The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-10-07


 tn BusineEs-TrIekery, Treachery and Debauehery Win in POIisics-PoIIeiss
 of Government Influenced by Worst
 Elements In Society.
 The devil seems to be on top. Dis honest methods succeed in business. Trickery, treachery and debauchery win in politics. The worst elements of society are coming to the surface and asserting themselves, greatly infiuen- cling, if not dictating the policies of the government and of all organizations that have for their aim the improve ment of mankind from labor unions to millionaire clubs.'
 Thus remarked the Rev. E. W. Stone, the Well-known pastor of the Grand av- enue Baptist church, during his sermon on The Triumph of Wickedness' last Sunday morning, September 2S. The text was Psalms 37, [. Mir. Stone, speaking further, said in part:
 One of the most staggering things the devout Christian man meets in this world is the triumph of wickedness. He believes God made and upholds the world; that He has all power in heaven and earth and is present everywhere; that He loves His people and desires the coming of His kingdom in the hearts of all men, and that He is ever on the side of righteousness.
 And yet wickedness rides in chari- ots While righteousness walks in the mud; wickedness sits on thrones while righteousness is prostrate in the dust; Wlckedness flaunts it's victorious ban ners to the world, while righteousness sinks away lowered and defeated. ..
 Everywhere you look wickedness tiourishes, infquity prospers, ungodli- ness increases. Much that is sacred and dear to the best of our people is being ruthlessly trampled under foot. Lawlessness runs riot. The Sabbath day, the chief corner stone of the strength and glory of this nation is des- ecrated by being devoted to all kinds of selfish uses. Railroad and steamboat corporations and electric car companies cannot give their employees chance to rest with their families on the Sabbath day or if they choose to go to church, when for an hour at least they can get out Of the atmosphere of selfish scram- bling, but force them to work long hours either in unnecessary routine work or in special excursions to all points of the compass for no other req son than to add to the dividends. And the worst of it is that many of the off, cers and directors of these corpora tions sit in cushioned pews on this day and sing with spirit From low delights and ffeeting joys, soar to reach i'm mortal joys" Judas Iscariot is not the only professedly religious man it would have been better for not to have been born.
 . 'Selfishness is supreme in life. One of the leaders in one of the mightiest con- fiicts ever waged in this country be- tween capital and labor said the other day that the interest of the laboring people would be looked after, and their we'll being provided for by those to whom Providence in infinite wisdom had committed property. This sounds we'll enough and certainly ought to be true in the highest sense. But this very man, with his associates, is pursuing a policy that has for it's avowed aim the reduction of his employees to abiect want and suffering that they may be forced to accept conditions utterly re- pulsive to the American spirit and intol- erant to free-born souls And as a matter of fact every substantial im- provement among the struggling masses of the world has been won by stubborn war. Jealous agitation and forced leg islation. I am not stating an opinion merely The past Is history and who- ever will read the record can verify the statement for himself
 q do not say that capital is any more selfish and obstinate than labor. I do not think it is. Human nature is the same in all men whatever their station or condition. I am not railing against any class. One class Is as good as an- other. What am saying is that when ever and wherever innate human sell fishness and an opportunity it asserts itself and tramples down equity and justice, righteousness and truth. Every consideration except personal advance ment is lost sight of. Selfishness, wick edness presses ever onward to it's goal, no matter who suffers or is slain in the way, and everywhere we look it seems to reach it's mark and obt ain it's prize.
 '"The triumph of wickedness is no new thing. David found good men troubled and perplexed about it in his day. Per- haps he was himself Long before his day it was victorious And ever since it's prosperity and triumphant progress has not been checked, It is no new