The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-12-15

| at the NUMBER or people nave met up
on the streets, therefore, 1 was sur
prised this morning. wondered where
the policemen were for we have large
and expensive force, but saw not one.
came down to East Main street,
think came that far without seeing a
policeman. however, there were three
or four open saloons and l should not
wonder if / had visited them, l should
have found blue coat.
AS passed one of these saloons, four
men came out, one of them quite young.
One of them disappeared in another sa-
loon. Two of those left were endeavor-
ing to persuade their intoxicated COM
panion to go home; but he was so intox-
icated home was no incentive to him,
nor any other place, and he saw no rea-
son why he should go to any other place
than the one out of which he had come.
l came on to the station, but found no
policeman. Do you imagine that if 1
could see those things passing down to
the train this morning that the police
could remain blind to them? No one
imagines it. 1t is travesty of govern
ment. There can be no denying that
If there are such conditions existing in
Owosso there is something radically
wrong somewhere. I know they exist
in Jackson. know they exist in every
large city in the State.
Upon the schools, upon the churches
depend the condition of things that as
sure the government of this land of ours.
1t is not local question. 1t is a per-
sonal question in its relations to those
whom we are protecting. We do not
want to personify this obedience to law
and pursue some personal prejudice.
This is very prevailing mistake. Once
in a while we find that the sentiment of
the people asserts itself and some per-
son who represents particular phase of
the law receives a hearty slap of the
public fist, like crushing the mosquito
upon his face and 1 have thought that
the position of the public in this respect
was similar to the position of the sleep
ing man and the cloud of mosquitoes.
When they get unbearable he rouses
himself and with vigorous slap brushes
one mosquito and the cloud vanishes,
but it is only moment more before the
mosquitoes are back and he discovers
that he has slain but one, and thus the
public are wont to treat this question.
Once in while it rouses itself in this
way and they take great honor in their
accomplishment and say we must have
settled the question forever by smash
ing another mosquito and we go back to
sleep.
l have visited the graves of tw
great men. Some OF you have un-
doubtedly visited the graves Of the
same men. 1 will call your attention
to the tomb of Napoleon. This sepul-
cure Is surrounded with the trap
pings OF war. There are the battle
flags which told Of victories WOO, but
not Of Waterloo. THAI did not add to
the glory OF the French nation. Time
will will come when wars will be no
more and you will hail with as great
Joy as will l the coming of universal
peace.
The other tomb Is the tomb OF
Washington which 1 visited few
weeks ago in the beautiful hills on the
banks OF the Potomac. Two plain cas-
kets in that vault bear all the earthly
remains Of George Washington and
Martha, his wife There is not
word to tell you about the deeds of
the valiant general But on the back
wall o. the vault you see as lyou look
In, the date with this inscription from
thu Word, which tells you the differ
ence between the characters Of Wash
ington and Napoleon: 81 am the
resurrection and the life; he that be.
leveth In me though he be dead, yet
shall he live, and he that liveth and
b jlieveth Ia me shall never de-"
And that is the spirit In which we
need to approach the question tonight.
1t is not wholly material question,
although the material side is not to be
denied, but there is that great pri-
mary question Of character which we
are to consider and which permeates
it in every phase.
There's q great deal for you to con-
slider, whether you want to turn over
the government Of your city and coun-
ty to men who are interested with a
selfish motive. There is good deal
too much of that esprit now. Mo-
dCuo. OF that.
We want to look at this difficult
matter as something complex. 1t is
nos simple. Weiare not going to solve
the problem Of good government by
anything that youfdo In Owosso, by
the sentiment, which may be brought
out In that way. We are not going to
solve the question Of good government
that way, 1 assure you. You have got
to make Ii personal thing.