Evening journal., 1901-11-23
Mr.. MARVEL REFERS1TO SOME ..
WEAKNESSES INsCIN GOVFRNNF1

Following is the address delivered
by the Hon. David T. Marvel at the
Church Club dinner on Thursday
night:
ITO this end was l born and for this
cause came l into the world that l
should bear witness unto the truth. 8"
Thus declared the accused as He stood
in the judgment hall of Jerusalem,
nineteen hundred years ago.
What is truth?' cried the trem-
bling judge, as he turned away, and
all generations from that time to this
have been endeavoring to make reply.
The query comes to us with the same
force that it came to Pilot, but unlike
him we cannot turn away for we have
come to know that in the way of truth
lies our duty. Our lives and labors de-
mand search for truth on every hand
and in all directions. 1t is well that a
time should be allotted to everything,
so our good committee has deemed it
wise to direct our thoughts and efforts
tonight in the direction of "The
Churchman in Municipal Govern
ment" The wisdom of our commit
tee, while timely has not been neces-
sary to draw our minds and direct our
attention to the subject so full of pos
sibilities for good, and at the same
time so fraught with the possibilities
Of harm. A question now agitating the
public mind generally-not because it
is new but because of the conditions
that present themselves.
Profound thinkers have long since
stated that the most severe test of the
ability of the people to govern them
selves according to the forms of our
institutions would be in the applica-
tion of those institutions to municipal
government. If the conditions repre-
scented to exist in many of our large
cities really exist, the declaration
would seem to be true Such condi-
tions cannot continue without taxa
tion almost becoming confscation, and
the morals of the community becom-
ing so low as to make governments by
the people according to enlightened
Christian principles impossible.
In ascertaining our duty. we must
remember that municipal governments
are simply a part of the state govern
ments. or in the case of our national
capital. a part of the national govern
ment. in that under their authority.
they perform certain functions Of gov
ernment belonging to the state or ma
tion. The duty OF the citizen in mu-
nicipal government is based upon the
same fundamental principles as his
duty to the state or national govelyu-
ment. True. municipal government
may have nothing to do with the gre; 1t
policies which create national partie S.
and the general recognition of tn Is
fact might break down the usual party
lines and lead men to exercise the II
franchise with some independence, as
they would in business enterprises g
honorably conducted by private or
quasi public corporations. This would
doubtless remedy the evils now exist
ing and is to be desired in the interest
of good government But this does
not strike at the very root of the
troubles now complained Of This is
not the real foundation upon which we
must rest for good and true municipal
government. So long as the control
of unicipal governments is subject
TO the will of the governed, an honest
and successful administration of them
must depend upon the character Of the
individuals who compose it. In view
.of the tendency of the age, the truth
needs to be accentuated now as never
before-that in all the ages, tho condi-
uons of prosperity and security of the
people have not essentially changed.
1t is still true of the governments
whether national state or municipal,
that the determining factor after ali
rs character. To make money and
spoils and not character. the detri-
menting factors in our business and
politics. means weakness, retribufion.
Generalization and ruin.
Is this not the course being pursued
in many municipal governments? Does
not spoils and money dominate the
electors and obtain the control of the
government that the agencies of the
government may be used to advance