The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-06-09
FOR BETTER
CITIZENSHIP
An Interesting ana Instructive Lecture
by Dr. Strong.
MEANS FOR PURIFYING POLITICS !
Many Of the People Who Flock to the
United States Come with Good Inten-
tions, But 1 aok che Required
knowledge only
Remedy.

There was q large gathering in the Presby-
terian church last evening to listen to the
lecture Of DIR. Josiah Strong, Of New York
the general secretary Of the Evangelical
Alliance of the United States Of America
The lecture was pronounced one of the most
instructive and interesting delivered in this
town for many years and will undoubtedly
have good effect among those who were
fortunate enough to hear it, Dr. Strong is
an able and fluent speaker and presents his
views with such cleancut force that he can
not fail to attract serious consideration to the
noble work in which he is engaged in behalf
Of the Alliance.
The speaker commenced his lecture with
description Of the growth of cities in the
United States during the last century and
pointed out the causes of the growth. In
the first place, he said, it was due to the
facilities for feeding the multitudes Of people,
secondly, the desire of men to associate /;
thirdly, the building of factories in the
cities; fourthly, the amount of machinery
used in farming has taken labor away from
the farms and thrown it into the cities DR.
Strong then spoke on the dangers Of city life
Vice is on the increase in the cities, SO much
so in such places as New York that
it is noted all over the world Much
not allowed to govern themselves Local
legislation is too much restricted by state
control and a certain amount of freedom is
thus taken away from the cities which would,
under other circumstances, be in a better
position to enact laws which might better
suppress vice. He cited as an instance that
people at Harrisburg frequently have more
control over affairs in Philadelphia than the
citizens of the latter place This promotes
boss rule and the only remedy is to educate
men in the knowledge or their rights
and duties as citizens. In speaking of
immigration Dr. Strong said that no
country has been Developed like the United
States. While multitudes are pouring in,
the men who desire to be good citizens, but
who haven't a knowledge of the English
language, are unable to get due kuowl-
edge of the government and its system He
spoke of lhe danger that comes from the
votes of those who don't know the true con
dition of the country and its governm ent
and are ruled by a few men. In place like
Shenandoah, he said, a leader among the
foreign people is able to barter whole blocks
OF votes with INSCRIPTIONS politicians for
either personal financial gain, or political
advancement, while the voters themselves
are really innocent parties to the deal and, in
great majority of cases. would not allow
their rights Of suffrage to be devoted to such
channels had they sufficient knowledge of
the language, the condition of the country
and its government and of their rights and
privileges as its citizens. In brief, the
greater portion of the foreign people vote
mechanically and are really unconscious of
what they are doing.
DR.. Strong explained the work of the
Evangelical Alliance and said one of its
missions is to spread leaflets and pamphlets
printed in different languages containing
short articles written by the ablest writers on
good citizenship, rights of citizens, how to
become naturalsed, the object of becoming
naturaized, the laws bearing upon tho sub
iectsi the greatest needs of the times and how
to meet them, etc. He said he would ask the
cooperation Of young men in every town
that can be reached to district towns and
cities and have the leaflets and pamphlets
properly distributed.