Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-12-20

Rev. 3. 2. Evans, pastor OF Zane
street w. Il. cnuA.., =. racned TWO ser
mons yesterday on the subject or City
Government. In his evening discourse
he gave some statistics in regard to the
growth Of the cities in the United
States. He stated that in hundred
years we have built AS cities, each
with population of 5000 inhabitants
and upwards In ten years 157 cities
have been built A hundred years ago
three per cent of the population was
urban. Now 80 per cent of the popu
lation of the United States live in
cities If the proportion continues that
prevailed from 1880 to 1890, in 1920 ten
million more people will be living in
cities than in the country. Where peo-
pie congregate in localities and cluster
together in the cities the greater is the
need for good citizenship. To have
good citizenship three elements enter
into the strength of any city, viz: Ma
terial, intellectual and moral develop
ment.
To develop one Of these at the sac
rifce of the others is dangerous and
detrimental to the object of good citi
zenship. In 1920 the material wealth
of the country was seven billions of
dollars. This was rapidly increased
and in twenty years was doubled, in
forty years to eight fold, and in thirty
years from 1S60-1S90 we acquired
forty-nine billions of dollars in the
country. In building new lines of rail-
roads alone a million dollars day has
been expected in this country during
the period of twenty years. While the
growth of the material wealth has ad-
vanced so marvelously it is necessary
to good government that the laws re-
lating to intellectual and moral de-
velopment be as carefully enforced
The condition of New York under
Tammany rule was cited as an instance
of the worst form of city government
where the law was administered and
executed by individuals of considerably
less than the average grade of intelli-
gence.
AS an illustration Of the widespread
ignorance which prevails in the larger
cities the story was given of the an
swers to examinations to questions
propounded to number of New York
citizens who were applying for posi-
tons on the police force. In reply to
the question, "Who was Abraham Lin
coln?" some said he was President of
the Southern Confederacy, Others that
he was a Union General, that he was
an American general at the battle of
Bunker Hill, that he was killed by
Guiteau, also that he was killed by
Darlington Booth, and other foolish an
swers. Statistics were all given to
show that the death rate of New York
LoJ hoo 1or I1DIpr To
administration than under the par
.tial reform administration which fol-
lowed. The speaker endeavored to
prove that these conditions arose from
the fact that the government of that
great city was in the hands of incom-
petent and corrupt men, VINO were too
deeply engrossed in the material ele-
ment of the citys strength to take
heed to it's intellectual or moral
growth.
These latter two in Wheeling and
every city in the country, were sac
riiced for the former. Rev. Mr.. Evans
paid the compliment that he did not
know of a more wicked city or a place
where abounded so freely and I'M
restricted as in Wheeling. He
thought that the fault was largely due
to the voters putting into office i'm
moral men to enforce moral laws. AS
a remedy the only thing that could be
done to turn the tide of affairs was for
Christian people to stand for the en-
forcement of all laws which have a
bearing on the intellectual and moral
development of the people and COM
munity.