The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-07-09
POLITICIANS
SEVERELY
SCORED
By Rev. j. L. sooy in His Sermon De-
livered at the Fourth Street M.
E. Church Last Evening.
SAID HE WAS A POLITICIAN
And His Clerical Robes Could Not
Take That Right From Him.
An Interesting Discourse.

. . :
At the Fourth Street NJ. E. church
last evening, the pastor, Rev. ]. l..
sooy, delivered a very interesting SER
mon on the topic, 1.-THE Coming City
Election-Who Shall be the Candl-
dates?" Rev. Sooy took his text from
jeremiah, chapter %, verse: Seek
the peace of the city," He scored the
politicians in general and regretted the
apathy OF rellgiously Inclined people in
political matters.
He said that the ancient cities of
Athens and Rome were not the prob
lens that Chicago or other American
cities are. Athens never had over $4,000
population and the inhabitants Of me-
dlaeval Rome never numbered over
100000 souls. Modern cities had
grown up like mushrooms. There were
only G.OO0,0OO persons In all these states
when Thomas Jefferson was President
He said that over onc-third of the pop
ulation of our country dwelt in cities
1t was almost Impossible to compre-
bend the power existing In one Of our
cities to-day. 1t took more annually to
run New York alone than all Of the
commonwealth of twenty of our west
ern states. These were real facts and
the people must come to study the var
ious political problems that daily con-
front us. There must be some solution
along that line. He believed every
man ought to be interested in national
questions. but the municipal problems
were vastly more important than the
national ones. The voter to-day should
devote most of his time to the city
problems.
Rev. Sooy, continuing, said the
newspapers had guessed and guessed
right who would be the candidates OF
the two great political parties. 1t seem
ed to have been all fixed and fore
gone conclusion who would be the
nominees. 1t was true the. primaries
and election in the city would not &C.
cur until after the national election
had taken place. The parties were
largely represented in secret and be-
hind closed doors other than the
church. They had already settled up
on their candidates. who shall be the
candidates? Shall they be those who
nre in office? I do not wish to say that
some OF them are an honor to office and
the city. 1 do not assert that there are
no worthy ones.".
He would put the question without
indulg!ng in any personalities. He
said that some of those whose duty
was the enforcement Of the laws. had
done absolutely nothing in the way Of
putting a stop to gambling. discontinue
Ing the slot machines. closing saloons
on Sunday, closing poker dens or the
fake hotels. Too many votes hang in
the balance. 1t was true that through
the influence OF some men In the
church and In council. whom he honor
ed and respected. fake hotels had been
closed. ,.,r -,#rr. q.
He took the city council to task. es-
| pecially those who had reversed their
opinions on the matter of giving IL
cense to the fake hotels, and said he
thought the time not too early when
the good, conscientious people of this
county look about and select men with
backbone and not the namby-pamby or
whitewater politicians to fill the offices
OF the city government.
When men so to Office for mere sell
fish interest or only with the object of
serving another term, they are unfit for
the office. He referred to the scripture
where 1t tells OF Daniel having an ex-
ccllent spine. and said that backbone
was what was needed In the city off,
Gals. When 1t came down to the
practical question Of wading in and
sweeping out corruption they were not
in 1t. The politicians made big buster
and hullabaloo and were eternally
.rantinG about the Augean stables that
must be cleaned out, but did nothing
| for the betterment of political condi-
lions.
Mr.. Sooy said that, politically speak,
Ing. religious people were behind the
times. Their fighting consisted mainly
In gesticulation. They prayed to God
and begged that he put good people in
office. He said that this was asking
God to do what they could do them
selves and that 1t was an insult to Him.
They talked and wept too much about
corruption while the sinners were out
hustling. He regretted the apathy of
religious people In political matters
and said 1t was no wonder the politi-
clans derided them.
He said he wanted to know who were
our best citizens. They were the men
who never earned n red cent and knew
nothing OF political problems. II some
OF our best citizens ever got to heaven
It would be by some OF the tallest kind
Of scratching. He Eaid the spirit of
optimism was wanted. The evil tina;
men could hinder and correct and do
not hinder and correct they should be
held responsible for.
Dr. Sooy said that the same class of
men that had always gone into political
meetings are still going there, and he
dcplOrcd the fact that righteous men
do not go to these meetings. The RICH,
men should be placed on the ticket. he
said, md for one he was politician,
/ and WAS interested In municipal ar-