The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-21
PASTOR TEMPTED
TO RUN FOR MAYOR.

Could Distance the Administration
From the subject Five Fine Points
About Savannah and What They
Should Do to Improve the City"
Rev. DR.. A. M. Williams last night
discussed prevailing conditions here.
The text was taken from Matt. 25:15:
And unto one he gave five talents"
DR.. Williams paid a glowing trib-
ute to the natural beauties of the
city and to the Improvements that
had been made by the Park and Tree
Commission and the present city ad-
ministration. He claimed however, it
was a case where the moral side had
not kept up with the material Speak
ing in this line he said, among other
things:
when I think of the moral condi-
lions of Savannah as compared with
its material advance, am sometimes
tempted to run for Mayor myself and
turn the rascals out. My conceit does
not cause me to think l could begin
to come up with the present Mayor In
a material way. But material adj
vances have so far outstripped the
moral that they can wait awhile until
the latter catch up. L know 1 can
beat him on the moral issues. can
tie both hands behind me, blindfold
myself, and hobble on one leg, and
then outrun the present administra-
ton in the suppression of vice, and
that is not boasting in the least.
"Of course / would be elected If /
should rum I would not need any
campaign fund nor the help of the
heelers. Everybody would vote for
me.
Now, in the face of all this, how
could the present administration get
a vote. However, 1 will not run. The
administration may rest as far as
am concerned. / would not run for
any Office in church or state for any
consideration.
''I do, however, in behalf of the COM
ing Savannah. in behalf of the nom
voting women of the city, in behalf
of the best interests of humanity, beg
the authorities to put as much earn
estness, as much enterprise, as much
wisdom into the moral government of
the city as they do in the material.
"The purity and modesty of the
womanhood of Savannah is one of it's
sweetest charms. Something in our
modern life leads us to fear that the
old-fashioned, pure, Southern woman
hood is in danger. New theories of
marriage and divorce, new liberties of
the sexes, new condonement of impu-
dence. give rise to solicitude.
There is a large and increasing de-
fenseless womanhood, the ready prey
to temptation. The evils of assigna,-
ton are too great for us to remain
silent upon 1t. Public sentiment should
be pronounced and outspoken in con-
demnation. The authorities should act
promptly and vigorously toward its
suppression. The city is honey-combed
with such places. Even the sanctity of
the churches is not exempt. The puri-
ty of our very homes should be an
incentive to make our city a safe place
in which women may visit and work.
Some other Facts.
Another fact to which we point with
pride is our high business standard.
Why, then, should the parasite the
professional gambler, be allowed in our
midst The well-known results, seen
too often here, make it astonishing that
y. should be tolerated"
DR.. Williams also pointed with pride
to the fact that the Guards had barred
liquor from their club rooms, taking
the position that this course indicates
a good advance in temperance senti-
ment and an awakening to the danger
of indulgence in liquor.
He spoke of the generosity of the
people, their kindness and their toll
GRAFTON, and in closing this part of the
sermon, said: with all her faults,
she is just little better than any other
city in this old EARTH"
Let me add word on the action of
the indicting power" said DR.. Will
liams, ''in MIR. Nesbit's case. 1t is
clear that he made out his case. The
one witness who purchased tickets and
used them was sufficient. The confess
sion of the operators to the Ministerial
Committee was adequate to find true
bills on the Sunday amusement item.
Men have been hung on less satisfac-
tory evidence than that.
'"rhe case against the bar room was
made out. The law does not require
that the sale Of liquor be proven. The
opening of a bar room on Sunday in
the slightest way has been declared IL
legal by the Supreme Court.
1.-THE action Of the grand Jurors is
dangerous in the extreme to law and
order. The papers say they refused to
indict because public sentiment favors
Sunday dissertation. Just how they
Squared that with their oaths cam
They just went at right angles to
their oaths.
Public sentiment in Bulloch county
favors lynching, so mob murder goes
unpublished. Public sentiment in
certain county In Georgia opposes pay
ing debts. So far has II been car
ried that loan companies refuse to do
business there. Public sentiment mind
you, is the power that indorses theft.
These men, acting on the principle
of public sentiment in Chatham coun-
ty, allow Sabbath dissertation, Sunday
liquor selling, and gambling to go un-
rebuked. In Bulloch they would stand
sponsors for lynching In the other
county / have mentioned they would
stand for Reputation of debts. In
Georgia we have a lovely administra-
ton Of law. 1t is a piebald, badly
mixed, crazy-quilt affair. Look out
for a wave OF crime as result Of
these recent developments"