Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-10-03
THE PULPIT.


Sulu Island. The government of the
island is a theocratic Mohammedan
despotism. 1t has been incorporated
into our system by a treaty obtained
of the Sultan and his chiefs through
bribery. The treaty in no wise cur
tails the power of the Sultan as an
independent monarchy. He and his
chiefs draw there annual salary from
the treasury of the United States.
Our flag notifies all mankind that the
Sultanry is an integral part of the
government of the United States of
America and says to all the world:
GLANDS offs
The Sultan has twelve wives in hlSt
harem and his chiefs have many wives
each. Polygamy and slavery are rec
ognized institutions. Piracy--the
murder of seamen and the plundering
of commerce-is the principal yoca-
ton of all the inhabitants of the is
lands who are not slaves. No lower,
viler, or more criminal government
exists anywhere on the earth. It'll
stands, in defiance of all the world,
under the protecting folds of the Stars
and Stripes.
How did all this come about? How
does it happen that our flag occupies
such ignoble position? The answer is:
Through base bribery by the admins
tration at Washington. General
Bates was sent from Manila with ten
Thousand dollars belonging to the
Treasury of the United States to do
the work. The general did the work
assigned him and made his report to
his superior officers and the admins
tration at Washington has accepted
and approved of the same.
The conduct of the administration
is infamous beyond the power of Ian
guage to portray. 1t has misjudged
and brought disgrace upon an honora-
BILE and high-minded people.
The demand of the American people
that our government intervene by
force to put an end to Spanish cruelty
J and barbarity on the island of Cuba
was the voice of humanity. The de-
mand for liberty for the Cubans is an
swered by war against liberty and
J for the subjugation, by sword and
flame, of the civilized Christian popu-
! lation of the island of Luzon, and the
. incorporation of the viliest govern
ment on earth in the Sulu Island as
part of our system.
But we are reminded by Subsidiz-
ed press that to criticize the admins
. tration is treason. Not to condemn
the perfdy of our government in the
Philippines and the Sulus would be
treason against both God and man.
Not to condemn the policy of our gov
; eminent in the east would be treason
against the memories of Washington
. and Lincoln, the Revolutionary faith
ers and the heroes eff the civil war.
Patriotism in a republic does not
consist in low crlnging subservience
, in the presence of executive usurpa-
ton and crime. Milk sop morality
: and Jelly fish backbone are not evi
: dence of patriotism. To let the crimes
. of the administra tion pass to the cred
of the people would be to invite the
/ contempt of decency and the wrath
of heaven.
I 1t is time for the pulpit to speak in
{ thunder tones against the crimes OF
\ the administration. Silence gives con-
y sent. Acquiescence will evidence
:. moral decay. 1t would mean that
y light had departed from the soul, that
= reason was blind and conscience para
n lyzed 1t would be a reputation OF
. the teachings of Christ, and evidence
o that the spirit of God had abandoned
o us in our wickedness. Itwould be al
t. invitation to the horrors of paganisn
= and the darkness of the medieval
d world to return and assume undisputet
= sway upon the earth.
A. The Unfortunately rich, the sons o
70 mammon the children of greed, hole
m the administra tion in the deadly EN-
y. brace. Unrestrained greed debauche
a. the heart and conscience and is tn
at progenitor of crime. Greed is an insa
~ tiate, voracious appetite, the canke
1e worm of the moral world that know
- not justice.
ng Intidels prate that the church is
of time server and that the ministry
OIL composed of towards who come forwar
'e :, and appropriate the moral victories Q
the people, only, after they have wor
'ts This we deny. The Christian chara'
at. ter is one Of bravery and heroisn
or American institutions are the flower
~ of Christian civilization. I'll
lie demand for freedom for the strugglin
, ,cs patriots of Cuba was made irresistib
OPP by the teachings of the churche
les and schools of the land.
ion Outside of the circle of the inord
nately rich whose hearts are corrupte
and the stock-jobbing and gamblir
classes, the American people are pun
is, of heart and strong to do the RICH
on But it is time for the pulpit to spea
LIZ. out to the "multitudes in the vale
ed of decision" 1t is time for the pulp
in tO remind those who hlindlv SWARM