New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-28
THE PEOPLE ARE TO BLAME.
DO NOT REST WITH ATTACKING THE POLL
TICIANs. But ELECT THE RIGHT MEN

TO OFFICE, lie SAYS.
"The Prevailing Degeneracy, was the subject Of
the Rev. Dr. Joseph II. RylanCe's sermon yesterday
morning in st. Marks Church. ut Second-ave. and
feminist. He struck at the root Of the corruption in
the government of New York City by asking: Who
is responsible for the election Of these vulgar I'M
princplcd pothouse politicansl If the scum Of 50
| ciety has been allowed TO elect them then shame,
burning shame. the cream of society," Ills text
was from Isaiah liX., l. >. 3. 4, H. To- The Lords
hand is not shortened that lie cannot save, neither
| His heavy that He cannot hear but your in
! EQUITIES have separated between You and your God
and your sins have hid His face from you that lie
will not hear. For your hands dciled with blood,
and Your fingers with inquity your lips have spoken
lies. and your tongue hath muttercd perverScncss.
None caleth for justice, any pcadch for truth.
| And Judgment is turned away backward and justice
standeh afar Off for truth is fallen I'm the streets,
and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth aileth and he
| that deparcth from evil maketh himself prey
There those about Isaiah. no doubt, said
Dr. Rylance men eminent in Church and State.
perchance, who would say to him they did prophecy
unto right things; speak unto lis smooth things
| prophesy dcces.' For seldom like 10 be told
of their SINS except in vague, conventional way the
danger Mt such times being that those at the direction
OF affairs either infected themselves with the
Astounding diSsolueness, they yield 10 those who
are from fear of rcprOach or loss. But the true
prophet is respecter Of persons or OF powers but
when the command forth 10 cry aloud against
the vices or crimes OF the hour he will obey God
rather than Mt whatever cost to his reputation or
peace. such moral courage was never more urgently
demanded in who speak for God or righteousness
than it is to-day We passing through period Of
widespread generalization n community and,
fear IL might be said n nation revelations OF DIS
honorable doings in all spheres OF life being Of portcn
Gus frequency and magnitude. Look at the courts In
this terrible Indictment Of Isaiah and you will readily
recognize vices that rampant In our midst today
Your hands defed with blood says the prophet
Of the truth OF which, applying to ourselves as n
people, we are reminded by the frequency with which
deeds Of brutal violence committed among Us, the
CHASTITY narratives OF which fill the columns of our
daily papers to the disgust and horror of our house
holds. Life, the most precious GIFT that "0d has
given us is chcap-felrfully chcap-n the community
-sYour hands arc defilcd with blood and your fingers
with niquy.' adds the prophct-another charge com
ing very closely home 10 our experiences, lsiud III
one form or another being VIGOROUSLY prevalent among
US. Confidence between man and man has been 80
shaken, indeed by enormous dShoncsues mat most
demoralzing suspicion La, gone abroad In the land
4 subtle and siifl craft, "A selishncss without
,rrupcs a cupidity which slrnks from means how
shameful soevcr TO reach its cnds-ulese Things nave
almost ceased b excite amazcmcnt or adherence
All this - very bad and threatening for the
peace and welfare OF the land love or this con
don Of things, with the intiigucs and Manifestations
4 political paItsans, and the prevalence OF Intern
perance and licenOusness in society, and the ms
carriages OF justice under suspicion Of di,honodbl
inducemcns-Of these things the community becomes
aware now and then, and Is reused % serious and
earnest feeling regarding them. With rcVivhs
Of moral CONSCIOUSNESS which comes at intervals which
YOU can almost calculate by the calendar, like com
