The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-15
THE REFORMER FOR REVENUE
ONLY.
4 smooth AcceIcrstor ~ ''Uplift" and .
Thrifty Cellecter.


To THE EprroR or tbs SuN--sir. A
curious product of the present day Is tEo
reformer who plies his trade for revenue
He is active and plausible and makes
more noise than the proverbfal grass
hopper In fence corner.
Tho members Of our state Legislature
know him well and many OF them fear
him, especially some OF tile members
from the upstate counties. For he Is
blatant and persistent apostle Of the up
lift" keeps In close touch with church
societies and often speaks from the pulpit
in large towns and small cities.
His efforts are principally directed
against Sunday recreation and the liquor
traffic, and he never labors save for
lucre Whenever he strikes the rock OF
public morality streams OF revenue gush
forth lie is an adept at passing the
hat a past master Of the gentle art OF
coaxing collections from the simple and
the gullible lie loves to wrestlc with
vice in public places and Is strong on the
hammerlock and half nelson. But he bars
the strangic and toe holds he would not
injure his adversary. Vice Is his meal
ticket. without IL he would have to go
to work for a living.
Often he incorporates himself under
pretentious name maintains well equipped
ofices; Issues pamphlets and bulletins In
which he rails against the particular evils
whose exploitation he conceives will be
the most profitable to him persuades a
few we'll meaning but creduious citizens
to act as vice presidents OF his organisa-
ton poses as the confidant and adviser
OF legislators, most of whom know him
only az he has been pointed out to them
as an irrepressible nuisance. He haunts
the Senate and Assembly chambers. and
when the session Is over claims that he
was instrumental In passing what he
calls good" laws and in defeating what
he calls bad bills. And all this he
does blandy and with a solemn vlsase
like All Sin OF delightful memory.
typical pronunci ella mento OF his would
read like this Dear friends and brothers,
II you believe IN moral reform. send us a
contribution. Don't blame us IL vicious
legislation Is passed! We are nghtinG
tooth and nail but our ammunition In
running low. All is not yet lost. but the
foes Of righteousness are strongly in
trenched: their number Is legion. and
they have millions OF money Let all
Christian men and women and little chill
dren hasten to the rescue. Checks. pills,
currency and postage stamps accepted"
DO you think he Is as harmless as he
looks, this adept at moral panhandling?
II you do you are mistaken. for he Is
often able to intimidate and harass a
supersensitive legislator who, in seeking
to learn the sentiment OF his district has
| keeping them too close to the ground.
II will thus be seen that this bold re-
former belongs with the soothsayers.
spirit mediums and crystal gazers who
obtain money under false prctences for
he would soon be utterly discredited II
| II were known that his Jealous pisty
| hourishes solely upon inammon. Con-
| slider the situation. II a liquor dealer
declares his opposition to more stringent
excise laws. the fact that he is financially
/ interested In the liquor traffic is enough
to rob his argument of whatever merit
| IL might otherwise possess. II the pro-
prietor OF a baseball park favors bill
permitting the playing OF the national
game on Sunday. the fact that the enact
ment OF the bill would be of pecun!ary
benefit to him would be deemed n conclu-
sivc answer to anything he might say.
Why. then, should VIC not weigh the
argument of the smooth, sanctimonious
! reformer by the amount of cash he re-
ceives for making IL? Whenever he APP
| opposition to n bill, why should not in
quiry be made as to how much he has
collected for the ostensible purpose Of de-
feating the measure?
I am referring exclusively to the sol
| distant reformer who makes lucrative
business OF advertising himself as the
I guardian OF moral laws" He Is q
thrifty buccaneer sailing the Legislative
seas in quest OF the jolly dollars; his
victims are many and his treasure Is the
envy OF less ingenious pretender..
ALBANY, March II. SIMON CREEL.