Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-07-28

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vice, merely because the voters at the
polls back up disboSesf bff,cinls in their
willingness to allow these evil resorts
to exist. l have spoken only the sober
truth when have warned you that
bramble atheism. bramble gold, BRAN
BILE alcoholism and bramble licentious-
ness. the four great evil forms Of the
would be bramble king. are trying to
take possessinu OF our American liber
ties and throttle out their life.
Well" says some one. "how. then.
are we to keep the brnmbie-the hate
full worthless bramble-from becom-
Ing ruler in American polftics7" All,
my friends the direct teaching Of this
Jotham's fable tells the whole story.
When did those delegates Of trees
down In the valley Of Shechem dot
They first offered the rulership to the
olive tree, then to the fig tree, then to
the vine But these three practically
said. Nay. we would not leave our
responsibility and comfort TO go and
mingle in dirty politics We would
stay Off here alone in dignity and
quiet and ease" That ia the whole
story. The reason the brnmble be
came king In Jotham's fable was be-
cause the olive, the fig and the vine
refused the rIiership FOR which they
were so eminently fitted. And today
the reason the bad element predomi-
mates in SO many of our city and coun-
ty and state elections is because 80
many Of the better element refuse to
60 TO tho primaries, refuse to be can
dfdatcs for the humber offices, refuse
to see that public moneys are admins
tered as honestly Ms private funds, II
is said that when Michael Angelo was
painting his most famous picture In
the Sstine chapel OF the Vatican there
was n member of the popc's household
who himself would do nothing to right
the wrongs Of the Vatican All that
this member Of the household would
do was to stand around and find fault
Thus when Michael Angelo painted
The Last Judgment he painted the
face of this fault finder, this critic,
who was also do nothing. So today.
II we would draw verbal picture Of
one " the greatest evils Of American
politics. we would not describe the dis
honest official who for years is q chron
ic candidate and holder Of public of
fee; we would describe the so called
Christian man who is the stay at
homo;" we would picture the Chris
tiau olive tree, and the Christian
fig tree, and the Christian vine, who
/ like those i'm Gotham's fable, refused
the sccptcr and lazily and indifferently
allowed the destructive hramhle to be
elected king
Thus ,Totham's fable or parable
teaches us that a man has a RESPONSE
hility 10 his government MS we'll as to
his home: responsibility 10 those who
shall ruc over him MS well as 10 those
under him BY this statement am
here 10 tell you for whom 10 vote? Oh
no, | would speak to you Just ms that
great and good man Andrew Jackson
said 10 that great future statesman,
Richard Thompson Of Indiana. when a
young hoy hr went with his father tn
call upon the president After a short
convcr>a ton Richard Thompson's IA
thor turned and said, MI President
my SOL Dick is not of my political
faith. fear he is going TO vote against
you I'm the next election" Instead Of
/ upbra ding the solL "Old Hickory
turned ana said: Young man, | have
no advice to give you except this Al
ways think for yourself and let your
conscience be your guide So in the
coming election | say Ia you, AS a
Christian man think for yourself and
let your conscience. he your guide. -"
But hereafter, in the home or on the
street and in church, always make your
public business your Christian bust
hess. Always make your duty 10 your
'Ity. 10 your state, TO your nation. your
/ Christian duty Then the great dan
GERS which threaten this our native
land from the ruership of the worth
less hramhlc ana It's kind will be done
away with. for the olive and the fig
end the vine will he bending the knee
IN national worship ct the foot Of the
Cross
/ ICopyr'rht iHot by Louis Klopschl
/