The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-02-04

FROM
POLITICS
Extract from Sermon at
Cincinnati
Delivered by the Rev. John
Howard Melish

In social, family and business life,
are found ranked upon the better
side, men who are independent and
honest. And these men are not
ashamed of their political truancy.
They boast Of not voting as boys
boast Of playing truant from school.
Who are these men and why do
they shirk their responsibilities.
First are the men who say all poll
tics are bad. The men who say this
are not angels, who, in their fight
through the heavens catch sight OF the
ills Of earth, and then betake them
selves to ethereal regions. Neither
are they Crusoes, alone on an island
In which case the reason might hold
But they are men who are thinking,
working living, because men in the
past, fought and died TO give them
country in which to work and live;
because other men are willing to slave
to keep these politics from crushing
them today.
These are th' men who In q half.
hearted way believe in their country,
but are disgusted with the party ma
chinery by which Il is run. They see
hat they have no voice in the nomn.
atons, that professional politicians
name the candidates, and then ask
them to step up and go through a
senseless performance called voting
for their man. The self-respect OF
these men is insulted by this political
chicanery. and they fear contamina-
tion by touching it, SO they stay
away from the polls.
This Is play 10 the Pharisee. Il is
drawing ones robe OF self-respect
about him and standing aside with
contempt written in ones face as the
crowd surges by, instead OF going
down among the crowd and doing
what he can TO make the machinery
more expressive of manhood and cit.
lzenhood. If ever a party becomes
dominated by a clique, and reform
from within is impossible, then II be
hooves men TO defeat that clique at
the polls, not cowardly to turn the
city over to them to loot
There again are the men who be.
lieve that both parties are equally
bad; that the voter has only to choose
between two evils. Either way he
turns he sees himself the cats paw OF
rival political machines. This, again.
is no reason for cowardly desertion.
Perish the Democratic party! Per
ish the Republican party! Higher
than any party is the honor and glo
ry of Cincinnati. II the leaders Of
either one turn rebel against the city,
then desert them, all, and lift up the
standard of Cincinnati and the man
hood of her citizens This has been
done elsewhere and succeeded. Why
not organize a Citizens party here9
In the second class OF men who
shirk political responsibility today
are those who are too busy"
We have bad government in our
city today because the best men are
deyoting their energies TO our indus
tries. A recent writer on political |
subjects has remarked that the faith
ers of or country came out In '76 and
destroyed the rule OF King George
In America, and then went back 10
their homes and shops. never think
ing that the work OF destruction was
TO be accomplished over and over.
And our excuse: TOO busy" The
truth is it costs less in dollars and
cents to pay excessive taxes, 10 buy
franchises, to purchase protection
from harmful legislation than 10 sac
rifce the time which must be given
that an honest and efficient munich
pal government may be had. II pays
to shirk the responsibility Of citizen
ship! Poor payment, this. as some OF
you men will find some day, when you ,
are asked not how much money
you have made. but have you stood for
the weak against the strong, for JUS
tice, for righteousness, against the I
evil which wrecks and ruins manhood {
and womanhood. All these have
shirked responsibility! And with ,
what RESULT Look at the type Of
statesmen" that represent Cincinna-
4 in the board OF legislation and the
When he stands Ap. and 10 quote
Mr.. Lincoln, fills his chest. throws 5
pack his head. glazes his eye, opens
ais mouth and leaves the rest 10 God, Z
le fills the standard Of the public man ii
Who is described by the eulogist OF Z
,oL Yell. Of Yellville. late Of the Tex 3
IS legislature. when he said His =
looks did not balance. but his heart q
,lways did beat warmly for bis ma
i've land" 1
These statesmen make a standard {