Evening journal., 1903-05-11
AGAINST
VENAL POLITICS.
The Rev. William F. d. Lewis
Fercibly Dvnounces Bri-
berry and Corruption
SERMON TO LARGE CONGREGATION
Corrupt Legislators, He Says, Are the
Offspring of Corrupt Public Opinion.
Politics Curse Of City and State.
Council Condemned.

Politics Curse of City and State.
Council Condemned.
During a sermon in Rodney Street
Presbyterian Church yesterday morn
ing, the Rev. w. f. d. Lewis said that
politics are the curse of our city aud
State. and that the recent articles of
Mr. Kenna I'm the Outlook ought to
shame Delawareans out Of their n
difference. He condemned the award
ing OF the garbage contracts to the
highest bidders, denounced bribery
and advised voters to cut their tickets
II right-minded men are not nomi-
mated at the primaries.
His subject was "A Citizens Atti-
tude Toward Venal City Politics" and
be took his text from Job. XIV. "a:
Fires shall consume the tabernacles
Of bribery"
Mr.. Lewis said in part:
There Is such a thing as righteous
Indignation and its fires are consun-
ing sometimes. If a curse OF our State
is open, brazen bribery, then this is
q timely text. The articles of Mr..
kennan in the Outlook not long ago
ought to shame us for Indifference.
and If what he said were true, and I
have every reason to believe they are
true. then the public only does its duty
in arousing itself for the cause Of
righteousness and civic purity in mu-
nicipal government Politics are the
curse Of our city and State. and it would
almost seem as though idleness and
politics were twin-born. for when a
man is 'out Of job he turns to poll
tics for a living. This. on the face of
it is all wrong. Men enter into the
highest Offices of the city with no other
motive than to get what they can out
of them. Politicians let out contracts
not to the lowest bidder or a tender,
but to the highest in the collection OF
our city garbage, and that, too, when
the lowest bidder is as efficient as the
highest. The condition of our streets
are either like the desert of Sahara
or like a volcano ridge with manholee
in it. A well-known politician in this
town. a personal friend of mine. told
me the other day that the "cobbler
should stick to his last" meaning
thereby that ministers of the gospel
should not look upon public affairs
nor discuss them. But it is a sacred
duty that in protest to such a religion
men who never attend our primaries
should accuaint themselves with some
of the profound problems Of municipal
government rather than separate them
from their true solution by the prin-
eiples of the New Testament.
Bribery in Delaware has been going
on for years. Blu now the facts are
too plain. No one challenges their
reality or their import The only way
to prevent such things in our midst
is by concentrated effort on the part
of citizens who live in Wilmington
nominate and elect to places of civic
trust men Of honesty and integrity,
who are not in submission to the die
tates of any political boss" or ma
chine. The DecalOgue should have as
much place in municipal politics as in
civil life. Edmund Burke's aphorism
is very true: "A nation needs TO be
purified as well as fortified If men
are willing to give their life to serve
their country in time of war. why
should they not be willing to do 50
in times of peace2 The greatest dan
gers to any land are not so mucl
from without as from within; not
from the invasion Of a foreign enemy
/ but from designing demagogues and
corrupt politicians from within" The
/ highest kind of patriot is Christian
patriot who votes conscientiously. /
/ generally vote "a straight ticket.
My ballot is the most priceless thing
/ I possess. But if rfght-minded men
are not nominated at the primaries,
and If you have no alternative but to
vote for the man whose real master is
the party "boss," then "cut your
/ ticket" If that fails. then the city of
Wilmington, free of all political par
/ tisanship. needs a strong Civic League
to clear the sky at least and purify
the atmosphere of mere venal politics.
1t is high time that in municipal af-
fairs we put less confidence in poliu-
cal platforms and more in eternal
righteousness. In good government
OF our city we must certainly ex-
clude national factions and petty po-
litical partisanships. We must find the
best man for mayor who has at least
the fear of God in his heart. the best
man for president of the City Council
and the best man to rule us by commits
sions. You say. Good men will not
4 run, for office. They are disguised with
the whole business" Just for this very
reason ought we to urge the destruction
of such a public sentiment This alone
will lift the politics Of our city out OF
the mud and mire of ill-repute.
Let us emphasize principles. Corrupt
legislators are the offspring Of cor
/. rupt public opinion. 1t Is principles,
principles alone that are eternal. When
Therefore our city is about to settle at
the ballot-box its municipal affairs re-
ligion and politics are not separate
considerations. Well has an earnest
Christian writer put il: ANY religion
that has not enough viTility and power
to make its. presence felt in mans
choice of candidates and Of party has