The morning call., 1894-11-20
UNITARIANS DINE.
Representative Men Meet
and Talk.
POLITICS THEIR THEMES.
Municipal Corruption Viewed
With Alarm.
WISE SUGGESTIONS FOR REFORM.
A New Virtue Needed in America to
Keep Pace With the Body
Polite.
WISE SUGGESTIONS FOR REFORM.


log in the California Hotel. They dtned,
aS they do together five times year, and
heard speeches on political questions which
proved interesting to every man resent.
The cafe was reserved for the party, and
tables were arranged in the form of a
horseshoe to accommodate all who partlci-
pated. An elegant menu was spread.
Charles A. Murdoch presided, and in a
briet Introductory address announced that
the chief topic Of the evening would be a
political one.
Professor Ross of Stanford University
spoke on Ethics and Politics." He held
that the times demand a new religion, or
at least a new phase OF old religion. and
that they also call for new evidence
of self-sacrifce. A specific type of virtue
is necessary which shall sustain men in
political life against the exterior pressure
of corruption. The word is passed that
the republic might not endure. that the
State isno longer able TO perform the func-
tons of pro ection. The State is captured
on one hand by band of the basesi kind
which uses it for selfish purposes. and on
the other hand by corporations. For this
reason a new virtue is needed, but the
speaker was doubtful about American
ability TO develop that new virtue which
can keep pace with the body polite.
Higher ideals, sentiments and patriotism
must be relied on TO accomplish it.
Horace Davis was the next speaker.
The topic Of his discourse was, "The Use
and Abuse of Parties" Regarding the
abuse of party, he said he did not believe
there is as much virulence in politics as
there was 100 years ago. In the files of
papers Of the time of George Washington
there was as much viruence heaped on
o. AZ
Hayes. In elections there is not as much
corruption as there was in The days OF Mr..
Davis childhood - primaries barred, Of
curse. 10 1854 one little precinct in the
Mission p0lled more votes than the rest Of
San Francisco. and it took seventeen days
to gat return firm that precinct.
1--WE, with our registration. Australian
ballot and careful count. have got over
cnrruptinn," he said. Elections are rea-
sonsby pure. The subs ance OF the fraud
is few drunken counts and stuffing of
ballot-boXes. But the only real corruption
is bossim. The bosses nave been driven
out of lilies, out Of their employment,
by the election law"
Mr.. Davis diverted his discourse to
primaries, one Of which was held in his
own precinct. The polls were open at 6
O'Clock 10 give workingmen an opportunity
TO vote. There was no disturbance, in
fact nobody abnut the polls, and the
neighboring saloon. Half an hour later
the ballot box was stuffed full aud reput-
able men couid not vote.
"If you wish TO have any kind of reform
you must begin With the primaries" he con-
tinued. "Yo must not sbirk your duty.
The independent man is simply he man
who won't do his duty to his Government
The bosses old control With the primaries.
Buckley on one side and Higgins on the
other.
"Fo be an independent man in politics
you must be party man. You must take
an active interest in politics. | believe
that system can be devised whereby the
party representatives can be chosen with
out primaries. by the concerted efforts of
thinking men.
Let me urge upon you, gentlemen, not
to be carried away by false Ideas of indie
pendent men,"
The speech was warmly applauded when
MIR. Davis took his seat.
Chairman Murdoch introduced s. 3.
Kellogg, who began by saying that the
government Of cities was the one disgrace
of the United States. Elk ravaganee and
iDcomDetency have been the rule. By
way Of comparison he took Birmingham
England and Boston-cities of nearly the
same siZs-but the cost of MANAGEMENT of
birmingham was only oDe-tifth OF that Of
Boston. This state of affairs could not
long exist in America. The United States
having guarded the ballot and pur fed the
elections soon the reproach of mismanage-
ment of cities will be removed.
at neems to me that a change is coming
over US. Our native born element should
institute reform to remove the old order OF
things"
The speaker. however, stated that he
wa> lar from drawing lines between for
egn and native born intelligent cit zans,
or, indeed, creed distinctions in politics
The man who did much TO bring abou; re-
form in New York is John w. Cough. an
IriShman by birth.
The civil service was commented on as
an argument 10 favor of reform. the
speaker showing how civil serv ce reform
had done much toward Purifying politics
SO far as can be seen there must be two
leading parties in every country. With
the introduction of bus ness PRINCIPLES
into politics, greater efficiency viii become
possible, while corrupt methods will be-
come more difficult to carry on.
Let US resolve that nothing connected
with the advancement of San Francisco
shall be foreign to US" he said IN conclu-
sion. land then In time TO come the people
will be able 10 boast w tn ST Paul that
they are eitizans of no mean city,"
Rev. Leslie w Spfsgue of the Second
Unitarian Church spoke in the capacity of
minister. His word was the word of the
church in the social world, he said. The
time has passed when the church asked
anything of the state, OF society, of the
bu mess world, but TO be let alone. The
church Is connected with the state only IN
asking something from the state The
problem is, what can the church give the
state? The real question can be an
swered only by determining the true
spheres of the church and the state The
church stands for the spiritual while the
state is a fostering institution. standing
between men TO help them 10 closer rsla-
ti0nship between one another. II seems
there ara two things the church can con-
tribute 10 the state-a clearer conscience.
and TO men loftier ideal.
He said that The church Is the only
power that is perfectly free in intellectual
questions. The press is not free Ia poiit-
ical matters; not even the schools. whicn
cannot be free from party questions. Tie
pulpit is responsible for a good deal of
the twaddle heard every dsv about social
science. Men are altogether too prone to
look upon tire church as social machine
and some thing fascinating. He believed
that there should be religious civic clubs.
aud then the church would be able ta con-
tribute to the government of cities men OF
honor and ability 30 stand for the welfare
of their fellow-man. Religion can con-
tribute a great deal to the solution or
political questions.
Mama ~ Gra1orv Spnta IN ~ 49,