The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1907-06-05

u VI SuPCiAoi o'i0AS" "
beauty. To approximate it should be
our PRAYER and effort.
Now, having established the basal
! and unalterable principle of life, from
which necessarily spring our various
| duties as citizens, we have only to APP |
| ply the same to the conduct of public
| affairs. And every citizen, without
exception, whatever his business or
profession, must measure his service
to the State by this supreme law OF
duty.
When the titanic struggle was on
in Louisiana over the extension of the
notorious lottery charter-that in
famous gambling institution that did
so much to debauch the morals and
manhood of the nation-amOng the
chieftaius in the contest were W. con-
spicuous figures, the Rev. DR.. B. M.
Palmer, the eloquent and venerable
Presbyterian pastor in New Orleans,
and Governor Francis Il. Nichols, the
battle-scarred hero of many a red
! dened field. The great preacher. by
the power of his imperial e%loquence
on the platform and in the pulpit.
aroused the moral Indignation of the
masses against the giant gambling
monopoly, and made it possible for
the State to rid herself of the shame
less evil. America has presented no
more magnificent spectacle than that
aged preacher, bending beneath the
weight of more than seventy years,
and with the fire of immortal youth in
his brave soul, fighting like a hero to
save a great commonwealth from
moral degradation and ruin.
Sui when the Legislature met, by
ways and means known to the ingenu-
ity of hell itself. a bill for the renewal
of the charter dragged its slow and
Shiny passage through both houses,
and was presented to the Governor
for his signature. But thank, thank
God, that Commonwealth had a chief
executive whose courage been tested
in the storm of war. On one battle
field in Virginia, while leading his
brave brigade at the front, one arm
was shot off and buried. On another
field one leg was shot off, and yet
on another me eye was shot out.
When that lottery bill was laid on his
desk he from his seat and said:
81 have but one hand, but before L
would disgrace it by signing that bill
| would have it torn from my body,
carried to Virginia and buried by the
side of its mate" Such sublime
heroism commands admiration, and is
worthy of all emulation. Both were
heroes and Christian patriots-the
great preacher and the brave Cover
nor. And who will dare affirm that
the sanity, and now sainted, man of
God was not in the line ofhis apostolic
duties?
First-Let us consider the ethical
obligation of political parties. in the
platforms they adopt and the issues
they present, to be absolutely candid
and sincere with the sovereign citizens
of the nation. Parties have been dis
credited by the false issues they raise
and the false hopes they encourage.
In the drafting of platforms We need
honest rather than skillful hands. and
the declaration of fundamental prin-
ciples rather than the enunciatiOn OF
paramount issues. A platform is to
: stand on and nOt to get in on. II
should not be a a for votes, but a
| creed of faith-not a bag for game,
l but a code of conduct. The question
! should be, not will ar issue be (popu'
: lar, but is it right. The steng..h OIL
! party platforms and political pro-
:! grammes is not in their appeal to the
l peoples discomfort, but in the en-
! coura cement of their larger hopes. Il
is a fearful thing to trife with the con
' fidence or the conscience of a people
|. Neither parties O party leaders cal
long command confidence if theil
pledges are not honest and theil
! promises not sincere. Though {
J massive and majestic figure may have
!, head Of gold and breast of silver ant
arms of brass, it will topple to ruin i
it have feet of clay, and great will b.
the fall of it.
And this law of political ethics ap
y plies with equal and solemn force t.
those who become candidates fOl
public favor and are the representa-