A Sermon on Civic Corruption

Notwithstanding the objections of J. Eugene Jordan to preachers meddling in politics, Rev. Wallace Nutting has again spoken on the subject. His prelude last night was entitled, 'Another Word on City Government.' He said: 'It is right to encourage a good deed, and we perceive with rejoicing that the bill to extend the saloon limits has failed. It is said that when the proposal was made to allow liquor selling at the end of a car line, one of the arguments made in favor of such liquor selling was that it could not be prevented. The report is that members of the council said they could not prevent it. Hence it was decided to license it. Now, just observe the position in which our government has placed itself: It declares that it cannot prevent systematic violation of law by the side of one of our parks. It declares that it knew of such systematic violation last year and did not prevent it. In other words, our government confesses its inability to govern. Had this declaration come from other quarters, or had it been challenged by the government itself, we might suppose that some mistake had been made. But this confession is so public that we feel free to observe: If they cannot govern they had better get out.'