The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-05-29
Attended.

A patriotic service was held at Elm
Park church last night, special music
being rendered and the pastor deliver
ing an address suited to the occasion.
The subject was THE Good Citizen
and the Good Soldier, or City Politics
and National Patriotism" The text
was from Acts 2l: And all the city
was moved" The address was a stir
ling one which every citizen should
have heard.
In part DR.. Giffin said: Just such
a widespread stir is needed in most Of
our American cities where the heart
# American citizenship should be set
on fire The words of Paul had ex-
cited the people into a turbulent mob,
thirsting for his blood. They deemed
all their institutions and traditions in
danger Today we think Of the scenes
of the rebellion and the many who
suffered in that cause.
I'VE do we'll to think kindly of those
who remain, and of those who are
gone. We do well to decorate their
resting place. but we should honor
them most of all for their care to pre-
serve more perfectly their home and
their country.
Memorial time would be a blessing
to us If, to beautiful addresses, we added
brave actions. AS for our soldier
dead, they may sleep, but their spirit
of welfare for the country should
awaken in our breasts a sense of graft
tude.
NOT AN INERT MASS.
"The citizens can be moved, although
sometimes in our impatience we think
them an inert mass Before the fire
of Fort Sumter the citizen was trans
formed into a soldier. We talk great
deal about defending our flag, but for
get that it waves over a group of cities
ill-ruled to a shameful degree.
I'VE are quick to cut down our for
eign foes, but slow to vote against
inquity in our own neighborhood.
Once in a while we become alarmed
and declare we will turn one set of
thieves out. BY and by the reaction
comes on the hordes turned out re-
turn hungrier than ever. This hap
pened in New York not long ago. If
the investigation does not produce inn
mediate change, the last state in New
York will be worse than the first.
I'VE concern ourselves only about
the great presidential contest, but soon
we will have no presidential election
the country will go down and the awful
fate will be due to our cities if earnest
| reform is not undertaken.
Our citizens are sovereigns all
the time--soldiers, but OCCASION
ally. The bullet has a mission
now and then-the ballot through all
hA hnt al,;.
to agitate the cities until the people
are thoroughly stirred.
1T sounds like bombast when a
man prates about his love for the land
| and then feels Indifferent about the
town where he lives.
SHOULD BE MOVED.
"All the citizens of Scranton should
be moved. Some are, and they see ant
| lament the political conditions. But
most of us are not. The people of this
town are all ambitious in one line,
never saw people more universally
| agreed-and that is to make money
| but the public spirit is not universally
| evident, in fact is appallingly lacking
Il need only to refer you to the daily
press. If it is true that one of ou
! reputable citizens offered seriously tht
proposition to run this city governmen
at a far less expense than now it /.
| managed ! as citizen rise and ask
| Why all this waste? Why do we stanC
! this robbery
Il do not blame these scoundrels VIII,
have taken the spoils, we deserve to b,
robbed for standing idly by and seems
them rob us.
Tonight I say: Let us do our dut,
as did the dead. The national emblem
Of oar country is the eagle. / hav,
sometimes thought that the bird Of thi
city can he nothing else but the buz
zard.
The street question is now a warn
| one. Indeed, it is heated enough foI
anybody. ] have enjoyed the accounts
| of the great meetings on both sides o
the river made IN of prominent citi
zens and think that almost any kin,
of agitation is better than stagnation
These disgraces never will end unit
there is a massing of the people an,
some man who will daSe to step ou
and take charge of affairs. ! wonde
who is the man who will risk his popu
larity to do this.
Some nasty sheets in this town ma,
say that | am speaking under the in
| spiration of somebody or other, but
don't belong to anybody or any cor
poration. I wouldn't be mean enough
10 sell out to be a mOuthpiece for any
body under the sun.
! SHOULD BE A POLITICAL FORCE
The church is not a partisan cor
poration, but 1t should be a politica
force. Why are the streets not tidy
1t is an individual matter. You tea
up newspaper and tling the remain