The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-21
THE VOTERS DUTY
REV. BASCoM ANTHONY's SERMON
ON THE CIVIC VIRTUES.
PEOPLE MUST BEAR BLAME.
THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE IF EVIL
CONDITIONS INFEsT THE CITY.

fIege without a Corresponding
Duty-The Citizen who Claims the
Privileges of His station and Fails
to Appreciate His Responsibility
and Do His Duty Is Recreant to
Himself, His Country and His God.
The Abuse of Power Finds Its
Source in the Men Who Permit IL.
An eloquent, thoughtful and cogent
sermon upon The Responsibility of
q Voter" was that delivered by Rev.
Pascom Anthony, at Trinity Methodist
Church last night. 1t was delivered
to a large congregation, in which
rarely true among Savannah congre-
aations-the men were as numerous
as the women.
Mr.. Anthony's text was taken from
First Corinthians, X: 81: Whether
therefore We eat, or drink, or whatso-
ever We do, do all to the glory of God"
The sermon began with the state
ment that with every right that is
claimed in this world there comes a
corresponding responsibility; with ev-
cry privilege there is a corresponding
duty
1--WE cannot be morally honest"
said Mr.. Anthony. and claim the one,
while we repudiate the other. If we
take to ourselves the right or exercise
the privilege, we must as honest men
assume the corresponding duty. A man
has no right to claim the authority of
a father, unless he be willing to I'M
dertake the education, the physical
,f hi
child; he has no right to exercise the
privileges of a husband, unless he is
willing to give to his wife the protec-
ton, the support, the ready help in
time of trouble the corresponding re-
sponsibility entails; he has no right
to claim the rights of a citizen, unless
he is prepared to discharge the high
duties of that station"
A WOrId-RecOgnized Truth.
Mr.. Anthony said the world had al
ways recognized this truth. Even when
the world was ruled by kings, who
claimed to exercise their prerogatives
of sovereignty by divine right. it had
been acknowledged that the exercise
of kingly power carried with 1t a duty
to protect the state, to defend the in
nocent and the helpless and to admin
lister the law with justice and modera-
ton. Kings have died by the assassin's
knife or bullet or at the hands of an
outraged populace, who have claimed
their privileges and at the same time
forgotten their duties.
The very existence of this country,
embodying a protest against the tryan-
uical exercise of power, is a proof OF
the worlds acquiescence in the doc
trine that the assumption of a right
and the discharge of a duty should go
always hand in hand.
~ nN.swr ant
MIR. Anthony, recognizes the fact that
in the discharge of the functions of
government every citizen stands equal
before the law. Therefore, when a
citizen demands his privileges he should
be willing to discharge his duty to
the best of his ability and in accord
ance with the highest dictates of his
moral nature. He should do this the
more because in it's last analysis every
duty he owes his country is a duty
he owes his God. The man who, living
under a republican form of govern
ment, fails properly to discharge his
dutv as a citizen is false and recreant
to himself. his country and his God.
HOOdlums and RascRIs Rule.
st believe it to be true" said Mr..
Anthony, that there are enough clean
and decent men in every community
to rescue if, if they would, from the
clutches of the spokesman and the reign
of vice. ] believe there are enough
such men to mould a city of God and
good-if they would only do it, If they
would only stop mounting and num-
bling and grumbling and vote. If
didn't vote every time l had a chance
I'd never have a word to say because
a lot of rascals, hoodlums, scalawags
and vagabonds, men without character
and without repute, bossed the com
munity. If l did not register my pro-
test against their domination of our
politics every time / was given a
chance to vote for decent man, I'd
hold my tongue forever"
Mr.. Anthony reiterated that the man
who votes for improper men for office
or who stays away from the polls and
fails to register a choice is responsible
for the evils of bad government
I've no respect" he said. for the
man who sits in his office and says he
won't vote because he can't spare the
time to stand half an hour in line.
Why, don't you know that it is one of
the rascals' tricks to send a lot Of
vagabonds to the polls to stand in line
and keep decent men away? Before I'd
let such men keep me from voting I'd
stand all day in line, if it was raining
Tillman pitchforks all the time.
You are responsible, my friends, If
you fail to exercise your right as a
citizen, or, exercising the right, fail to
discharge your duty. Take one of my
Pet abominations-these music halls
down the streets. Who is responsible
for their existence? The city council,
you will say. Well, yes, the city coun-
Gil licenses them. But above the coun-
Gil are the people, and the people must
bear the responsibility for the boys
who are ruined by these dens.
Accursed with Criminals.
"Can you wonder that this city is
accused by the presence of gamblers,
thieves, ,pickpockets, robbers and muir
derersr Why should you be surprised
that there are nightly hold-ups. that
things have reached such pass that
a citizen is afraid to walk three blocks
after IL at night, unless he takes the
middle of the street and carries a pis-
tel three feet long in his pocket? What
else can you expect when il this city
not only are Migrants and criminals
tolerated, but by the federation shown
to them others of their class are en-
couraged to come to Savannah and
make the city their home?
You are responsible, my friends
when you fail to protest against this
evil condition. You know there are
many men who sell their votes without
knowing it. It's not always for money;
God knows the white man who is mean
enough to do that is not as good as a
niger. Men are bought in other ways
sometimes by the promise of an Of
flee; the only difference is in the price
The man who sells his vote for SO end
the other who sells his for the promise