The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-06


 pervades official life, and is actually per petrated in our last constitution, our taxes increase and our benefits seem to grow less our laws are unfairly adninis- tered, neither the life nor liberty of the citizen is safe. and why?
 To Measure Civilization.
 A country's civilization Is to be meas ured solely by its moral standard, and the facts demonstrate that ours is not high I need not discuss the question CT what makes our morals, becaus, l can safely assume whatever our standard, that we all agree that the things nave enumerated, measured by any standard, are wrong We permit those things to be done, and we are bound to confess that we sin willfully after that we have re- ceived the knowledge of the truth :n the words of St. Paul We may say we do not do these things, but can we es- cape the condemnation of our own con sciences by this evasion? We know that they have been and are being done we know that religion and morals equally condemn them, we know that society suf- fers from them. our civil. religious anI moral obligations impose upon us duty to denounce and condemn them, ana we fail to perform our manifest duty.
 If 1t were an open foe. If actual v1o- lence were being done to religion ana morals and governments II uh opNii 'N sault were being made upon liberty ana freedom. we should not hesitate to the extent of our abiity-even to the extent of our lives-to resist the attack. Religion and morals would alike impei us 10 'ne defense If this be true, low are we to escape the condemnation Of our con science. if we with knowledge permi. III sidious foes to undermine the very foundations of society, religion and morals and not raise our hands and voices ,n u'' fense of society-to protect what snouiu he and is our dearest trust. Escape III silence Is impossibe; we can only uo penance, as 1t were, for our past ol lenses, by fulfilling our duty in the lu,ure'
 Do not do violence to your own COT soience Exercise your intelligence, as YOU possess it. Support no dishonest or ui,- faithful men for office. It is of much greater consequence to you that your government should be good, than that your friend should have office.
 If concerns you more that the laws should be well administered; that liberty and justice should prevail, that human life should be sacred, than that any one man or set of men should have prefer ment If once you let 1t be known that YOU will not submit to the domination oi had men or measures, under the guise oi party. and exercise your Judgment ana manhood you are become really free YOU enjoy lberty--liberty of conscience and speech-that highest freedom You say you now enjoy this freedom. II thought so, I should despair know and each of ySu know, and if candid we would each admit, that we are all swayed by considerations apart from the common good, in the exercise of the prlvl- lege of suffrage The first and essential questions in all elections should be wheth- CT particular candidate Is moral honest man. and imbued with sense oi duty to the people? Is the measure am asked to endorse. moral and right! Is this our standard?
 As to Candidates.
 The question must be answered Tn the negative As to the candidate, with rare exception, the first qualification Is that he must have done good party service, and regular; then he must have done us some service. or be member of some organ ization to which we belong, then he must be A good fellow. His character, his morals, his fitness for the office he seeks with some exceptions, are not considered, and, if considered at all. probably pro duce the least impression. The selection Is generally made in secrecy, in cor ner-the bad men combine-and we go into primary or convention to fall one by one unpitied sacrifices in con temptible struggle" I shall be charged with preaching treason My answer is that if the truth be treason, then l am guilty, if not. then I have committed no offense Have I told the truth? If have, of what am. I guilty?
 This brings me naturally to the next head.
 If we would but try to speak the truth as we see it. If we make that our ideal. and strive to live up to. 1t, the effort it. self will do us good. No man ever made a fight for better things, for higher ideals, without making progress. All the worlds great progress comes of this. Whom you know . wrong has been com