Evening journal., 1901-09-30
SAYS M'KlNLEY'S GREATNESS
WAS IN HIS CHRISTIAN MANHOOD

One Of the greatest needs of today
is national righteousness" said the
Rev. Wyllys Rsde. D. D., rector of st.
James Church. Newport, in a recent
I sermon. Corporations, communities
and nations. quite as much rs indiyid-
uals have their solemn obligations.
moral responsibilities, and bounden
duties To deny or neglect these means
civic or national ruin and disgrace.
They are no less accountable to God
than is the individual man. This
nth has been lost sight of in America
- a dangerous degree. but we are pass
ing through trying experiences which
Ought to bring it forcibly to mind
The terrible calamity which has
plunged our nation into mourning
ought to reveal some of our national
perils and teach us some sad lessons
TO which our eyes have been closed
We may profitably study them today.
"Our forefathers were men Of far
sighed intelligence and high prin-
ciple. They laid the foundations of
our national greatness under a deep
ense of responsibility to God and man.
They supposed that this responsibility
would De profoundly felt by all who
should come after them. Their hone
and purpose was that every citizen of
the United States should discharge
his duties in an intelligent, conscien-
tious. and religious spirit of .oyalty
to our free institutions. This hope has
been but partially fulfilled Many of
our people, it must be confessed. are
not intelligent, conscientious OF reli-
gous in the discharge of,the duties of
citizenship and therefore are dangerous
elements of society.
MANY are not intelligent citizens.
Multitudes. both black and white. are
too ignorant to bear part in the direc-
lion of our ship OF state They have
never even learned to read and write.
They are quite incapable of compre-
hending the complicated problems
which from time to time demand solu-
ton. Some of our States now impose
an educational qualification and de-
mand that they shall at least learn to
read and write before they undertake
to discharge the responsible functions
'ci citizenship. There are indications
that this will soon become the rule all
over our broad land. While this viii
relieve the difficulty. it will not reach
the roots Of the disease. We have for
a long time thrown wide open cur
doors and welcomed into our midst
thousands Of alien people from abroad.
Many of them have never caught the
spirit of our free institutions. they
d. not comprehend the principles
upon which our Government is based.
they have no reverence for our laws.
they recognize no authority but the
lstlong hand Of force. Their whole
past experience has untitled them for
the duties of American citizenship.
They have brough anarchy into our
imidst and have become troublers of
cur peace. So long as they remain no
one can be safe. II is deadly foe
which must be driven out from our
borders or destroyed. It would strike
down not only our President, but
levery officer of the law. and do away
with the law itself. Politicians have
tolerated it and even welcomed it, be
cause they have thoughtthatt the igno-
rant masses of our foreign immigrants
would he tools in their hands for the
accomplishment of their selfish
chemes. We can hardly look to them
o set IT'S free from a peril into which
they have helped to plunge us. Our
sovereign peope must rise mp in their
might and majesty, drive out anarchy
from our midst and make 1t impossi-
bic for it to lift its horrid front in
America
Many Of our people are not con-
Iscientious in their relation with the
government. The American people
have gone Wild in the mad pursuit of
wealth They have got into such a
fever Of haste to be rich that they are
willing TO sacrifice anything which
Islands in the way. They will buy and
lsell votes. they will grasp the spoils
of office, they will defraud the Govern
ment and AZ their pockets from its
sacred treasures remOrselessly they
Twill mould the laws 10 suit their own
lpTivate interests rather than TO secure
1.-THE welfare Of the body polite. This
C especially true of our great corpora
tions and capitalists Many of them
have concentrated power in their OWL
lhands have cast conscience aside. anC
threaten to tIample down al the olt
bulwarks of morality and justice il
their fast and furious rivalry for
wealth. They have had much to do IL
bringing upon US our recent calamity
They brought the anarchists here II
their efforts to secure cheap labor ant
both by word and deed have helped Il
c elunsettle the foundations Of law an,
d order BY violating the laws whel