The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-18
MASS MEETING ATTHE 2. &C. A.
The Meeting Addressed by Four Speakers Who
Handled the subject w lthout Gloves.

by the representative citizens and the ad-
dresses were received with enthusiasm.
The meeting was presided over by Rev
S. f. MiIlikan, of Plymouth Congrega-
tional church. The speakers were Rev. J.
w. Love, Rev. d. t. Van Cleave, and
Messrs. j. w. Adams and p A. Rohr-
baugh. The subject: Municipal Gov
eminent in Its Relation to Morals" was
subdivided, each speaker having distinct
head.
The meeting was opened by song by |
by the whole audience followed by prayer |
by Prof Atwater. The first speaker intro |
duced was Rev. J. w. Love, who had been |
assigned the general head.
The speaker opened the subject |
by stating that all government |
has great deal to do with the |
morals of the governed. That municipal
government has very considerable in1u-
ence upon the morals OF city people is
equally true The speaker thought that
this subject needed consideration and
ventilation in Wichita at this time.
Whether well founded or not, it seems to
be the general opinion that city govern
ments as a rule are feartully corrupt, and
this was no exception. One hears the
charge of Jobbery when any public i'm
provement Is spoken of. OF course many
suspicious against individuals are without
foundation He did not believe that all
men who were elevated TO positions of
trust are corrupt and unprincipled. The
speaker quoted from DR.. Whites article
in the Forum on 1.-THE Government of
American Cities" the following: With
out the slightest exaggeration we may as
sert that with very few exceptions. the
city governments of the United States are
the worst in Christendom-the most ex
pensive the most inefficient and the most
| corrupt"
The speaker took the ground that when
the people of a city tolerated or even
| silently acquiesced in the wrong doing of
| a city official the public conscience is de-
based. Public Office is degraded by being
used for private gain. Not few in city
and state politics struggle to get into posi-
tions of trust only that they might enjoy
| the emoluments of the Office and live at
public expense whether they earn living
or not.
The speaker pounded the fellows who
would sell out when in Office to men who
want good contracts with a city for public
work. He thought the young must be
educated against such a sentiment as we
would finally become a nation OF
'boodlers."
The speaker thought city government
stood in the relation of patron and sup
porter of vice when they accepted license
or fine from those engaged in unlawful
business and then winked at the bust
ness. 1t has the power to either
suppress or to reduce to mimi
mum the evils that are in large
cities He thought when city licensed
Sunday theaters, saloons, gambling
houses, ETC., they created an immoral
taste and incalculable harm. The speaker
said thousands were annually dragged
down to ruin by the licensing of these
places, yet the people thought they must
have the revenue from them, rather than
go down in their pockets and pay the tax
necessary to run city governments. This,
he said, was not only sin against human
ity, but against God also.
The speaker did not like the manner in
which the revenues of the city were raised
at the present time and thought that the
state law was being violated in so doing.
He called the methods employed to raise
money a false economy mathematical
such methods in strongest language.
Thought the people had better do without
public improvements than to get them ID
the manner they were being got. He did
not believe in taking the money of gam
blers and rogues to run a Christian
government upon He closed with an ap-
peal to the voters present to vote only for
the clean pure man who would combat
the sanctioning of such men as obtain IN
, some places.
Mr.. Love was followed by p. A. Rohr
A baugh who spoke on the subject of ''Gooc
3 city government as chief factor IN secur
ing healthy municipal life !"
: Mr. Rohrbaugh started out by stating
there was nothing in this question that
admitted of debate. He would therefore
e say that good city government is the en-
: actment and enforcement of such laws IL
favor of good morals as always lead bu
+ never drive public sentiment.
Lawmakers in dealing with great mora
questions should consider how much o
d the evil can be spared by a society tina
!, have been indulging in it rather than how
:, nearly they can obliterate it. No law Cal
be enforced contrary to public sentiment
mistake is often made demand
u ing the abolition of the evils il
Il city life thus driving the SUP
L porters of a liberailaw antagonizinI
c any law to restrain evils. The successful
lawmaker must be passionless. Men an
a women of the highest moral excellence
IL have been the creators of the purest publ
(. morals They pressed moral questions o
p the world until they were formed Int
:. laws. 1t is possible to remove by law
not the crime itself-but the evidence
D IT, The law has not changed the passion
5 of men, it has only smothered the passlo
r and soon il will break out anew. In
e. knife of legal surgery may be applied an
81 cut away the evidence OF vice but u
poison is simply turned back into Il
-, body polite. The very best that can [
= done is to treat the disease and watch tn
= irr1ption and make it rs little offensive
possible. The passions of men that Cal
:; not be cured must be controlled and r
: strained and held in check Freedom
x. the safeguard of society and order an
moderation is necessary TO preserve ire
dom. Until God shall chain the ev
r qenius of man we must u
at expect imperfect men to make al
is observe imperfect laws The grantiI
ne of license is always restraining OF son
ID act which the law abhors. We shou
st not become impatient with evil and evl
ne doors. We dare not dam up the stream
of crime that flow through our city so
eruments, but must control and purii
De them.
te This speaker was followed by Mr. J. '
is Adams, who had been assigned the subje
rs OF City Law and Its Enforcement
nd CITY law usually means city ordinanc