Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-12-07

j "
Hail. Crystal Pharmacy; f. II. Parker
city Drug Store: IL. Gosselin, Bcllrose
Pharmacy, f.. II. Crandall, Winooski.
earthly residents. Many OF thoac mer-
chants who are good ut ciphcring out
other rules in arithmetic never could ci
phcr out that sum in the rule of loss and
gain, What shall it profit man IL he
gain the whole world and lose his soulY
But what is yondcr row of buildings,
majestic for architecture? The spirit Of
the twenty century says, CHOSE are
our legislative halls and places of public
trust, and if you would like it | will show
you the political circles the modes OF
prcfermcnt, the styles of election. the
character of public men in this century,"
THANK you" | reply. II can easily un-
derstand how gospelizntion would i'm
prove individual life and social life and
commercial life but | would like to see
what it can do for political life" LET
me tell you" says the spirit of the TWEEN
ty-frst century. that have read about
political chicancry and corruption of
more than 100 years ago-the nineteenth
century, in which you lived herc-but the
low political caucus has gone from the
face of the earth and the stuffed ballot
box. and the bribery by money and by
promise of office, and the jobs got through
legislatures and congresses by lobbyists.
We have nothing like n Credit Mobilier
scandal, or those harbOr and river appro-
priations, the most of which never i'm
proved the harbors or rivers, or speeches
to kill time and prevent vote. or promo
ton to high place of political accidents,
and the only bosses we have now boss
because they have more brain and purity
than those who are bossed. The money
barrel to buy votes and to decide who
shall be elected did not roll into this CEN
fury. All those in high office in town
ship, state and nation are men superior
for intelligence and sagacity and moral
equipment and fitness for the posts they
occupy. All intrigue and Machiavelism
and temporizaton are gone.
Reforms In Politics.
1.-THE last corrupt judge of election was
buried 30 years ago. the preacher oficiat-
ing at the obsequics taking for his text
Proverbs X, I. The name of the wicked
shall rot or Jeremiah xxi, 10. He shall
be buried with the burial of an ass,
drawn and cast forth beyond the gates
OF Jerusalem Our laws are good and
well executed. Men do not in our CEN
fury have to wade chin deep through
moral slush in order to gain Office The
word politics. which in your century,
the nineteenth. often stood for chicanery
and falschood and billingsgate and moral
turpitude and filth. now stands for honor
and justice and truth and righteousness.
Such men as were in your congresses and
parliaments and rcighstags pointed out
as exceptions of craftsmanship and pa
triotsm and public spiritedness and elo-
Quence and moral power would not be
pointed out now, for all our public men
are thus characterized. Politics has been
swept, garnished, glorified, ennobled un-
til nothing more is to be desired. Wall,
through all aldermanic councils and sher-
iffalities and gubernatoral rooms and
presidential mansions and find the truth
of what |, the spirit of the twenty first
century, tell you, who were of the nine
teenth century and now come down on
terrestrial visitation"
As in company with our escort we
pass down from the heights on which
these buildings stand | see dismounted
cannon planted on the side OF the hill
and | go to examine it, and l read the
inscription. cut in letters of bronze
This is the last gun that was fired il
the last battle of the last war that vii
ever be fought. Presented by the last
regiment of war just before disbanding
Glory to God in the highest. and or
earth peace, good will TO men" Then
look up. and our escort says "Do yor
see that large structure on our right
That was a fortress, but now it is u col
lege, and instead OF guns aiming ou
of the port holes are looking the stu
dents of a higher literature and a wiser
science and grander civilization thar
the world ever before imagined. AnC
those students are taught by professor
ate of men as renowned for piety as TO
science. ArchGologist's hammer and &c
ologists crowbar and chemists labora
tory and explorers journey have joined
in confirmation of the truth of the lIol.
Scriptures until there is not an unbeliev
er in all the earth. The astronome
through his telescope has seen the morn
ing star of the Redeemer, and the geolo
giSt has found the Rock Of Ages, ant
the geometrician has demonstrated tina
heaven is the city which 'lieth fou
square, and the length and the brendtl
and the height of it are equal
What" ! say to our escort mo skep
tics, no ntidels, no agnosticsF Iii
reply is: Absolutely none. The last foo
who said in his heart there is no God
was buried half century ago withou
any lturgical service, although perhaps
quartet of unbeicvers may have stoo'
around the easket and sung n verse o
two out of the gloom of Poe's Raven?
"Pcrched above his chamber door
Only this. and nothing more"
Turned to Ashes.