Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1893-05-16

No. I Of a Series of Six Articles Written by J.
ID. Smith. NJ. d.. for the Tennessee Methodist
| closed my last article by refer
ence to the reimbursement and the re-
turn to Congress of men, who, either
by their votes in Congress or their
in not voting, had given aid
and encouragement to the friends, and
had assisted in the perpetuation of the
licensed beverage liquor traffic, and
raised the question as to whether any
member of the Tennessee Conference
was involved in such inconsistency. L
shall now make short reference to the
last Gubernatorial race in Tennessee.
Judge East was the only one of the
candidates who stood before the peo
pie as the Political Representative of
the resolutions adopted by nearly eve
ry church in the State--the abolition
of the licensed liquor traffic. There
were one hundred and seventeen
thousand men in the State who, six
years previously, had said at the bal
lot box that they endorsed the same
views, and who will today kiss their
liquor tainted political platforms, and
swear by them that ''they are as good
Prohibitionists as anybody" These
men could have crowned themselves
with imperishable honors, and could
have erected an everlasting monument
to the recognition of Christian States
manship in Tennessee by simply voting
for and electing Judge East Governor
of the State. Why did they not do it
Was it want of confidence in his fit
ness for the position Not word of
it. | challenge the entire citizenship
of Tennessee to point out a single fea-
ture in the make up of that grand man
that could, in the least, disqualify him
for the position. No, my brethren, his
defeat was the result of downright po-
litical partisan idolatry in the Church,
from Bishop to Layman. 1t was re-
pudiation at the political ballotbox, Of
the resolutions endorsed in church
conferences, in the liquor licensing
political parties, and of candidates
who ignored the question for the sake
of liquor votes. Did any member of
the Tennessee Conference worship at
that political altar? And if men will
thus worship political partisanism, is
it not high time that we were building
a political party with a creed in har-
mony with our religious creed, or else
be consistent and make our religious
creed conform to our political ?
DBut again, take the late Presidential
election and see by that whittier we
are tending yes, where we are already
sat"
Mr.. Cleveland said in his letter of &C
ceptance that "the assurance to the
people of the utmost individual liber-
ty, consistent with peace and good or
der, is cardinal principle of our Gov
eminent" This is very good, had he
stopped here, but he adds the follow
lowing comment: This gives no sane
ton to vextations sumptuary laws,
which unnecessarily interfere with
such habits and customs of our people
as are not offensive to a just, moral
sense, and consistent with good citi-
zenship and the public welfare" Now
there is not man whose intelligence
enabled him to obtain seat in the
Tennessee Conference that does not
know that this last quoted, adroitly
drawn sentence is construed by every
practical politician and liquor dealer
in the United States of America to
mean opposition to the abolition of
the licensed beverage liquor traffic.
And that this was Mr.. Cleveland's ex-
act meaning is fully shown by just one
of his subsequent appointment to one
of the most important positions in his
Cabinet, of man whose past history
with almost the present attached to it,
has been one of periodical drunken
debouchery with the voluntary Sc
lection of a b1othel as an asylum
during those periods.
Here is either recognition of the
habit of drunkenness by President
Cleveland as a mark of superior intel
lectual greatness and extraordinary
business qualifications, or else a con-
temptiable disregard of the open and
avowed position taken by nearly every
church organization in the nation; and
that, too, in the face of the farcicle
falsehood manufactured by his admir-
ers, that the first question he asks
about applicants for position is, "Does
he drink ?" 1t is also recognition
the President of the responsibility of
the habit of drunkenness, an indirect
endorsement of the business of legal.
Zed, drunkard making, and practical
reputation of the seventh command
ment, in that he recognizes the broth
ell as a suitable asylum for great men
while on drunken spree. Yet four
fifths of the so-called Prohibitionists
of Tennessee, and of the whole M. E.
Church South, endorsed Mr.. Cleve-
lands political creed at the ballot-box,
and repudiated General Bidwell, one
of the purest men and strongest States
man in the nation, and the only can
didate in the field that represented
their church declarations or profess
sions. Did any member of the Ten
nessee Conference do it, and if so,
why?
. Political, partisan idoldtry! Wor-
shipping at the shrine of political
party that stands behind a legalized
institution that they say in their
church resolutions is damning more
souls than anything else on earthl
80, we'll, didn't see any chance for
East or Bidwell, and didn't want to
throw away my vote" Well, you saved
it when you conspired with the liquor
dealers of the nation at the ballot-box
to continue the business of damning
souls, didn't you? O.! of course you
did. 1t will count for just what it was
cast--the success of the majority, right
or wrong. You would have voted for
East or Bidwell if you had known they
could be elected; but you decided to
try to be with the majority if their leg
islation did send souls to hell. "Where
are you at" my brother? Have you
lost your manhood, lost your identity,
lost your influence? If not, what right
have you to place yourself on the wrong
side of a question in order to be with