River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-07-11

scarce taken his seat when good
brother arose and said: "Criticising
the church is small BUSINESS. The
church is all right; at any rate, this
church is all right
The Illinois farmer listened to the
TRADE which was so unexpectedly
hurled at him, and then arose, saying:
at is well for me that came here to-
night. | never before supposed that
there was a perfect church, composed
of perfect men and women. Out west,
where l live, all men and women ac-
knowledge that they are imperfect,
and they are praying for salvation. |
will go back home and tell the old
folks that there is n church commun
ity in Washington which is absolutely
perfect, and without sim"
There was no reply to that Innocent
sarcasm. But such things should not
occur in alleged Christian commun-
tiles. There is neither reason nor ex-
cuse for any community to boast of its
perfection, nor its approximation unto
perfection. The churches in this city
are no better than the churches in
other cities, towns and villages. And,
likewise, the churches and societies in
the various cities and communities of
this republic are not perfect. They
have neither right nor reason to sup
pose that the national capital is Il hot
bed of corruption: and that it needs
the guardianship of the reformers of
! innumerable communities, who might
better be engaged in casting the beams
out of their own eyes. before they look
for the mote in the eyes of our people
here in this ten-miles-square, which is
the home of the federal government.
When the congress is not in session,
particularly, this is model city. The
people who are so anxious to regulate
the morals of the army posts and the
spiritual development of this city
might we'll employ their time and tai
ents in selecting model men to repre-
sent them in the national house of
representatives It is when the con-
gress is in session that the hotels
make their big money" as they call
it, by their all-night poker games with
liberal sales of champagne and cigars;
all of the most costly brands. 1t is
when the congress is in session that
the strange woman" described in
Holy Writ infests this city. 1t is
when the congress is in session that
the national capital needs the guard
ianship of the moral elements of the
nation. Therefore, let the people who
want to make this a perfect city quit
sending here as their Representatives
men who worship themselves, instead
of worshiping their Creator; who wor-
ship their appetites and passions, well
knowing that they are safely screened
by newspaper men of small caliber, to
whom they offer small official favors.
Thus is plain talk, of course; and it
is all true. But you must not imagine
that the people send nothing but
sporting men to the national house of
representatives Quite the contrary
There are 357 members of that body.
Fully 300 of them are reputable and
worthy citizens. But the people who
want this to be model city usually
elect so or more common scrubs every
two years, and they heaven the whole
lump with impurity and disrepute.
So don't allow yourselves to imagine
that this community needs national
guardianship. 1t don't. 1t is one of
the best governed cities in the world
1t is a credit to the republic, and to
every citizen of the republic. Petitions
for the betterment of the city are
valueless. Let the people send only
proper representatives to congress.
and the national capital will be all
right. SMITH D. FRY.