Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-07-05

departments RUE over Us, ana propose
10 classify some of those interests
In the first place, I remark CONNER
ciaI ethics are always affected by the
moral O. immoral character of those
who have municipal supremacy
Officials that wink at fraud, and that
have neither censure nor Arrangement
Cor glittering dishonesties always
weaken the pulse Of commercial honor
livery shop, every store, every bazaar,
avery factory in the cities feels the
moral character of the city hall IF in
any city there be a dishonest mayoralty
OF 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
bargain making.
A merchant may stand in his store
and say: "Now, I'll have nothing to do
with city politics. I will not soil my
hands with the slush.' Nevertheless
the most insignificant trial in the po-
lice court will affect that merchant d.
rectIy or indirectly. What style of clerk
issues the writ; what style of constable
makes the arrest; what style of attor-
ney issues the plea; what style of judge
charges the jury; what style of sheriff
executes the sentence-these are ques-
lions that strike your counting rooms
to the center. 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 manage
ment of public AFFAIRS and they al
lowed everything to go at loose ends
until there rolled up in that city debt
of nearly $3.50, 900, 900. The municipal
government became a 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. I wish all commercial
men to understand that they are not in
dependent Of the moral character of the
men who rule over them, but must be
thoroughly, nightly affected by them.
Interests of the School.
So also of the educational interests of
a city. Do you know that there are in
this country about 10000 common
schools, and that there are over s, 900, 900
pupils, and that the majority of those
schools and the majority of those pupils
are in our cities? Now, this great null
titude of children will be affected by
the intelligence or ignorance, the vir-
tue Or the vice, of boards of education
and boards Of control. There are cities
where educational affairs are settled in
the low caucus in the abandoned parts
of the cities by men full of ignorance
and rum. 1t ought not to be So but in
many cities it is so. hear the tramp
Of coming generations. What that great
multitude of youth shall be for this
world and the next will be affected very
much by the character Of your public
schools. You had better multiply the
moral and religious influences about the
common schools rather than subtract
from them. Instead of driving the BIZ
BILE out you had better drive the Bible
farther in. May God defend our glori-
Gus common school system and send in
to Tout and confusion all it's sworn enc
mics!
[ have also to say that the character
of officials in a city affects the domestic
circle. In q city where grogshops have
their own way, and gambling bells are
not interfered with, and for fear of los
ing political influence officials close
their eyes to fostering abominations-in
all those cities the home interests need
to make imploration. The family cir
cles of the city must inevitably be af-
nv 10 hor no
character of those who rule
over them.
I will go further and say that the re-
ligious interests of a city are thus affect
ed. The church today has to contend
with evils that the civil law ought to
smite, and while I would not have the
civil government in any wise relax it's
energy in the arrest and punishment of
crime [ would have q thousandfold
more energy put forth in the drying up
of the fountains of iniquity. The church
Of God asks no pecuniary aid from po-
litical power, but does ask that in adj
dition to all the evils we must necessa-
rily contend against we shall not have
to fight also municipal negligence. Oh,
that in all cur cities Christian people
would rise up, ana IhaG Iney would put
their hand on the helm before piratical
1emagogues have swamped the ship!
Instead of giving SO much time to ma
tional politics give some of your atten-
ton to municipal government.
I demand that the Christian people
who have been standing aloof from pub
lie affairs come back, and in the might
Of God try to save our cities. If things
are or have been bad, it is because good
people have let them be bad That
Christian man who merely goes to the
polls and casts his vote does not do his
duty. 1t is not the ballot box that de-
,ides the election; it is the political eau
Gus, and if at the primary meetings of