Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-11-28

prosperity and security OF the people
have not esst ntially changed. 1t Is still
true of the governments whether
national, state or municipal, that the
determining factor after all is character.
To make money and spoils and not
character, the determining factors ia
our business and politics, means weak
ness, retribution, decentralization aad
ruin.
Is this not the course being pursued
in many municipal governmentsy Does
not spoils and money dominate the
electors and secure the control OF the
government that the agencies of the
government may be used to advance
personal interest and enrich those in
powerf And is this not made possible
because majority Of the people have
adopted or assented to q low political
codeH Do they not recognize the right
to use governmental agencies for per-
sonal advancement? Do not those who
have enriched themselves by such
agencies often become advanced 10
their social standing 10 the very COM
munity where they have secured their
ill-gotten gains, and have their names
often placed upon the honor rollg All
this is made possible by the Political
code which depends upon the character
Of the citizen. IL we must have truly
honest municipal government, we must
elevate the political code and the ac-
complishment of this must depend upon
| the character of the individuals who
compose the community.
One step that would greatly assist
| in elevating the political code would
| be to elevate the business code. do
not mean to say that honor does not
exist among business men, for it does
| No time in the history of the world and
among no people has there been trans
actions of such magnitude dependent
upun honor to carry them out as among
our people during our time. But those
| were transactions between man and man
or men and men in direct dealings with
each other. But can this be said of
business transactions generally with
the public? do we not see corporations
managed and by misrepresentation and
otherwise their stocks manipulated to
obtain the money of the public to en-
rich individuals by the misplaced con
tidence of that public, 10 we not see
all kinds of business enterprises that
resort to almost any means that will
secure money from the public and with
no expectation OF giving an equal RS.
turn for the same? Yet Go we hear oil
the public generally expressing the
righteous Indignation at such corporate
and individual business transactions:
Do we not find that many OF these once
complaining when they become sharei
in the profits either approve and defint
the course, or quietly look on and say
81 am not so sure thar trusts are in
furious or that the business transac
tions are as bad as they are represented
to be- All this shows that there il
not real public sentiment agains
such transactions. When such senti
ment ia created, the business code viii
be levated, and incidentally the poliii
cal code, but the creation OF surl
sentiment must depend upon the indi
vidual character.
! 1t remains TO say what is the part o
the ohurchman IN securing those con
ditions that will insure good mupicipa
government. He must perform ever
duty in his social, business and pUiiti
cal life upon high moral s'sndiEg
. He must be governed in his politica
= life by unselfishness. He must conduc
his business according to the golde
rule, he should stand for an HONORABLE
, life in all personal and political trans
) actions and nave the courage to put hi
stamp OF disapproval upon those who TO
low another course, however successfs
< they may have been iu accumulatin
this worlds goods Thus, by force {
/ example, he will elevate the buaines
and political codes, He will be til
p leaven that will leaven the whole mass
Q He must also be active in all ways
!. his power to elevate and improve th
Q character of the people. No kindlit
J. people than ours exists, or none moi
q susceptible to enoblinR efforts, and
;. the churchman will perform his who
d duty, satisfactory results are sure to /
accomplished.
!, IL all men were inclined TO obser,
~ justice, it would be disgraceful for
q alone TO refuse; but when so many al
% seeking the power to do wrong, for
n to profess the principles and undertai
ii no enterprise to correct the wron
1t would in my opinion, be not iustic
d but cowardics.
10 George Wharton Pepper Of Philadt
X phia made the observation that the
10 dividuals composing a corporation Ca
TT not evade the moral responsibility
10 it's acts, and that any other view ten
J. to business immortality. He maintain
re- that the business men Of place shou
10 do what they could to exalt the Office
Of clergymen lGyIpen should get in
10 closer touch with their pastors al
le he spoke for a higher standard
scholarship among ministers. He |
s. lieved that the chut Gilman can dc
az lest for the municipality by GO oper,
ly ing with the clergyman, and by marc
at ing shoulder to shoulder will form
be organization in the church militia
n that will be absolutely ipyulperaj
n and the gates Of hell shall not prev
ne against it.
at After rem arKs by Francis H. fIoffeck
IN Washington Hastings and Archdeae
70, George q. Hall. the affair came to
at erd with the doxology and with
gs benediction, which was pronounced