Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-29

eTnuent. ae bdtu tnht Wnlie not pre-
dieting the result of the present agitation
of universal suffrage for women, he fully
believed that if 10 ten years from now
they do not possess that privilege il is
because they do not want to and not be-
cause 1t is the power Of man to keep it
from them. But apart from this aspect,
the influence of woman is felt more dis
tnctly than ever in all the great moral
reforms of the day. In all these commu.
mites where she already possesses the
right OF suffrage in part and where she
does not possess it all. her gentle but ire
sistible influence is ever on the side of re.
ligion. virtue and patriotism.
Turning from these tendencies which
he regarded as hopeful, Mr.. Meldrum
then directed attention TO some of the
signs of the times he regarded as
menacing. One of these was the ut
ter disregard of law manifested es-
pecially in some of our large cities.
This. he asserted, was largely fosteIed
by neglect TO enforce the law. In this
connection he adverted to the Sunday
saloon and referred to the defiance mani
tested by the saloon keeper toward the
statute, which in nearly all cities in the
country required suspension Of business
on Sundays. This statute was Just one
he held, it was justified by arguments
that we're obvious and unanswerable.
The evils inseparsble from the liquor
traffic were vastly greater on Sunday
than any other day. 1t was a chief OBJ
stacle TO the prosperity of innumerable
working men. Almost all other busls
nesses that could be suspended on Sun
day did so. and there are no reasons why
the saloon should be an exception-b ut
1t was an exception, and this in the face
of the reasonable wish of christian peo>
pie and christian nation, and in defiance
OF the executors of the law. No effort
WAS being made to close the saloons on
Sunday by those whose duty it is to en-
force the law. or if such efforts have been
made, they have been so feeble as to
evoke the scorn of the saloon keepers
themselves. This state of affairs, Mr..
Medium submitted. only illustrated the
terrible hold which the liquor power has
in the manipulation of American politics,
rendering those whose duties it is to en-
force the law. afraid to do their duty.
Another menscing feature of the times
to which Mr. Medium directed attention
lie school system of this country by the
Roman Catholic church. In this con-
nection he dwelt at length upon the plat
form adopted by the laity at the recent
Catholic congress at Baltimore and as
serted that the position occupied by the
Roman Catholic church toward American
institutions was strikingly anomalous and
self contrsdictsry. He quoted from that
-. 6. III. IL
quainted with the laws, institutions and
spirit of the Roman Catholic church and
with the laws, institutions and spirit of
our country and assert our sympathy
with and loyalty to both" But. asks Mr.
Medium, "if the public school is not an
American institution, what Is it1 How
does the attitude of the Roman Catholic
church toward the public school comport
with its declaration of sympathy with and
loyalty to American institutionsf" II de
clares be answered, American schools to be
Goddess and immoral and that the Roman
church must continue TO support schools
for the education of the children of
Catholic parents. II, however, the pub
lie schools OF this country are not fit to
be trusted with the education OF Catholic
children. how can this country be worthy
of their sympathy and sffectionS Here
then is one of the anomalous features of
the position occupied by the Roman
Catholic church, declaring entire symps-
thy with American institutions, aud in
the same breath hurting her anathemss
against that institution which is most in.
tensely and thoroughly American. An
other OF the self>contrsdictory features of
the platform of the late congress he
mentioned and dwelt upon was the
incompstsbility between its declaration
OF loyalty TO American institutions and
its hnsl declaration, which pledges to
Leo NH the unstinted aid of his spir-
itual children in this country in securing
that claim which is his iualIen8ble right.
But. said the preacher, v hat is the claim
of Pope Leo XIIIg 1t is temporal power.
For the Roman church TO pledge itself to
secure this temporal power is to interfere
with Italian politics, which is contrary to
the spirit of the constitution of this
country. and is unlawful.
Having called attention TO the signs, he
adverted to the duties devolving upon all
christians OF this country in view of
them. II the loyalty of the rum power
is seen in its utter disregard of law. ours
must be seen in our efforts TO crush it out
of the community. II the loyalty of the
Roman Catholic church is seen in efforts
to Romantic this republic. our greater
loyalty must be seen in our efforts 10
christianize it. Ir the sympathy of the
Roman church with American institu-
tons is seen in its efforts to destroy the
public school system of this country, ours
ha -, 81
which we regard such efforts. and in the
determination we evince that this sacred
heritage shall not be destroyed at the
dictatiOn of any foreign potentate.
Mr.. Medium finally asserted that the
great requisite of sll was personal God.i-
ness. righteousness exslteth a ma
ton" The work Of religious training
must devolve largely upon parents, and
woe to them. and woe to this nation if they
neglect this duty or leave it to others.
He urged his hearers to determined reso-
luton to defend the institutions of this
country. and to perpetuste them to their
children and childrens children forever.
At the conclusion Of the discourse Rev.
Cue made a motion which Rev. Leland
put before the house, and which prevailed
oy unanimous vote that the city papers
be requested to publish it in full, and the
compliment was pleasantly acknowledged
by Mr.. Medium.
| ALAS POOR GoBBLER
Not ignoring one of the pleasant GUS
toms in connection with the observances
of the day the festive board was one OF
the chief sources of attraction. The
proud turkey has become by usage the
American bird in stomach il not in
heart. to be sacrificed at this gladstone
season. Thanksgiving has become il
this connection essentially home day, /,
family day. an occasion of joyful re-
union. So 1t was in Rock Island yester'
day, but there were many gatherings no
wholly of family nature, but no les