The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-25
The Sunday Journal has the largest and
best circulation of any Sunday paper in In
diana. Price five cents
MINIsrEas SETTING A BAD EXAMPLE.


MINISTERS SETTING BAD EXAMPLE.
If the ministers of Cleveland are in earnest
in their announced determination to boycott
the Sunday newspapers, and they appear to
be, it is pertinent to suggest a word or two to
them before they get too far along to turn
back without feeling of humiliation, for it
may be mentioned here that they never will
succeed in putting stop to the publication
of papers on Sunday, and certainly not in the
manner proposed. We confess surprise that a
body of men of the culture and intelligence Of
ministers Of the church should be so blind to
the duty of the hour as to attempt to put the
garb of responsibility upon thing so in
famous as the tyrannical methods now re-
sorted to to enforce obedience to hateful de-
mands. 1t is the weapon of the coward and
bully, and is confession that he has no argu-
ment that he feels could have any weight.
That the Christian ministry should for mo-
ment think of descending to such contempt
ible method of enforcing their wishes is one
of the most surprising things that can be con-
ceived of. II there is anything in the doc.
trine of Christianity or in the example and
teachings of the founder of the church to
warrant such an outrageous thing, we have
never seen it. At this very moment the
country is suffering from this kind of terror
ism in way that harms everybody in the
land. The boycott is doing more to cripple
and retard business than all other things COM
bined 1t is the enemy Of the workingman,
and the time is coming when the workinginen
Of this country will not tolerate such an inn
polite procedure. It can be understood how
men Of less Judgment should be led into the
perretration of the boycott, under the inn
preston that somehow it would result in COM
pellinga better order of things but that men of
the education and intelligence Of the ministry
should be so short-sighted is beyond belief,
almost. Even in times Of perfect tranquility
In the land such procedure would be very
impolitic on the part of the ministry. At
this juncture it is something far more serious.
The example of a digniied body of preachers
deliberately descending to the meanness of
attempting to boycott those who do not agree
with them can but have very bad effect upon
the minds of such as are not able to see the
evil Of this infamy. If the church may boy
colt those who do not act according to its
wishes, what is to prevent it from boycotting
all who do not believe as it does and do not
ally themselves with itq We might as we'll
have return of the Spanish inquisition at
once. 1t is next to impossible to deal with
this thing with any degree of patience. One
may exercise little charity in the case Of la
borers, for it is to their credit that they do it
without an adequate conception Of the in
fanny Of its nature. The church cannot afford
10 descend to it. even though it stopped
where the church wished it to stop. But it
will not stop there. and has already been used
TO enforce the meanest kind of tyranny that
should descend to initiate the ways of the
bully and shoulder-hitter is scarcely to be
credited.
But a word in connection with the thing
that these preachers have concluded to drive
out of existence. The Sunday paper has
come to stay, and no amount of boycotting
that the ministry is able to bring against it
will avail. If anything, the way this thing is
attempted will result in strengthening the
Sunday paper. The public is in no humor
just at this time to countenance any
thing that savors of persecution. The
people of this country have seen
business paralyzed by means Of the boycott
and are not disposed to help make it an insti-
tuition that shall forever stand over trade with
an uplifted club threatening its humiliation.
This, of course, could not be, for in time the
people are sure to realize the real character of
this tyrannous thing and drive it out of exist
ence. But there is every reason why the
bullying boycott should be dethroned as speed
lily as possible It's effect upon all kinds of
business is such as John Sullivan would have
were he turned loose in the church to exercise
his science on the members that differed with
him, and to threaten all others with like treat
ment in case they dared to question his su-
premacy. To the shame of the church the
press, and the Sunday press most of all, has
fought the cause of the people and of individ-
ual liberty almost single handed The pulpit,
for the most part, las preserved a cowardly