Evening journal., 1904-04-18
TURNER DEGREES
BUYING OF VOTES
breaches on "The Ideal
Citizen Before Sons of
the Revolution
In OTHER CITY CHURCHES

The Delaware Society. Sons of the
American Revolution, celebated the
l2sth anniversary Of the Battle of Lex
ington by attending services in Rodney
Street Presbyterian Church last night.
The sermon was preached by the Rev.
Joseph Brown Turner, Of Dover, chap
lain Of the society. and there was fine
program Of patriotic music, including
the singing OF THE Star-Spangled Ban
ner," by Mrs. w. f. Dickens-Lewis.
There was a large attendance.
DIR. Turner's sermon was on THE
Ideal American Citizen" and in it he
deplored vote buying and selling and
declared that what the country needs
today is men who care more for prin-
ciple than for place. I'VE need citi-
zens Of the press who will not gauge
their success by their circulation by
their teachings Of moral integrity" he
said.
"The reeling corruption Of our whole
political system is proof sufficient that
unscrupulous ambition, cupidity and
venality have attained a most preten-
tious magnitude" he continued. En-
tire departments Of our government
seem to be administered with the prime
intent to buttress party and reward
adherents. The integrity Of the suf-
frage is constantly assailed, elections
are carried by almost open bribery, Of
fees are bought and sold and every
political triumph is succeeded, or Of
tener preceded by a scramble for the
spoils. Instead OF a government Of and
by and for the people we are threaten
ed with an oligarohy Of demagogues
from which a decent constitutional
J monarchy would be a welcome refuge
and relief.
"The two great parties which claim
each OF them, TO carry the salt OF the
nation. both OF which badly need to bt
saited, are controlled largely by mer
who do not scruple to defraud the COM
munity of its rights to honest citizens
In speaking Of the duties of Christian
citizenship the minister declared thai
desertion from the battlefield is nc
worse than the shirking Of civic duties
He said:
Under a government like ours every
mans voice and every mans influence
counts, and woe be unto him who re-
fuses to do his duty. The voter whC
fails to vote or who barters away hii
VOTE VINO ullelt no protest dEdluS
bribery and similar crimes, who fails II
every way TO exercise all possible in
fiuence upon other voters TO promote
good government is personally respon
sible for the democrat cation and curs'
of bad government"
The minister asked the question VIII,
. Il was wrong TO buy and sell votes ant
answered the question by saying that
was the nature OF the transaction itself
He gave the definition of the ballot
saying that IL was the solemn expires
sion of mans best judgment and his de
liberate conviction. The ballot, he said
was the sign and symbol Of American
manhood.
This is one reason why Il is wronl
20 bribe and to be bribed What vii
men bring about by buying and sellini
votes? The effect OF it is 10 make cat
tie Of citizens, to make the incalculabl
boon OF civil privilege computable il
terms Of dollars and whiskey, 20 con
vert citizenship into a commodity, L
make shambles Of every polling plac
and to put our institutions and on
people at the mercy Of hungry an
wicked demagogues TO sap the founda
. tions Of the republic and 10 bring in an