The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1897-07-09

ture, as lney nave DeeH uHeCleu III th0
past. by the character Of those who in
the different departments rule over us,
and l propose to classify some of those
interests
In the first place remark: CONNER
cial ethics are always affected by the
moral or immoral character Of those
who have municipal supremacy. Off
Gals that wink at fraud, and that have
neither censure nor Arrangement TOT
glittering dishonesties, always weaken
the pulse of commercial honor. Every
shop, every store, every bazaar, every
factory in the cities feels the moral
character of the city hall. II In any
city there be dishonest mayoralty, or
an unprincipled common council. or
court susceptible to brides, in that city
there will be unlimited license for all
kinds Of trickery and sin; while, on the
other hand, If officials are faithful to
their oath Of Office, If the laws are
promptly executed, If there Is vigilance
in regard to the outbranchings OF crime,
there is the highest protection for all
DdlBdlH uldhlHS. "A h'"J
stand in his store and say; Now, I'll
have nothing to do with city politics;
l will not soil my hands with the
slush;" nevertheless the most insig-
nificant trial in the police court Will
affect that merchant directly or indi-
rectly. What style of clerk issues the
writ; what style of constable makes the
arrest; what style of attorney issues
the plea; what style of Judge charge the
jury; what style of sheriff executes the
sentence-these are questions that
strike your counting rooms to the CEN
ter You may not throw it off. In the
city of New York, Christian merchants
for a great while said: We'll have
nothing to do with the man
agement of public affairs" and they
allowed everything to go at loose ends
until there rolled up in the city debt
of nearly $120,000,000. The municipal
government became kissing and by
word in the whole earth, and then the
Christian merchants saw their folly,
and they went and took possession of
the ballot boxes. l wish all CONNER
cial men to understand that they are
not independent of the moral character
of the men who rule over them, but
must be thoroughly, nightly affected
by them.
So, also, of the educational interests
of a city. Do you know that there
are in this country about seventy thou
sand common schools, and that there
are over eight millions Of pupils, and
that the majority of these schools and
the majority of those pupils are in cur
cities? Now, this great multitude OF
children will be affected by the intelli-
gence or ignorance, the virtue or the
vice, of boards of education and boards
of control There are cities where edu-
cational affairs are settled in the low
caucus in the abandoned parts Of the
cities, by men full of ignorance ant
rum. 1t ought not to be so; but il
many cities it is so. | hear the TRAMP
of coming generations. What tina
great multitude of youth shall be fol
this world and the next will be affected
very much by the character of you
public schools. You had better multiply
the moral and religious influence,
about the common schools rather thar
abstract from them. Instead of driving
the Bible out, you had better drive tn,
Bible further in. May God defend ou
glorious common school system. ant
send into rout and confusion all it!
sworn enemies.
have also to say that the characteI
of officials in a city affects the domesti,
circle. In city where grogshops hav,
their own way, and gambling bells ar,
not interfered with, and for fear of los
ing political influence officials clos,
their eyes to fostering nominations
in all those cities the home interests
need to make imploration. The family
circles of the city must inevitably b,
affected by the moral character or Thu
immoral character of those who rult
over them.
will go further and say that the re-
ligious interests of city are thus af
fected. The church today has to con
tend with evils that the civil law ough
to smite and while | would not have
the civil government in any wise rela,
its energy in the arrest and punishment
of crime, would have a thousand folC
more energy put forth in the drying
I'D of the fountains of iniquity. Tit
church of God asks no pecuniary ait
from political power; but does ask tha
In addition to all the evils we mus
necessarily contend against we shall
not have to fight also municipal negli
gence. Oh, that in all our cities Chris
tian people would rise up, and thai
they would put their hand on the helm
before piratical demagogues have
swamped the ship. Instead of giving
so much time to national politics, giv'
some of your attention to municipal
government.
demand that the Christian people
who have been standing aloof from
public affairs come back, and in the
might of God try to save our cities. i
I,o1 -, INO