The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-12
CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP
CITY'S CHIEF ASSET
chile Its Principal Liability Is It's
8 Indifference TO Duty, Says Tues
= day Club Speaker.
HOLDS UP HIGH IDEALS.
Dr.. Douglas S. Freeman Says City
+. Would Better Return to Evacuation
,, Day Flames Than Bow to Mamnson.
BY w. NJ. BICKERs.

II Paving a glowing tribute to Rich
.nond's commercial prowess and ex-
pressing the hope that she Will De
he greatest city on the Atlantic Coast.
eDr. Douglass Freeman told the Rail-
~ way Y NJ. c. A. Tuesday Club yester-
saw afternoon that he had rather see
III Is beloved city return to It's day OF
III Lacuation flames than to bow to the
III of Mammon.'
nf This sentiment was the climax of
MI rring address on Municipal Assets.
!. which the speaker stressed the
'sss iiritual or Intangible assets of the
Nv and contrasted them with the
tangible liabilities.
s"Christian citizenship he declared,
the greatest asset OF any govern
MT and indifference OF that citizen
D to civic and social duty Is the
;ernment's greatest liability" In
Ter ais connection the speaker referred to
<.ne small vote cast in the recent pri-
I mary as compared with the voting
r population of $4,000. Abuot one-third
A'sf this number cared enough about
re matter to go to the polls. There
- two classes of citizens who do go
rAK the polls--one class is those who
lfAI I've some special interest to serve
AZ nd the other class those who recog-
~ nize their responsibility to assist In
he betterment OF the community.
4 Christian Duty.
|; III The remedy for this liability of In
fAfrerence. the speaker declared, to be
IN aroused conscience of emphasis
upon the Christian duty rather than
the civic duty to be interested in the
eity's welfare. He was well aware that
our institutions are not favorable to
ny union OF Church and State, but
le Christian conscience should be re-
oonsive TO the opportunity TO con-
srve the public veal by the infusion
!" nto politics and active social life the
high Christian ideals which make
man a better officer. Arthur Glasgow
recently uttered great truth when
ne said In a Richmond address II is
possible for government to increase or
decrease tho comfort of every house
colder
- The speaker made It PLAIN that he
WV as making no attack upon his city
mn vernn4ent and frankly stated that
Z" ar administration OF affnirs is really
.etter than We have right to ex-
ect with the manifested indifference
already referred to.
The second great municipal asset
which was dwett upon at some length
was the general awakening Of the
city 10 the fact that there are better
things than making money" The
speaker referred to few decades
hack. when there was com paratively
small attention given to anything then
making monev-not much manifesto
tton Of community spirit or co-opera-
a tive spirit I'm those things which make
i for a city's material or spiritual
progress Gradually the community
IA, - unseifsh spirit asserted itself until
today Richmond IL a progressive. CO.
$50 cuerative. great municipality. and the
city has grown In proportion TO the
s-owth and development Of that spirit
-~ and vision which recognizes that there
are better things than selfish money
making We have excellent co-opera-
I've systems and the future increasing
greatness OF Richmond Is well as
sared Incidentally, the speaker said
that the Federal Reserve Bank may
rot have brought much money to the
city or given half a dozen outside men
position but It had given the city
q larger place on the map. while the
splendid cooperative spirit displayed
-, n seeking the banks location here is
= IN evidence of the hearty, pull-to-
=, Tether spirit being now so generally
~ Manifested, Unity OF spirit is fine
-, hing and indispensable to city's
-. prosperity.
Mr. wanamaker's Anniversary.
Reference was made TO the recent
celebration of the 55th anniversary of
John Wanamaker's great Philadelphia
" tore The fret days business trans
ans ctions of that store amounted to
~ s.4sT. Mr.. Wanamaker put 81 cents
In the cash drawer and took the SPA
80 the newspa pers and bought space
10 advertise his business. But In ad-
sit.on to any way above the economic
side OF his remarkable business there
i. was the ideal which was expressed
din one sentence OF Mr.. wanamaker's
speech. to the effect that there is al
ways something bigger and better In
business than making money.
The conclusion Of the stirring ad-
dress which stressed the importance
= of high Christian ideals and the main
/. aenance of the position that real pros
perity need never he inconsistent with
such ideals. the speaker expressed
faith in his citys great future--not
smprobably reaching the millionth
mark in population-and It's chiefest
asset to be Christian idealism ex-
empiifed IN practical application of
the duty of Christian citizenship.
The address was received with
sounds of applause and highly COM
ntended.
Mr. r. l.. Lott gracefully present /
ed the speaker Secretary s. L. |
Thomas announced that on next Tues |
day the speaker will be Mr.. W. r. |
Dabney-"Booster" Dabney business /
manager of the Chamber of Com |
: merce, who will speak on "Co-opera-
j, zion of the Chamber of Commerce"
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