The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-06-27
BISHOP POTTER TALKS
On the Dangers that Confront
the American Union.
POLITICS AND PENSIONS
Ills sThcmc-Unwor,hy onlcc Seekers
and Time Serving Politicians
Hauled Over tho Coals-liIs
TRADE About Pensions,

| CAMnRlDox, Mass, June e6.-Bisho,
Potter delivered the address to-day bo
fore the Phi Beta Kappa Society at Har
ward, bis subject being The Scholar ant
the State"
The Bshop, after brief reference tc
tho pleasures Of these reunions, said tina,
all that was personal had chiefly to
DO with ones self. Continuing, he said
"The Republic at this moment is
confronted by conspicuous dangers,
which, while they may not be those
which all Of us may own rs most grave,
haye nevertheless II typical and repre-.
sentative character whose Significance is
not easy TO over estimate. Let me speak
Of them briefly for few moments, and
then OF those more particular obliga.
tions which their existence develops up.
on scholars.
mo system OF government has won
more hearty encomiums from those
trained under alien skies aud rule thun
our own, yet one would think that no
system had ever been devised more
eiiectually to diaparage the work and to
degrade into pusillanimous and en-.
iecbled citizenship the workman, than
that system OF civic service which for
the last 80 years, and never Ilore in.
sistently than Of late, has been striving
to establish itself among this people. 4
pulley OF iavorilism which makes parti.
san service the substantial basis for DO.
iitical preterment, aud IL fine disdain for
the personal fituess Of the place, exacts
only no much competency as can rescue
the placeholdel from absolute disgrace
this has couie to b. the war cry which
treats every political contest as simply
Il scramble ior personal emolument.
CIVIC OBLIGATIONS.
That DO higher sense Of civic obliga.
lion than this widely prevalent is indi.
Gated by the painful fact to which one
finds It difficult to allude with becoming
1elicacy and reserve, that great pariies
md great parsOnages are able in this
natter 10 affirm, on platform and in
Jtlicial and prOnunciamentos und with
much unctous Bol-muity, a virtue which,
II practice, they find it no less easy with
open and brazen impunity to lout and
1isrrsard. Such situation, gentlemen,
lisguise and dispute it as men may,
never can be bcIlt,led or ignored as
mere partisan issue. It is an issue OF
morals, 1t is question Of common hon
.sty; Tor men in civic power are simply
he servants OF the State, and the public
ervice is u public trust, abuse or per-
'erBon or mnIfeasanca in which is not
ess, but greater, crime than uniaith.
utness to a private trust.
ANOTHER DANGER.
"And that brings me to speak Of an
'ther danger which threatens tho safety
II the Republic, and concerning which l
hink the duty OF all scholars is equally
:lear and imperative. We must
lot forget that the events OF our recent
.rugg!e tor national existence have LETT
behind them condition OF things which
makes possible situation only less
candalous because less open and no.
orious. The honorable provision for
hose who suffered and were disabled in
heir country's defense threatens, under
he selfish and INSCRIPTIONS manipula.
ION Of those whom degradation OF their
elbow citizens and short and easy road
o political supremacy, to become a
system whose least conse.
Iuence is the ruinous burden which it
= destined sooner or later To saddle upou
he public treasury.
ABOUT PENSIONS.
Never was there pharjseeism OF
philanthropy in which personal ag-
;randizement more impudently made
claim to grateful patriotism than our
Congress lately presented; and the un.
manly silence With which schemes 80
that they should have long ago
,een laughed out Of any intelligent
public assembly, is .one OF the most
,ulazing acts Of our political experience.
And out Of this it has come to pass that
not alone some SCARED aud honorable
veteran, not alone SONS brave and
MANNED survivor OF heroic charge.
1ot alone the widows and orphans whom
leath on the field or in tho hospital left
3ereft and penniless--but every skulk.
ny camp follower and deserter, every
and tainted claimant who has
he etIrontery 10 claim his bribe, can
nave it il only his vote shall thus be.
come a commodity within the control
ii partisan dictation and be himself
ackey to do bis political masters bid.
ling.
II have nothing to say OF those who
nave devised this infAmy and baptized
t with the name Of civic gratitude; bu,
or tue manhood which it is destined to
corrupt and degrade no honorable man
.an ieel, l think. any other than the
most profound sympathy and sorrow.
This surely is a'system OF government
hat deliberately conspires to degrade
men, and no delicAcy ought TO consent
o excuse or condoaa it.h
THE BISHOP Is RIGHT.