The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-18
DR.. PARkHURsT's Lecture
Talks on Pure Civil Government in
the frothingham Theater.
MAS BRISK AND VIGOROUS
ROtteuness In Municipalities the Result
Of Partisaaship and Fair Weather
neutrality-suspicious. Contained
Many Prominent Persons.


tured last night in the Frothinghan
theater on pure Civil Government. u
The lecture was given for the benefit
Of the Park Place Methodist church
d. Parkhurst's presence here having
been secured through the solicitation
of the church's pastor, Rev. G. T. Price
and the endorsement Of Mr.. Prices
efforts by number of prominent Scran-
ton citizens who sometime ago attached
their names to an urgent letter of invi-
tatlon to the famous divine.
Whether DR.. Parkhurst's radical views
on politics and broad views on Christi
anity were last night shared by his
hearers or not. his vigorous power OF
language in denunciation Of evil and
his opinions on what constitutes good
citizenship We're a loss to large num-
ber Of persons who should have heard
him. The audience was chiefly distin-
guished for its lack OF numbers and its
excellence. The four or five hundred
persons very nearly represented the
best and most influential business.
professional and church element in the
city Only a few of the Scranton min
listers were absent.
When DR.. Parkhurst first stepped
from the o'clock Lackawanna train
from New York city early in the even
ing his brisk. energetic manner and
movement gave an indication of what
might have been expected of him few
hours later in the theatre. James
Blair Rev. G. T. Price, Rev. DIR. w. H.
Pearce, James H. Torrey and Capt. w.
A. May composed d group waiting In
the ladies' waiting room to receive DR..
Parkhurst when the train pulled into
the station.
Only a moment was spent in formal
introduction and as formal conversa-
tion, after which Mr.. Blair conducted
DR.. Parkhurst to a carriage and they
were driven to Mr.. Blairs house at the
corner of Washington avenue and Null
berry street. t.,
Entcrtaincd at tho Blair Residence.
At Mr. Blair's house thirteen persons
besides the host and Mrs. Blair met Dr..
Parkhurst and were entertained at din
ner They We're Rev. Dr. and Mrs. G..
Il. Robinson, Rev. DR.. and Mrs James
Mcleod, Rev. and Mrs. G. T. Price, Mr..
and Mrs James A. Linen. Colonel and
Mrs. A. B. Blair, Mr.. and Mrs. H. A.
Coursen and c. h. Blair.
1t was 8:15 o'clock before the party
reached the theatre, and fifteen minutes
later before the lecture began. When
the curtain was raised 1t disclosed on
the stage DR.. Parkhurst, Mr.. Blair, Dr.
Mcleod, James II. Torrey and an eld-
erly looking man whose presence was
explained by the fact that he was dear
and had taken q seat on the stage In
order to be near the speaker.
Mr.. Torrey told the audience that
Mayor Connell, who was invited to be
present, had been called to Schuylkill
county on urgent business but had rele-
gated to Mr. Torrey the important duty
of extending to DR.. Parkhurst the free
dom of the city.
DR.. Mcleod briefly and informally
the lecturer as one who
needed no introduction.
DR., Parkhurst read his lecture from
typewriter manuscript, which was laid
upon a music rack from the orchestra
pit He began without any parentheti-
cal Introduction by delving into the
that municipal rottenness
the country threatens the
stability of national affairs. He was
impressive rather from the vehemence
Of his utterances, the ruthless way in
which he slashed into and the veneered
epithets he hurled pell-mell against
corruption than by his ora
torical powers. He showed a rare COM
nand of language, featured more by its
meaning than poetry; he
called tongs "tongs," and pitchforks
'.pitchforks.'
Throughout his lecture he assumed
that all municipalities were more or less
rotten, and in referring to Tammany
leaders. for illustration, frequently
termed them ''rumsoaked, rotten liber-
tines or something q little better or
little worse.
Assumed That All Had an Interest
Il assume" he said this audience
Is not present through idle curiosity;
that you have an interest in my city,
because municipal affairs there reveal
what has, does or will exist In all cities,
and has a direct bearing On things ma
tional. We all have our various ideas
we are all more or less correct. You
may say the condition can be traced to
the Introduction Of an indigestible lot
Of foreign material, which has become
congested in the populous centers, and
which votes as 1t is led. l may. in
part, agree with you, but may at the
same time designate as the reason, a
'ast mass of so-called intelligent voters,
who also vote as they are led, who
vote In city elections solely according
70 their political belief, but not accord
ng to the fitness Of the candidate.
symptoms do not concern us: a
new suit Of clothes will not change the
nature of a man; knocking of the top
u bad growth will not influence the
'oots. This suggests the thought that
'pasmodic virtue il as bad as chronic
svil The worst political enemy in the
world Is he who fights behind a cloak
)f respectfully. For this reason n
'hange In political rule from a regime
nat does not conceal its badness to one
nat Keeps Its badness hidden is moth
ng gained. Any political change. in
Of course, is simply n
change from one bad thing to another
Ina 1t VIII always be bad az long as
political features strive for control.
Keep politics out Of city campaigns
IND urge the election Of nom partisan
men on their merits as men and the
'esult Will be counter to wickedness."
After rehearsing the beginning of his
'rusade In New York. he quoted from
lis famous sermon delivered in Feb.
'uary. 1892, which was followed by his
utile attempt to prove the truth of his
itterances to the grand jury. THE
'rand jury taught me valuable lesson.
taught me never to 90 cunning with
'lank cartridges. However, instead ot
'eirg daurted. 7 was daternipad to,
inter into hell II need be to get nv
acts. / did enter hell and uoA ,,.,.