The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-01
PLACE FOR MORALS
IN ALL POLITICS
DEFINED BY COMMON SENSE
SAYS REV. A. NJ. WILLIAMS IN DIS
CUSSING POLITICAL STRATEGY.

BOOKER WuARIhENOh Dlnner n Shu
Mistake, but shows That Presi-
dent Is HOnest-United States
Acted Properly in Panama Matter.
Opposition Senators Are in Pre-
dicament Caused by Desire for
Political Issue.
"All at once certain senator's have
become very sanctimonious and great
ly alarmed for the honor of their coun-
try. Well may we exclaim: is Saul
also among the prophets?'
Morals and politics are not very
close together in Savannah. If NOR
ais had smallpox more efficient quar-
antine could not be established"
In the prelude to his sermon at Trim
fly Church last night on Morals as
Political Strategy" Rev. A. NJ. Will
liams made the above observations.
Mr.. Williams spoke of the methods OF
politicians in using morals as a net in
which to catch votes. The sermon
touched on national questions of cur
rent interest. and the actions of the
leaders in both parties. In closing
brief mention was made Of Savannah
and it's morals.
The prelude was non-partisan in it's
nature, the speaker taking the ground
that honesty of opinion was essential
to morality, and that there was gen.
orally ground for a difference of opin-
ion. The recent speech of Mr.. Bryan,
Mr.. Roosevelt and his Washington din
ner, and the Panama canal matter, all
came in for a short review. The pre-
Jude was based upon the text taken
from Romans 2:21: Thou that preach
est a man should not STEAL dost thou
steal?" The following is the complete
text of the DISCOURSE:
Preachers in Politics.
During the last week Mr.. Bryan
delivered an address on moral issues
of the coming campaign" said Mr. Will
lams. HE sent a special invitation to
the preachers in New York, and it is
said large numbers were present. This
incident illustrates a trait of politicians.
They declare a preacher ought to have
nothing to do with politics unless he is
on their side. Then he is a true pa
triot.
Mr.. Bryan's attitude puzzles the
typical politician. They cannot under
stand why he does not retire or change
his opinions. To them politics is get
ting the offices. When free silver was
sweeping the country Bryan was the
greatest man of his age. They rode
him into Congress, the Senate, and the
GoVernorship. Now the drift is the
other way and they have trimmed their
sails to catch the coming breeze. They
are opportunistS and cannot understand
a man of real conviction. Whether you
believe Mr.. Bryans dogmas or not you
must admire his honesty, his ability,
and his consistency.
But Mr.. Bryan ought to be more
tolerant. Mr.. Cleveland, representing
the opposite pole Of politics, has never
been an opportunist. He has always
stood for what to him was right, re-
CARELESS of the consequences to him
self, or his party. He has tried to lead
men rather than to be led by men for
the mere office success.
The Booker Washington Dinner.
Down here it has become popular to
abuse Roosevelt. He, too, is a true
man, acting on conviction, deserving
the confidence of the people. 1 am a
Southern man in full sympathy with
Southern conditions, and believe it alb
solutely necessary to keep the gates
closed against the most distant APP
proach to social equality between the
blacks and whites.
81 believe Mr.. Roosevelt's dinner was
a sad mistake. 1t produced a lament
able reaction in the growing unity of
the section: Nevertheless, / can see
something to admire in even this error
DAA@Axra1% AnIS i
"A mans man for a that He had
courage enough to appreciate what he
believed was manhood.
ITO an American, it's statesmen are
either gods or devils Let us remember
they are men and seek to treat them
with justice in our judgment.
But what about Mr.. Bryan's moral
Issues? Morals has its place in politics.
Common sense and common honesty
fix that place. The question ought not
to be raised when there is ample room
to debate the righteousness of a propo-
sition. Intention is always to be con-
sidered in deciding as to the morality
of a matter. Most of the issues Mr.
Bryan raises are honestly debatable
and so he errs in putting his campaign
on ground that appears Pharisaical
Another use of morals in politics is
to be condemned without qualification
That is the introduction of the morals
argument as a species of political
strategy. This was done when the free
silver doctrine was denounced as dis
honest. l was gold bug and believe
that the free silver policy would have
worked great injury to our country
but could l afford to believe Bishops
Keener and Morrison of the Southern
Methodist Church were dishonest?
Morals in Panama Question.
The pending Panama question is
another All at once certain Senators
nave become very sanctimonious and
greatly alarmed for the honor of their
country. Well may we exclaim is
Saul also among the prophets?'
Their predicament appears to be
tnls: They were anxious to make po-
'litical capital They jumped at the
conclusion that because the President
acted with promptness and energy
there must have been some wrong
You know expedition is a cardinal
sin to a senator, anyhow. They began
the cry of dishonor They find the
country and the other nations of the
world do not sympathize with them.
So the problem is how to back out of
our blunder in the most dignified man
ner. The cry of immortality has fall
ed the political strategists this time.
Sum up the Panama matter. and
what do you find in it? A misgovern-
ed, treacherous country, dickering TO
make the most out of a situation in
its command: treacherous dealings
with the Panama Department in APP
pointing to their Congress represen-
tatives out of sympathy with its in
terests; defeating the proposed treaty