The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-18
PURITY IN PUBLIC OFFICE.
REV. 4. VI. WILLIAMS ON HE
CHRISTIANS DUTY AT THE POLLS.


to Exercise IL in the Interest Of
Honest GOvernment-The Evils Of
Political AgitatiOns and the Re
suits Of the spoiIs system-The
Present Municipal Campaign An
Example of It-CIvII Service Conn
mended.
Rev A. ~ Williams preaced a strong
sermon at Wesley Monumental church
last night on Public Trusts" His text was
Wherefore We must needs be subject not
only for wrath. but consclence's sake, %
Romans. 1875.
The sermon was a plain. OutspOken state
ment of the results of the corruption
and mismanagement OF public trusts.
In a country ike this" said Rev. Mr..
Williams, I'VE all have public duties TO
perform. and, hence, public responsible
ties. There is needed a public conscience
with reference TO the discharge OF these
duties That such Is the case is shown
in the fact that many things are toler-
ated I'm public relations that would dis
grace a man II done in private business
or social life. one Of the most notorious
of these evils is the tendency of men to
ignore altogether these public duties.
Men, faithful, self-denying, exemplary as
individuals fathers, business men and
church men, recon from the exercise Of
these larger duties as they would from
sin. The results are the disgrace Of our
municipal, state and national govern
ments
THE old testament" said Mr.. Williams,
us not responsible for this state of things.
The people. the nation was pre-eminent
then. All the law, curses, blessings, APP
peals, were to Israel as a body, not TO
Israelites as individuals. If individuals
were addressed it was as the units Of a
whole. Its characters We're all public men,
Moses EZekial, David, jeremiah, Isaiah,
Nehemiah were leaders of their people and
typical citizens. In the nature Of the case
the early Christians did not appear IN the
same relations The government was for
elgn ana the leaVen hidden, too small
70 be efficient. From the figures used, how
ever, II Is clear that the time will come
when the Christians influence must tell
In public life. Light, salt, leaven, are all
pervasive influences exercising their pow
er on the element in which they are plac-
ed. So the Christian must tell on the
sphere In which he is placed.
In a government of the people, for the
people and by the people, the state must
take its character from the people. If they
are Christian they must tell on their civ
ilizatlon in this way. In no manner can
this be done, unless the Christian feels
there is committed to him public trust
Next to the family comes the city. As
the tamily's disgrace affects all of its
members, so the city's disgrace reaches
each individual citizen. The individual
should then seek public purity.
The Christian must consider the cleo
tive franchise a public trust. 1t is not a
matter of mere privilege to exercise it or
not according to whim or convenience. 1t
Is not mere means of cOmplimenting or
helping a friend or securing a personal
benefit 1t Is matter of moral oblga-
Ll0n in the discharge of sacred function.
me ballot is the blood-purchased heritage
of the freeman. 1t is society's recognition
that man rs made in the image of God and
hence sovereign. 1t is the means
through which a man impresses the gov
eminent and affects II for veal or woe. 1t
Is the duty then of the Christian to faith
tully execute this trust He should quail
~ himself for the proper exercise Of the
franchise Pay his own taxes, register
promptly, study the issue and record his
honest and best Judgment as to the coun-
try s interest. He should Furthermore de-
mand that the ballot be kept pure The
integrity of the ballot is the essential basis
Of free government. When that is gone
everything goes wrong
Men will not respect the ruler that pur-
chases his office, or is the beneficiary of
a fraud. Laws passed by such men will
not command the confidence Of the peo-
pie. The court that is the outcome Of
corruption will find its DEGREES disregard
ed. The logic of a corrupt ballot is an
archy. We need fear this fearful evil
more in this direction than as result Of
theoretical agitation. A public conscience
should be produced that Will secure a
mitted to us by providence and communi-
Gated to us by the heroes of the past An
unmistakable announcement should go out
from the people that they will no longer
submit to vote buying, repeating. boy
cotting, liquor giving, false returns or
any other trihing with this fundamental
right of the voters.
I'VE should demand that a public Of
flee be considered a public trust Only
bad government can be the result of look
ing on office as private property or party
spoils The worst form of bribery is that
done by rewarding factional service with
a public office. It is taking the money
of the minority, which goes into the
public treasury in the form of taxes to
pay for party service. In many cases,
too, that service has been disreputable
the buying of negro votes, for instance
The policy plays into the hands of the
lawleSs element as ii favors the COM
blnation around strong, bad men in order
on one hand that they may help their
companion, and when he Is in office he
helps them by overlooking their viola
lions of law. 1t lev!es taxes on office
holders or seekers that tempts them to
reimburse themselves out of the powers
of their place. The spells system is a
standing menace to purity in the gov
eminent 1t is the source of strife and a
fertile disturber of the public peace.
There is an everlasting struggle be-
tween the outs and the ms. See US here.
For 500 little offices 10000 people, divided
"a,
tercations of daily occurrence every word
uttered distorted. This will be the case
as long as that doctrine IS recognized as
a basis of action in our public life We
need a change, and now is the time to
change. Adopt a system of administering
our government that will take these places
out of politics and decrease personal pow
er. In all complicated life the principles
that underlie that life are studied and
laws that systematic are enunciated. It
should be the case in public life
"A system that looks only to the quail
fcation of the person for the service to
be rendered should be adopted. 1t should
be carefully guarded, wisely planned and
be just to all classes, minOrities, as well
as majorties. This noble ideal is being
realized. Eighty-five thousand Offices in
the national government are filled by it
much to the publication of politics. Chi
cago adopted it by popular vote; it has
been placed in the charter of Tacoma: is
applied to various departments of New
York and Boston. It grows out of the rec
osnitiOn that public office is a public trust
Let US, as Christians, throw our influence
to the Improvement of our public life"
Wants Savannah WheeImen to Come
Mr. G. B. Ashcraft of the Jacksonville
Wheelmen. has been here purchasing red
fire to use on the occasion of the wheel
mems parade in Jacksonville tonight. on