction in civil affairs furnish
es a most powerful reason why they
should go to work with will. The
very corruption that repels them
they should take as challenge for
the fight.
Are the methods of our politics
corrupt! 1t is your business to pu-
riiy them. Are the ruling polite
ians cunning and deceitful ? 1t is
your business to supplant them with
better men. Is it disagreeable to
you to contend with them and con-
quer them, or you must be ruled,
dlsgroced and plundered by them?
Take your choice.
1t is equally stupid and cowardly
to hope to enjoy the blessings, while
you shirk the responsibilities of citi-
zenship in a free country.
This nation has the grandest possi-
bilities of any on earth. It's perils
are proportional to these possibili-
ties Citizenship is a sacred trust
that can only be discharged by un-
ceaslng vigilance, unshrinking cour-
age, and untiring activity in the dis
charge Of all civil duties, from cast
ing presidential ballot down to the
choice of the constable or policeman
Of your district.
To the delinquencies of Christian
citizens must be attributed many of
the evils that now excite alarm in
our country. In the extirpation of
these evils they find call for the ex-
ercise Of the highest functions Of cit
izenship and an opportunity to prove
their worthiness to be the rulers of a
great nation"