The San Francisco call., 1899-01-16
Scandals in the Senatorial Fight Bring
Forth Bitter DenunCiatiOns in
the Churches of the
Two Cities.

the light of that sword let US learn the
lessons of the hour. 1t requires no great
political insight to discern the malicious
causes of this state of affairs. Even a
minister who is not supposed to know
anything but dogmatfc theology may put
two and two together and make four. He
pas sense enough to see that the mischief
is caused in the methods of our election,
and that if the good out belated people
who are now passing resolutions and
making fuss had taken more interest in
the election, including the primaries, mat
ters might be different.
If we SOW boSsiSm in the election we
reap deadlocks in the Legislature
When good men suffer bad men to con-
duct their campaigns, then the political
nize their obligations. There is some debt
paying going on at Sacramento. 1t is not
log-rolling; it is the result of log-rolling.
1t is the old game of tit for tat. If Burns
was good enough for certain men last
fall, then he should not be repudiated by
those men now, unless for reasons which
deadlock.
The devil in our political situation is
the boss. That is the trouble in New
York, in Pennsylvania, in Chicago Power
tells, whether in coin or in pulls"
Why does not Governor Gage assert
himself at this time? 1t has been said he
you why. There is g, string to that key
extending back to the election. Burns
made him, or assisted in making him Gov
ernor of this State.
Another lesson to be learned is that
there is powerful public opinion in the
State which is being let loose on all sides,
government; 1t is dsorganized, but dyna-
mic. 1t has no leader carries no flag
save the stars and stripes, but is animated
who it wants for United States Senator,
but it is clear on one point-it knows who
is not wanted. It does not want Dan
not want the boss either in the city Of
san FRANCISCO or in California 1t is
wrath too late, The. mud that is now
thrown should have been thrown three
months ago. There are times when
Christianity is advanced by revivals and
evangelists, by orthodox sermons and
prayers. but there are other times when
its advancement depends upon the
ard and to rise up and act through it's
representatives. Such time is here. Let
me hear no one say, This is none Of the
the churches just as much as it is the
concern of the saloons.
The preacher is a citizen not less than
the pugilist Citizenship is the preroga-
tive of the people, not of the politicians
only. It is the business of men, regard
less of sect, color or creed. to object to a
man in the United States Senate. elected.
not on his merits. but on his ability to
get votes for other people. It is the re-
ligious duty of the churches to stamp
out the vicious boss system in California.
What are we here for? What good is
our formal worship If we close our eyes
to the political evils around us? If Chris
tianity means anything it means action.
The lesson at Sacramento is an illustra-
ton of the dangerous elements in our
State politics. The Senatorial contest is a
political symptom of a State disease. The
almost unanimous protest now being
sent to Sacramento is animated bv no par
tisan or low political motive. 1t Is the
powerful outburst of our self respect. It
is California honor which thunders
through the halls of legislation. It is the
lightning of the State conscience which
flashes around the Capitol. In a humble
way we mingle our voices with that in
creased thunder. made up of religious So
cieties. ministerial unions and individual
opinion from every quarter of the State.