The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-03


The Rev. PERCY S. GRANT is n man
whose course during this campaign will
need to be watched closely by the guard
ians Of social order, for he Is a rank
social incendiary, all the more dangerous
because he is professionally q Christian
minister.
The Rev. Mr.. GRANT is the rector Of the
Episcopal Church Of the Ascension in Fifth
venue and is a comparatively recent addi-
ton to the population of New York, and
more especially to its socially turbulent
and incendiary elements. From the tone
and character of a speech made by him at a
political meeting held in a church on
Friday evening it seems to be apparent
that this clerical recruit for these danger
GUS forces in New York intends to take q
prominent and a fiery part In the cam
paign now beginning, a campaign which
promises to afford in its bitterness and vio-
lence q peculiarly favorable opportunity for
his efforts to incite social war.
In the speech to which we refer the Rev.
PERCY S. GRANT uttered these ~incendiary
sentiments, throwing them out as a threat
against the peace Of New York at the mo-
ment when such a spark might most quickly
kindle the spirit Of social revolution:
1T Ia no aiarmist cry that has been raised here to-
night when your Chairman 0 aid that IL the legal chan
nels for relief were plugged up. the popular indigna
ton might seek an illegal outlet, and obtain its de-
sires. not by legal methods. but by illegal methods;
not by reason. but by force. Only last night at a din
ner table I was shocked and surprised to hear a man
who was with the Citizens Union when 1t started
say: seth Low must get out To day ] learned tho
reason That man ia Identified with one of the great
corporations that will lose money II SETH Low 10
elected. These are times OF danger"
1t Is useless to say that this Is not an
"alarmist cry" 1t is a distinct call to
arms against law and order and the consti-
t~utional methods under which the voice of
popular opinion is expressed in this repub-
lie. "These are times of danger" undoubt-
eddy, but the greatest danger in them comes
from such sedition as turks in the heart Of
this clerical anarchist and fnds expression
In such language as we have quoted. If
JOHN Mosr had talked In that spirit he
would have been dragged out Of the church
80 s~acrilegiously abused.
What does this clerical lncendiary mean
by threatening that "if the legal channels
for relief were plugged up, the popular in
dignation might seek an illegal outlet, and
obtain Its desires not by legal methods,
but by illegal methods not by reason, but
by force ~ The conclusion Of his remarks,
as quoted above. indicates what he means.
What else can he mean except that II SETH
Low In not elected. his incendiary par
tisans, failing with the ballot, will appeal
to the sword, the torch, the dynamite
bomb7 Why should the threat have been
| a,ppr out by tbia anlittn,s - at n 7 49,,
meeting in a church II that was not Its in
spirationf To whate else is it PERTINENT
Where Is there any plugging up Of the
legal channels. and how is it possible in
the future as a justification for the social
war this Episcopal clergyman seeks to pro,
voke2 Actually those channels are free
and clear; the avs are administered with
justice and equality, and Of all the great
capitals OF the world, New York is one OF
the most orderly. The respect of the
American people for their tribunals of jus.
tice Is the very foundation Of our political
and social fabric, yet this mad Episcopal
minister would undermine it in the inter.
est of the political candidate he favOrs!
He filings 1t as a reproach against a man
that "he is identified with one OF the
great corporations" Which corporation Is
it2 Is it the Corporation of Trinity Church,
one of the greatest in New York; Why
should a nan be threatened with social
vengeance simply because, after ~favorinp
the candidacy of Low as "a unifying force
he now makes up his mind that "SETn
Low III get out" as a dividing, a dis
turbing, and as this clerical threat indi
Gates, an incendiary FORGET Because this
man draws back in alarm from supporting
Low, as all conservative men will do be
fore the day of election comes, the Rev
Mr.. GRANT accuses him of sordid motives
and inferentially assails corporations a
inimical to the public welfare.
Is this going to be the spirit in which thu
Low campaign will be conducted2 Are al
the ~incendiary parsons going to be on tn,
stump for him, tanning the fires of socia
disorder, which in these days are smoul
dcring in every large community
AT this same meeting another PROBES
sional Christian minister assailed THE sur
with lying and abusive words because i
does not support the seditious~ candidacy o
SETH Low. His CHAMBERS deserve no atten
tion, for they are the utterances Of a Graz.
| man; and the Rev. MIR. GRANTpartakes ofhi