Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-01-30
LIVE SERMON ON A LIVE
b.. TOPIC TO BIG AUDIENCE
Baptist Church Filled to Overflow to
isar Sunday Night Addrsss-AIi
hat Churches Demand is the Best
ian to Serve Al the Interests Of Our
jty Life.

dealing with the approaching municipal
election 1t was live sermon on live
topic, and was heard by an audience
eral could not be accommodated and
had to be turned away. Mr.. McGee's
subject was What Promise to Do If
Elected Mayor" suggested by the fact
that some had voted for him in the
straw ballot taken recently. Mr.. NC
Gees sermon dealt with q ministers
views of the qualifications of man
elected as mayor of Marshalltown.
Pays T..R. Compliment.
In leading up to his main discourse
some one had voted for him as mayor
in the straw ballot, and referred to his
own qualifications in lighter vein.
He said that one of his chief qualifica-
tinns was that the T.-R. was not be-
hind his candidacy. Seriously speak
ing, however" said tfes pealler, eff
candidate were qualified for mayor the
T-R would make for him two votes
to every one that it lost him, and if
were the candidate wouldn't run if the
T.-R were not for me-"
He Would Resign.
In launching into the main part of
the subject Mr.. MCGEE said that If he
were elected mayor he would resign.
because he realized full we'll that he
had not the necessary qualifications
ut is a big Job and calls for big
man." said the speaker, "a man with
intellectual and temperamental qualifi-
cations for the office
Kinds Of Men Who Should Not Run.
After Indicating his conception Of the
Importance Of the office Mr.. MCGEE
outlined several kinds of men who
should not run for mayor.
NO man should run for mayor" he
said. "to get an easy living; no man
should run Just to please few friends:
no man should run In order to use the
machinery Of the office to strike an
enemy: no man should run if. by so
doing, he would jeopardize the chances
of better man: no man should run II
he didn't feel that he could bring
considerable number Of virtues in the
way OF qualifications to the office"
More Important Than Senator. -
Mr.. MCGEE said that he considered
the presentation of his name for mayor
vas joke. and had treated 1t as such,
out that being mayor of Marshalltown
was no joke. He said he considered the
choice of mayor for Marshalltown to
be exceedingly more important than the
choice of a United States senator at the
present time.
Eyes Are On MarshalItown.
why do think this? will tell YOU,
continued the speaker. Because the new
form Of government that is adopted is
an experiment here. and calls for the
most painstaking efforts of the best
man who could be induced to serve the
city.
because the eyes of all neighboring
cities are on Marshalltown. watching to
see what she will do in this crisis:
wondering whether she will try to run
an automobile municipal engine with
wheelbarrow ability: wondering wheth-
er there are enouleh wideawake. level
headed, conscientious citizens in Mar
shalltown to bring about the election
Of a good, clean. representative man."
Qualifications Necessary.
IN the opinion Of the speaker some Of
the qualifica tons OF the new mayor Of
Marshalltown should be as follows:
''rhe man who fills the office should
e tried man, not necessarily tried in
rice. but with experience that would
lalify him for the duties.
"The man who fills the office should
know the value of a dollar and it would
be we'll II he knew that value by hav-
ing earned few himself.
HE should be sort of money ex-
pert that, by looking at dollar, he
could tell whether it belonged to the
city or himself
''He should be g. man who realizes
the value Of public improvement to
city, and be able to distinguish between
a public improvement and private
benefit. II he isn't able to so distin-
guish the city might get public I'M
provement with question, mark after
1t, and the public officials might get
private benefit with question mark
after Il.
HE should be man who is pre-
pared to serve all the legitimate inter-
ests Of q community. He should not
use the machinery Of public office to
serv the illegttimate interests. 1t is bad
enough when q public official has to
tolerate these ilegitimate interests.
without prostituting his office to serve
them. If he serves the legitimate in
terests he will be faithful to the man
who enters the market to buy labor,
and to the man who has labor to sell.
He will remember that capital has its
rights, but also has its duties; that La
Dor has its rights. but likewise its dut-
les He will not try to set capital over
against labor. or labor over against
capital; and If he IL half man he will
shrink from the criminality Of such .
thought"
Either Fool or Sealawas.
"1f q. man collects your vote for
mayor" continued Mr.. MCGEE, Saying,
If elected will serve the business In
terests as against the 1aboring inter-
ests, or vice versa, he is either q fool
or a scalawag, and should be put out of
the running.
Need Not d Church Man.
"The man elected mayor should be
man in sympathy with all the construc-
tive forces in city life. It should not be
necessary for him to pretend to be.
IL is not necessary for a man to be
Baptist to serve all these constructive
forces. or a member of any other
church. either Protestant or Catholic. It
MT sectarian test or a religious test:
ia fsse of the honor Of the office,
ssI-Salldn't support any man for