The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-08-12

I'se going to Maine" "That is what
many men and women practically say
when they propose to do anything not
definitely religious. They believe
that God and business, God and poll
tics, and God and pleasure are and
must be divorced. This is why the
business operations of Christian men
are so often in violation of the deca-
logue, why r, 'itics appear to many to
be so goddess; why pleasure is SO
worldly and anti-spiritual. F" All! I
tell you, there is crying demand for
some revolutionary changes in the
sentiments, principles and practices
of many who profess to be governed
by the truths of the Bible!
Why is it that politics have become
so corrupt? 1t is because the people
have left morality out Of them and
have turned their management over to
unscrupulous politicians and dema-
gogues. And this very thing is one
| of the perils that confront us as ma
tion to-day. The people ought to
have the candidates for Office to un-
derstand that unless they do what
they can to conduct the campaign on
plane of moral decency, that they
need not expect to receive their suf-
frages. The people ought to condemn
in the strongest terms the use of in
toxicatipg liquors in elections. We
ought to resolve that we will support
no man and no party that will use
whiskey in political campaigns. It is
said there is certain county in North
Carolina where two great political par
were about of equal strength. No one
could tell how the election was going
until it had gone. Each party used
a great deal Of whiskey to carry the
election. The thing became public
disgrace. There was a religious body
in the county who became so thor
oughly disgusted that they determin-
ed to right matters, if possible. They
took upon themselves solemn VOW
that they would support no party
which used Intoxicating liquors to car
ry the election. They we're strong
enough to hold the balance of power.
What was the result? They were the
cause Of ruling this Internal agency
out of the campaigns. No man, no
party, dared, after this, to use it..
Sometimes, think it would be we'll if
we could form in this State union of
some kind which would set it's face to-"
ward the defeat of any man, or party,
that resorts to dishonest methods to-
carry the election.
We need never expect to have the
very best government until there are
some radical changes along the lines
which have just indicated.
What kind of men should be elected.
to Office?
l. Men of good, upright, moral char
acter; men Of integrity; men of high,
noble purposes, who will not stoop to
do mean, questionable things. One
trouble with us as a nation has been
right here. We have been putting
men into Office regardless Of their
moral character; and the consequence
has been that in some instances our
highest Offices have been filled with
men who have been rotten and thor
oughly corrupt in their lives. We
have put men in the highest Offices
who have been just as guilty, and of
the same sin, as Breckenridge, Of
Kentucky, though they may not have
been so bold and brazen. Yet, it is
an open secret that men who have oc-
cupied high places in our State have
been habitual adulterers. What an
example to set to the rising generation!
We send a man to represent US at
Washington, e. g., and we know his
moral character is rotten and his life
full of lewdness; and then we ask God
to bless him in his work! We put a
man in office who is to all practical
purposes an atheist and an infdel and
then We ask God to bless him in his
work. I tell you, this is on the bor-
der-land of sacrilege.
We need men in Office who are right
and who will dare to do right, who
will not only do right in their official
acts, but whose private lives are pure
and above suspicion. And instead Of
asking our candidates how they stand
on the silver question, etc., you had
better ask them how they stand on the
Ten Commandments and the Sermon
on the Mount. I submit the follow
ing as an appropriate catechism for
our candidates:
/. Are you an honest man?
2. Do you pay your debts?
8. Are you a profane swearer?
4. Are you slanderer?
5. Are you liar?
6. Are you an adulterer?
7. Do you get drunk?
I think it would be for the highest
interests of the country if the people
would subordinate for awhile the
money question and emphasize and
exalt the moral question.
There is more urgent demand for
reform in our morals than in our mon
ey. We need men of character in our
public Offices. The moral character
of government can't rise above the
character of it's rulers. A country
morally degenerate will not long re-
main prosperous. When vice in
creases, then the country declines.
Infdel rulers cannot increase the
wealth of the people in any respect.
National safety must consist in ma
tional acknowledgement of the Divine
supremacy.
2. Men who are Intellectually quail
fled. Men who are competent to I'LL
the offices. I use the word competent
here in its limited sense. 1t is not
enough for man to have a good,
sound, moral character; he must have
other qualifications. "a pious fool
may be as injurious to the State as a
wicked philosopher" What is the
use in sending man to the Legisla-
ture, it matters not how good he may
be, if he is not competent to do the
work which you send him there to do?
What is the use in sending a man to
Congress, or to the United States
Senate, if he is not qualified to do the
work which you want done there? 1t
would be far better to take the mon
ey which you pay these men and spend
it for some charitable purpose. Many
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