mercal panics there Is vigorous rubbing Of moral
eyes everywhere while Indignant hOwlings reno tue
81 cia air, very bad people having very hard Tine
Of 1t Tor awhile But We set over the spa'm am
return again studies Offices or the Exchange,
The men VIC wcc ROWING at !u'i DciViI Dclns asah
40 the cIanks OF our social ana lDHucaI OreaIh"b
IONS free irDm all lear Ol noes.Auon Tor another
space OF time. 1850
~onc singular fact Is NOTICEABLE however, while
ume of our nlaiediciOns is directed almost wholly
against the pOliucma, which, II IL be not 700 uaiIL5
a thing 10 say - hardly mr. Al iu1.oo We y, GnF',,
TO take share Of their quit 10 ourselves. Nht u
they should round upon us and say We are ohy
what you have helped TO make u.s. gentlemen Mouau
not the imputation be humiilauhsy uue for are
not these men the products Of society Dd lheJ hot
take the moral shape they wear from environment, ana
from the social conditions ana iVices 70 NM" W. ~
all subject And are not authors, editoi7' aIl'l''
preachers, college graduates teachers IN our s,noVi
and leaders In the circles Oi styIe ana Ei'hyn arc
these men and women the makers OF society We
make our boast That thry are. VEN u,g' az" ty
or pa,sivey, by sins OF commission or OMISSION my
haze contributed to the making Of the men they r"
mstly denounce on Platforms anu from puI re,,rr
low, as must ] THINK, thaI our pOHu,'i itWII
seniaves are average Specimens O liie ram alu "i
the bulk And were We not sO'mhly summon, ,
decide when they were chosen aa 10 ihdr niue -
l.lft II,
theu they are bad and incompetent, We DlundrI'l
terribly in choosing them. ana hGcn Diuneiins .
unpardonablc In Intelligent Chnsuall community
'iii"calIv when We were warned aud urged by on.
editors and preachers 10 bring OUT our DIST noia
material the best conscience and character we hdu
among rs 10 the work Of redccming our Guy IRON
fouue,s and reproach And We dld not pipuo' ,l'
.Hrcmdancy al least in counsel and administration
Where rests the blame then, if We are today III ne
hands hands {" N T''S' was the social that
elected them you shy. Shame, .ic" a., " '', w.
oncent The conclusion that the vulgar and the we
| Of 6ur fellow citizens Outnumber inc COCA ny
DuI our cryc and snpcrfine tastos and sensbiltic.
WHO are afraid OF selling Their garment :" uf'' "' ~
| NV contact With the who do the WORK "i th3
nsucns Tllcse people ARE largely responsible l"r me
dismal plight We ar; IN i,t now n hy Icn
telling their children that politics Is ',,cniialy nna
inevitably evil that il is 80 fDn ana imiec~n' r,
VS. more alarming. would lose social cast. liz
consequence Of al hi. w;s 'lt n nne 81 any hnud
iy all means abjurc politics. ara shonM Ieao"'y
guard against all contact YIN R9 Wrons in this
wav We have degraded great word have been parties
casting aSpel,on . on s S ' on oirh Is tbs
6csped ,cence Of politics pe di6cr S@lenees to
'"e . Nell we are all Of u touched by me newly ~
awakened enthnsn' Prei"% doors cverythne that
ofende;h and ]at maketh he' TIT h"ei ,s,nc how
mn.ion n.eoir~ Strange that are alway' occupied
estb me unSavory business Of cleaning on, Augsan
stables our brooms don't sweep cIcan NJ 10
ana ana ling Competent it IS assumed But they are 10
noner in once hnn we have 70 orgnae 1h rhomIa
n h,E the work Which thev engaged to do Ea
how get anything better tna isrvceT a more
Ssec have system Of police Will cry Bgt your
no,ice can only partially prevent the in
I.a,jons of evil What are uhccnsc'oussSH u,
aes "f is some instrument agency that Will cut
evil up by the roots Make w i@em 1g That this
mTny lou propose to purify gives yG yG ,nan Us
makers Ynu can never legsate very far ahead ~ me
souri, souri, moral condition Of the people Edncation: -
the ~. .hae ne, 70 be worth much AS a moral Po"eI.
u 81 he Christian ehcation ana me crs nS "'s ~,
hearty assert ncss and the roots OF righteous