St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-03-13
A Politicians Greed.


Rule have no place in political cam
palgn." These words express the polti-
cal belief OF great many men. But it is
not every one who formulates his belief
in such terse sentences, as Senator Ingalls,
has DONE
There are too many men who look upon
politics and matters pertaining to gov
eminent as occupying realm over which
the moral law does not extend. This is
seen in the lack of conscience men show in
cheating the government. Many ordinary
citizens resort to all sorts of evasions
and trickery to avoid giving in an honest
list of their taxable property. They al
low themselves in kind of deception and
dishonesty, in the matter ofthe payment OF
taxes, because is the government and not
an individual they are dealing with, that
they would themselves condemn in the
strongest terms, if practiced by any one
toward themselves. The same want of
conscience toward the government is
seen in the craft practiced, by otherwise
reputable individuals and firms, in de-
frauding it of tariff and revenue dues.
When it comes to the ballot box there
is the same ignoring of the principle of
morals. Votes are bought and sold.
Lawful voters are terrorized so that they
dare not cast ballot, as has been done
for years in some of the Southern states
In contested election cases, even in the
congress of the United States, the party
in the majority has often given the seat
to the man holding its political faith,
with little regard to right injustice. In
the conducting OF political campaigns
there is often an utter want of fairness
and truthfulness by the parties in discuss
ing the principles, motives and acts of
their opponents. AS matter OF fact the
Decalogue and the Golden Rule have little
to do in controlling the action OF political
parties, especially in times of excitement.
But is it true that, "the publication of
politics is an iridescent dream?" Is it
true that "the Decalogue and the Golden
Rule have no place in a political cam
paign?" Do politics and the affairs of
government lie outside the domain of
moral law? Can men lie to government
and cheat the government in matters of
revenue, taxation and suffrage, and
SANDER their neighbors in politics, I'M
hindered and untouched by the law Of
God? If so, then government is simply
"force and politics battle for suprem-
acy," lying entirely outside of all moral
obligations. Ethics has as little to do
with them as it has with the war of the
elements or a battle between brute
beasts.
But government is an institution of d.
vine appointment. God holds rulers and
subjects accountable for its right admin
stration, each in his place. Recommends
rulers to rule in His fear. To the people
His counsel is, LET every soul be subject
unto the higher powers. For there is no
power but of Cod Whosoever resisteth
the power, resisteth the ordinance of God.
Whereupon We must needs be subject
not only for wrath but for conscience
sake. For this cause pay We tribute
also" Jesus gave all men an example of
paying taxes by paying tribute to Caesar.
All through the Bible the moral law was
applied with special force to rulers and
to subjects. In these days there needs to
be new quickening OF the public con-
science in this matter. Dishonesty
toward government and immoral acts in
politics are just as dishonest and i'm
moral in the sight of God as when done
to an individual. They are a violation
of the universal law of righteousness.
To claim that the publication of poll
tics is an iridescent dream" is to give or
gained society over to the unendine
reign of deceit and fraud and falsehood.
The Decaloguc and the Golden Rule are
recognized, by not few, as having to
do with mans political life. and have al
ready done much to purify politics and,
with Gods blessing, will do much more.
This suggests the true province of the
pulpit in regard to politics and matters
of government. 1t is to apply the moral
law, in it's length and breadth, to the
public life of men, to lead them to be hon.
est, truthful, conscientious, God.fearing
in business and politics. Lying and de-
ception, are lying and deception Just as
much when practiced toward thegovern-
ment or in politics, as when practiced
toward ones neighbor, in the ordinary
affairs of life. So dishonesty in the pay
ment of taxes or in public affairs is Just
as truly violation of the Decalogue as
when done toward private individual. |
The education of the public conscience on
these matters should be so general and |
thorough, that no more could be found |
in any rank, who could say that "the
Decalogue and the Golden Rule have no
place in political campaign" and there
fore be so desparing as to declare "that
the publication of politics is an ridescent
dream. - Vermont Chronicle.