The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-28


Tho Problems OF Grca. Cities"
was theme that furnished Rev. Or,
sooy, at the Fourth street NJ. E. church,
last night. powerful sermon against
the evils OF corrupt municipal rule. The
sermon made a visible effec, on con-
gregallon which filed every pew. a
ripple OF the recent flood was in EVIL.
dcnce: two pastors unable TO hold ser.
vices In their churches occupied seats on
the rostrum. Thcywere Rev. r. r. Big
ger, OF tho Third Presbyterian church.
and Rev. c. L.. Clark, OF Thomson NJ. L.
church.
The city is necessary In our clvillza-
ton, began DR.. sooy. The church
claims the right of recognition in the
city, beginning with Jerusalem. The
speaker did not wish to be termed a
pcssimlst. The great cities OF the world
are the worlds great strategic points.
Blot out a dozen OF the ancient cities,
and but little remains of mans history
previous to the coming OF Christ. Im-
pcrial Rome, Babylon, and the cities OF
the Nile are indeflnably linked with
mans history Athens held sway as the
intellectual scat OF the Grecian empire.
Paris is France, and London rules prac-
tically the English nation. When Lee
threatened Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
turned pale; when the Merrimac threat
ened New York, the country shuddered.
The great cities are the hinges OF the
nation, the leaders OF thought, are the
strategic points, and the dominant forces
Of thought.
There is tendency to live In the cities,
a gravitation toward those centres. n
tendency OF people to congregate. The
country Is becoming hives OF cities,
while ten Years ago the nation was a
people more of ruralites. The cities.
with their peculiar atmosphere and en-
vironments are furnishing the problems
that call for solution. An instance OF
the tendency of people to herd Is shown
in Greater New York, Chicago, and
other populous communities. The coun-
try is quickly becoming a nation OF cities
and there Is n danger to civilization In
this fact. It has been long ago Drophe-
sled that these cities would become evils
that would result In the country's ruin.
The speaker did not agree with this
opinion, and believed that there was n
remedy, despite overwhelming evidence
that the nation was becoming morally
worse and worse.
First. abject poverty Is found In the
cities, In the slums. in the tenements.
The unfortunate dwellers OF these con-
Sested districts, can't look on the ricl,
mans carriage rolling by without Sroans
Observation-Disclosures revengeful haze. In
this situation there arc signs which are
alarming. In the cities and towns the
liquor clement is responsible for these
saddenlnS conditions. To the liquor
power IS due the presence Of the samb-
ling hell and the brothel.
Another curse to cities Is the politi-
cal bosses, who huckster votes always
without regard TO patriotism or virtue.
The existence of the boss Is blamable
much t" the better classes" 'thc rep
resentative classes" those who stand
pharisacally aloof from the primaries.
the caucus. or a political convention.
They say they haven't time to NEEDLE
in politics. They placidly and content
edly let things take their course, and
thus come the political boss and corrupt
city rule, DR.. Sooy referred to the mu-
nicipal governments OF New York and
Chicago, and quoted to show how illegal
franchises TO corporations had been
granted by bribery and shameful meth
DDS. These conditions are rharseable to
the apathy OF .the representative citi-
zcns." and the briberys and pushing
through Of certain ordinances were never
done by poor people, but always by the
reverse. Business men should wake UP.
and all Christians should take-an activi-
ty In municipal affairs, equal TO that
taken by the saloon keepers, the corrup-
tionists and the forces behind them. The
city council is one OF the evils to be con-
tended with. It will take effort to get
the city councils out OF the hands OF the
spoilers. 1t will take persistent effort,
and possibly bloodshcd, but st can be
DONE" said DR.. Sooy, III we will work
out our redemption.
Better things would come, continued
the speaker, and he was optimistic Of
the future. He referred 10 the cheerful
View friends on the Island took of the
flood, and said that out of the municipal
the ship OF state clean and dry. He
Quc!ed statistics showing that in this
country on the Christian side were the
wealth and n great majority OF the
voters. CHANGING over the figures would
give the pessimistlc sreathope in the fu-
turc; the decent citizenship will assert
itself when aroused. The time would
come when good citizens would feel It
al, ! taI, frn
but rather TO represent .their constitu-
ency. They will come to sec that II
they don't represent their wards, saloon
keepers or brothel keepers will. 1t will
take courage to oppose the brewers and
the brothel interests. 1t will take cour-
age to Withstand the boycotts In bust
ness and other thorns, but thus mus! the
battle be won.
Organization, OF course. Is needed.
Good citizenship organizations must be
formed. Such movement Is on foot in
Wheeling, said The speaker, and he
urged all Christians to join this assocla-
ton. Those who go in The fight against
the saloon and brothel interests will have
ito make sacrifices to get the city under
new rule. It may mean weeks, 1t may
mean years. Republicans, Democrats
and all citizens having the interests OF
their city and their families at heart,
should step into line, for the time has
come to step into line.
Politics, said DR.. Sooy, were cast 10
the winds when Congress unanimously
voted the s5O,0O0,000 appropriation for
war purposes, and he hoped God would
be on Americas side when It and Spain's
arms should clash. He hoped for the
day when SPANS heather hands could
be torn from stricken Cuba, but his re-
ference to this question was induced by
the spectacle presented when both
houses passed the Appropriation bill. with
no thought OF politics. but thoughts only