St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-08
PLATE A POLITICIAN.
Rev. William Wilkinson Wants
His Prototype Eliminated Now.

Last night in st. Andrews church
Rev. William Wilkinson, the rector,
spoke upon the character of PLATE. He
said: "For eighteen centuries men
have looked upon the scenes which took
place at the end of the life of Christ
and have agreed, that in infamy, Judas
and Plate sank to the lowest possible
point. l am very far from being sure
that either of them can be Justly called
worse than vast multitude of
men in every land and age, who look to
self-interest, which is ever near, and
who forsake duty. and are recreant to
every principle of honor when either
cash or advantage is to be had. Plate
knew Jesus was not guilty as charged.
If he had done as his conscience told
him to do, he would have promptly set
the prisoner free. But reasons which
have always great force with minds
like his came into active play.
He was politician. He wanted
to please the people, and
learned in such way as to make it a
ever truly advanced by ignOble means.
He did not understand that the way to
power of an enduring kind is by the
path of integrity. This man tried to do
at once three impossible things, the last
the hardest of all, which was to do what
he knew was wrong, and persuade
his own heart and mind it was right.
mo more need be said of Plate.
Much needs to be said about the mo-
tives which lead to his action. AS we
read the story of government we see
how often like motives come into opera
ton. The question is not What is for
nnnd of fhn whole nnnnlnO-"ho ic
honest, true. desirable?'. Rather
1t is What will profit per-
sons who have the inside track?
What will please the party? What
will beguile the simple and increase
the number of votes; for to do this is,
alas too often the one design of those
who appeal to the people. 1t has led to
all which is worst in the free govern
ments of the world today.
''It is not needful to have Christ to
cruelty to be PLATE. Never has it been
more needfql to make this clear than at
this hour. We shall soon be in the thick
of political contention. All which can
inflame the pride or minister to the
selfish greed of men will be resorted to.
and Words will be spoken, deeds done,
which will be discredit to our
time. 1t is the duty of every man
TO set his face against these things.
There are wide grounds of practical
difference in lines of policy proposed;
honest men are not of one opinion in
regard to them. Wise men do not,
never will, see alike in the political
world. The truth and light are not all
on one side. All Democrats are not
horse thieves, all Republicans are not
robbers, or all Alliance men are not
knaves. Then why not frankly
deal with lines of policy in
a manly way, whatever our view?
We shall never rise to the needs of the
hour till we. with bound. get rid of
the mercenary, personal, selfish views
which have so large part in all public
life today, and we can never too clearly
see that in land like this it is not the
man on the bench, who has to try his
fellows. who has mighty power. The
republic is one grand jury. Each man
is asked to say what his verdict is. 1t
is his solemn duty to give the answer
he deems true. The times requires men
who will say and who will do the right.
and so rebuke the spirit shown by
Plate, and all men of like view. in
every age"