The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-06-15
IN MODERN BABYLON.
SUPREMACY OF THE sLuMS IN NEW
YORK POLITICS.

Rev. Thomas DiKon, Jr., Speaks of OHcial
Corruption From the Text, Except the
Lord Keep the City, the Waterman
waiketh but In Vain"
New York, June 11.-Rev. Thomas
Dixon, Jr., delivered today the eighth
sermon in the series on "The Gates of
He'll In Modern Babylon" The subject
was one which he may be said TO have
made special studies of. extending over
several years, "Oficial Corruption; or,
The Supremacy Of the Slums." The text
was chosen from Psalms cxxvii, 1, "Ex-
cept the Lord keep the city, the watch
man walketh but in vain"
We have seen thus far in our studies
of the city that the evil elements of our
civilization naturally gravitate toward
the civic center. We have seen that the
city is, in fact, the cesspool of the rural
district surrounding, and it is fact that
the lower and viler the elements that
congregate in this center the more buoy
ant they seem to be. There is something
about the pressure of life in the city
which brings the slums to the surface in
government. Municipal misrule is one
of the most painful facts of modern life.
Professor Bryce, who has recently issued
his great work on America, makes this
true observation:
"There is no denying that the govern
ment Of cities is the one conspicuous fail
ure Of the United States The deficien-
cies Of the national government tell but
little for evil on the welfare of the peo-
pie. The faults of the state governments
are Insignificant compared with the ex-
travagance, corruption and mismanage-
ment which mark the administrations Of
most of the great cities" He enumer-
ates the chief sources Of this evil:
"First-Incompetent and unfaithful
governing boards and officers.
"Second-The introduction of state
and national politics into municipal af.
fairs.
"Third-The assumption by the legis-
lature Of the direct control of local af-
fairs"
These undoubtedly are causes of the
present condition Of debauchery in city
government. But the chief causes lie
deeper. They are found in the indiffer-
ence and selfshness Of the governing
body, for the people who vote are, after
all, the governors of the city. Boards
and councils are their creations. 1t is
the vote on election day that decides the
government for a given period of time.
Boards of aldermen, excise boards, are
not self creating, The voting constitu-
ency get as good government as they
| deserve. As a matter of fact, the peo-
pie are to blame in the last analysis.
We have so many loafers who have at
tanned the age of 81 and are entitled to
vote, and yet who do not know how to
| vote, that it is as yet an impossibility to
| obtain decent government in our cities.
The evil minded are in minority, but
selfishness and indifference leave the
| government in the hands of the rabble.
| Now and then these pious, well dressed,
| elegant people are aroused by some Wig.
| orous denunciation or some ringing call
to action. Some glaring outrage has
been committed, and they are indignant
for brief season and desire somebody
to do something about it. They would
like to see the fur fly, but they want
somebody else to furnish the fur. When
it comes to be personal matter, it il
none Of their business, they say. They
are in the condition of the little girl who
was heard to finish her evening prayer
some time ago with these words, "And
saw a poor little girl ON the street to
day cold and harefooted, but it is none
Of our business, is it, GodT"