The Tupelo journal., 1905-03-31

DREACHERS of the sensational
school have wrought much damage
TO the cause of municipal reform.
Some of them were known as head
line parsons" when | was mayor, and
after several experiences with them |
developed q large respect for the Old
fashioned minister who simply
preached the gospel" In every city
there are a number of clergymen n
become enamored of the glamour of
notoriety. They are those who go
Stunning to get what they. call 10
cal color" and material" for highly
seasoned sermons. Too often these
pulpiteers practically become advertis-
ing agents for the social evil, drum
mers for Illicit trade. Not that they
know it, but the effect of their pulpit
lectures on what they call popular sub
jects is to direct the attention of the
im~pressionable and willing youth to
the very places and things which min
listers of the gospel should endeavor to
keep from the knowledge of their
young people.
l yield to no man in my respect for
the church and it's ministers, but can
dor compels me to confess that I re-
garded most Of the headline parsons"
who flourished during my administra-
ton with feeling akin to contempt.
Their almost insane desire for fame
led them to say those things and do
those things which seriously retarded
the progress OF several reforms which
were being carried on along practical,
rational lines. Their efforts to break
into print. their eagerness to see their
names in the headlines Of the Mon
day morning paper caused them to
make reckless statements and sensa-
tional charges, which, had l not adopt
ed the policy of ignoring them, would
have taken all my time between
Sundays defending my administration.
At first these sensational preachers
stung me to the quick and l committed
the error of making instant reply. But
further experience with the class
taught me how to meet their hysterical
charges with silence.
| first ran counter to these preachers
when | ordered my chief of police to
put a stop to the practice of Summing,
which had become almost a fad with
some of our fashionables. And this
order grew out of a request made by
one of the most notorious of the sem
sational preachers for a police escort
for a Summing party, made up Of him
self and 16 young boys. He said he
wanted to show these boys the seamy
side of life so that his warning words
and lessons could be made more effec-
tive. I told the police captain who
brought me the preachers request to
inform that gentlemen that he could go
stunning if he chose, but if he took
with him any yourg boys I would ar
rest him and theTl and lock them up.
The minister's reply to my message
was a sermon in which he fairly took
the hide off of me and nailed it to his
barn door.
This little incident diverted my off
cial attention to Summing parties, and
not only was I surprised and disguised,
but actually shocked at the revelations
made by an investigation. I ascer-
tanned that young girls, presumably ig-
norant Of the social evil, daughters of
prominent men, often were in SUM
ming parties which sought exciting
scene in the worst districts of the city.
l also learned that several parties of
earnest, sincere, but misguided, church
women, anxious to save their fallen
sisters, had actually tried to hold re-
ligious services IN disorderly houses.
and that in some of these parties were
young girls hot over Is years old. This
was too much like throwing helpless
lambs to the wolves, and stopped the
practice, leaving that field to the Sal
walton Army, whose "slum sisters are
veritable angels of mercy to the i'm
moral women who are resident in those
~disreputable districts.
But while could prohibit Summing
parties l could not stop the headline
parsons" from doing the slums" to
get misinfprmation for their Sunday
morning sermons. Here is where such
men did haFm;. they set a bad example
to membeIs Of their church; their
graphic void pictures of what they saw
placed befote the eyes of innocent girls
scenes whih no young person should
see; they advertised those sinks of in
Equity. BuE more than that, they at
tempted to build up "a public sentiment
against an administration which was
e~ndeavorinA to regulate and supervise
an evil which has been in existence
from the BID thinning of history and will
be in existd&ce until history ends.
There we& several campaigns con-
Quoted by hsation-loving preachers
during my 3ayoraa career. Not one
of them acdX Emphasized any material
good simply because the leaders were
not sincere. l. They were inspired, not
by pure mo- ives, but because of love
of notoriety They were sounding
brasses and Mnkling cymbals. A fea-
ture of one the campaigns was the
employment Bf the young men of the
several churd&es to secure evidence
AGAINST salodhkeepers and gamblers. |
found myself wondering how many of
these Young hen were started then and
there on the Eoad to ruin by the cleri-
cal leaders oil that reform movement.
The social evil IS a problem which
every MAYOR tries to solve-and fails.
The best he can d6 is to regulate it
keep it from s~preading into residence
districts; keep lit Oh the streets and do
all this quietly. 4at often has been
urged that it lis ae necessary" evil,
which should be lirensed and super
yised as saloons aHsss but there are very