The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-08-20

ulVofCcd. lniS IS why inc OuSluCsS
operations Of Christian men arc SO
often in violation OF the dccalogue
why politics appear to many to be so
goddess why pleasure is so worldly
and anti-spiritual." All tell you,
there is IL crying demand fCr some
revolutionary changes in the senti-
mcnts, 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 tho people
have loft morality out of them and
have turned their management over to
unscrupulous politicians and dema-
gogucs. And this worry thing is one of
the pcrils that confront us q nation
today. The people ought to have tho
candidates for Ollice TO understand that
unless they do what they can to con-
duct the campaign on IL plano OF moral
decency, that they need not expect to
receive their sullrages. The people
ought to condemn in the strongest
terms the use Of Intoxicating liquors
in elections. We ought to resolve that
we will support no man and party that
will usc whisl1cy in political campaigns.
1t is said there is a certain county in
North Carolina where tho two groat
political parties were ABOUT OF equal
strength. No one could tell how tho
election Was going until it had gone.
Each party used great deal OF whis-
key to carry the election. Tho thing
became a public disgrace. There WAS
II religious body in the county who
became SO thoroughly disgustcd that
| they determined to right matters, if
possible. They took upon themselves
IL solemn VOW that they would support
| no party which used Intoxicating IL
quorS to carry 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 il
we could form in this State union Of
some kind which would set its face to-
wards the defeat Of any man, or party
that resorts to dishonest methods to
carry the election.
Ne need mover expect to have the
very best government until thcre are
somo radical changes aloug the lines
which have just Indicated
What kind Of men should be elected
office?
|. Men Of good, upright, moral char
actcr; men Of integrity; men Of high,
noble purposes, who will not stoop to
90 mean, questionable things. Ono
trouble with us as Il nation has been
right here. We have boon putting
men iuto office regardless OF their
moral character and the consequence
has been In some instances our highest
offices have been filled with mon who
nave been rotten and thoroughly cor
rupt in their lives. We have put them
in tho highest Offices who have been
just rs guilty, and Of the same sin as
breckenridge Of Kentucky. though
they may not have been as bold and
DraZon. Vet, it is an open secret that
mon who have occupied high places in
our State have been habitual adulter-
crs. What an example to set to the
tising generation We send IL man to
represent us at Washington, e. g., and
we know his moral character is rotten
and his life full lCwdneSs :auu then We
ask God to bless him in bis work. We
put man in Ollicc who is to all prac-
tical purposes an atheist and an inf
del and thcn we ask God to bless him
in his work. tell you, this is one of
the bordcrland Of sacrilcgc.
We need mon in Office who are right
and who will dare TO do right, who will
not only do right in their official acts ::
whose private lives are pure and above
suspicion. And instead Of asking our
question, etc, you had better ask them
how they stand on the Ten Command
tncnts ard the Sermon on the Mount.
submit the following as an appropri-
ate catechism for our candidates.
!. Are you an homes, man?
2! DO you pay your debts?
). Are you a prnfanc SwcarCr:
f. Are Won a Slau6crCr
D. Are you liar?
+. Are you an adultcrcr?
I. DO you get drunk
I think it would DO for the highest
interest 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
money. We need men Of character in
our public offices. The moral charac.
ter Of a government can't rise above
the character Of it's rulers. a country
morally degenerate will not long re.
main prosperous. When vice increases
then the country declines. lnlidcl
rulers cannot increase the wealth OF
the people in any respect. National
safety must consist in national ac
KnOWlCuS menu Vi Gllc 1'IF'uc Supfcul
acy."
Z. Men who are intellectually quail
fed. Men who are competent to fiji
the Offices. | use the word competent
here in its limited sense. 1t is not
enough for q man to have q 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 ir
sending man to the Legislature, it
| matters not how good he may bo, if he
| is not competent to do the work which
YOU send him there to do? What is
tho use in sending 81 man to Congress
or to the United States Senate, II he is
not qualified to do tho work you want
done there? 1t would be far better tC
take the money which you pay these
mon and spond it for some charitable
purpose. Many mistakes have bccr
made rigt along this line. We have
put men into Office who have been al
toeether incompetent to perform tho
duties Of the Offices to whichthcy have
been elected. You need never expect
to havo good government until you put
men in Office who are competent, not
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