People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-10-07
Political Paradox.

statement Of a certain minister.
Here is the sum total of his premise
for decantatiOn Of near two columns
length: If you will show me a sa-
loon keeper, will show you a Repub-
lican or Democrat; show me a gam
bier and | will show you Republican
or Democrat. Extract from a
speech made by E. r. Williams, as re-
ported by the South Haven Rustler.
Now let us see what he makes of this
paradox" and its author, for he
seems to be deeply interested in both
and should therefore give us some
thing hard to handle.
lst Attempt. TN his church and
among his parishiOners are many Of
the nOblest, purest and best chris
tians of Sumner county, who are po-
litically, Republicans or Democrats"
Friends, is there anything in the ex-
tract that intimates a shade of
thought to the contrary? Can anyone
understand what this statement is in
tended for? Perhaps he digresses
merely to speak words of appreciation
for brethren, his friends. II so, good:
we often praise them in high strains,
but however impassiOned the burst,
we never refer to their Democratic OF
Republican affiliations as Characters
tic qualities Of excellence.
Well, after this introduction (?) he
says: "It is to be regretted that any
minister of the gospel should 20 so
far as to make such a radical and un-
warranted statement" We admit
that it is a radical statement. We
like that kind. We like radical men
and radical measures. Rut that il is
unwarranted we deny, and when re-
flected upon, every candid man of
common sense will do the same.
This he cannot straightly deny, but
he talks all over the Democratic, Re
publican and Peoples party platforms,
covers the Methodist and Presbyter-
ian church doctrines, approves of
sanctificatioh and the kingdom of
God, think of it) condemns Judas
and Benedict Arnold, in order, to
some way, make it appear that it is
false, or, if true, which he virtually
admits, that it is a gross insult to the
brethren to whom the author of the
statement ministers. We have talk
ed with dozen old party men about
the statement and not one has denied
its truth. If it be true, why are
nearly two columns spent in whining
over an "unwarranted statement"
and making personal thrusts and f.
nally grossly misrepresenting a minis
ter.
Ind Attempt. He makes the wild
and frantic cry that men may as well
leave the church as the old beer
blOated Democratic or rum-ridden
Republican party. His argument is,
there are bad people in both, so it is
all the same. In the same profound
reasoning, let us say: There are bad
men in the church and there are bad
men in Derdition; if you renOunce the
one, renOunce the other. Well, in
that case, I'll take the church and all
who will may go to the other place.
None but those who read merely the
secular press can be caught with such
guile. Again, to compare the church
to these parties, let us be honest.
Do the good in the church lead in
governing and teaching, or the bad?
Methodist Episcopal church discipline
page 352, section I, answers:
I'VE must supplant the five or six
thousand legislators and the tens of
thousands Of municipal officers who
have long stood as a bOdyguard Of the
saloon in its ravages on the home"
Sd Attempt. Here is a dignifed
excuse for the tOughs being in Bro.
Simon's party. He says, there is no
law to prevent their belonging TO any
party they choose" Is that not
shrewd, too? / wonder If the saloon
lists, jointists, gamblers, thugs,
thieves and liars will not all join the
Prohibition party this fall? Gods
word says, Come out from among
them and be ye separate" Bro.
Simons, let me find the reason you
are seeking, for the tOughs all stick
ing like mud to the old parties; here
1t is. 'Wheresoeyer the carcass is,
there will the eagles be gathered
together" Mat. 24-2S
4th Attempt. Remember the
question started out to settle is
whether the bad are all in the old
parties. He argues it now from
platforms. We dispose Of this guible
of words this way;a a mans profession
amounts to worse than nothing, If it
is a good one, unless his life cores
ponds. The supreme court, science,
educational associations and the
church OF God all declare the liquor
traffic to be the greatest evil Of the
world and yet these old parties take
blood money and license it. In the
face of such a fact it is a shame to
talk of morality in platforms.
5th, This timehe makes The entire
straw man in order to get lick at
him and then whine again over the
sad mistakes Of the preacher. lie
SAYS Williams is inviting men to the
Peoples party. He has never done
so. viii the News retract and
apologize? - :.
Lastly. To the casual observer 1t
-.4..c tha cfddan gnQll