The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-17

The conversion Of Rev J. D. Botkin %
Populism is regarded as a great event
about the statehouse.
State Treasurer Biddle has just re-
ceived a letter from Rev. Mr.. BOtkin. IN
which he fully explains his change Of
heart
The letter is as follows:
"WELLINeToN, Kas-, Aug. ID, 1894
Hon. W h Biddle. Topeka. Kas.:
"MY DEAR BROTHER:-As you have for
years taken deep interest in me and my
ministry, you will doubtless be Interested
to learn that / have decided to resign my
present charge, and TO hear my statement
of my reasons for this action.
~You may have received the impress
sion from the press reports, that fOrma
charges have been brought against me.
such is not the case
mo such action has been threatened
or even contem plated so far as l have
heard. My only real Offense is preach
ing politics. While I have never ut
tered d partisan sentiment from the pull
pit, have, nevertheless, fearlessly de-
nounced public evils, as every faithful
preacher of righteousness must do. This
was too much for the sensitive nerves OF
half dozen self-constituted dictatOrs in
the church aud half a score of old party
bosses outside.
THE fight was precipitsted in the
quarterly conference a week ago aud re-
suited in the overthrow Of my enemies.
am assured that fully nineteen TWEEN
tieths Of the go members of this church
heartily sustain my administration and
want it continued. l desire to record my
sincere sorrow in severing my relations
with these devoted people
81 have studied all sides and weighed
all possible results of this action. For
twenty-three years have received my
appointments from the church authori-
ties without word Of suggestion or
COMPLAINT Under God the church has
made me what l am.
sTO drop out OF her Passionate even
temporarily brings indescrlbable pain.
This is the greatest sacrifice of my life,
made under the conviction that my min
istry here conscientiOusly pursued wOul /,
produce more or less discard Freedom
of conscience and Of speech, are yet IN
solved problems in Kansas. He who
thinks politically outside, certain old
musty mould is an anarchist or disturber
who is worthy Of ostracism and death
"In my judgment one of the first duties
of Kansas citizens, is to crush out this
spirit Of Intolerance.
There IS but one thing for me to do,
and that is to take the stump and preach
to the mulIitudes the gospel Of reform,
of humanity, of God
1--WE are confronted by a condition that
is appalling. The prices Of farm pro-
while labor is unemployed, and millions
of our cit zens beg and starve in the
midst Of plenty. These conditions have
been produced by a combination Of
Causes.
"First-We have been protected to
death.
second-We have given up too much
public domain to corporate and alien
ownership.
Thlrd-We have suffered all public
utilities to be owned aud operated by
corporations in their own interest, and
those corporations have systematically
robbed the people to Ill their own cot
fers.
Fourfh-We have granted too many
franchises to powerful com bines Of cap
itaL Instance the sugar trust and the
whisky trust, in whose interest the pres
ent congress has just Iegislated millions
of dollars out of the peoples pockets.
Flfth-Under the sanction and prOtec-
ton of the government the powerful
liquor traffic tilches from the people an
nually 81, 50,OOO.OJ0 or $50 per capita.
SIxth-By a series OF most damnable
Legislative enactment5 on record. Begin
ming more than thirty years ago, our ma
t.onaI congress has stealthilY proceeded
to enthrOne gold, contract the currency
and place the entire monetary system of
the country in the hands Of a few men in
whom greed is the only motive and per-
sonal interest the only cara.
Under this awful system 'the rich are
growing richer and the poor are growing
poorer" and t'thirty thousand Of the peO-
pie own more than half the wealth of
the nation"
After talking at length about Wall
street Mr. BOtkins continues:
1.-The reformers Of this country who
see their conditions and their course are
unfortunately divided. They must get
together. For thirteen years | have tar
ried in a party that has a larger proper
ton Of christian men than any other par
ty in the country. But il seems that Iarg 3
numbers Of church voters are determin-
Ell to close their eyes to the facts of his
tory and to present conditions and con-
tinue voting for the old order Of things
under which this country is and has been
for years on the down grade
Il am aware that the Peoples party
with which ] shall hencefOrth act. con
tains large number Of the best church
people and multitu1es of equally good
citizens.
1T is the party OF the great common
people, of the vast hosts of labor
Ing men aud producers. It proposes the
enforcement Of those principles aud
policies of government in which have
believed for years and which
in my judgment are essential 10 the per
peiuity of this republic
II can by no means endorse every ac1
OF the present administration, nor anJ
other human administration for tina
matter. / am convinced that the state
I convention might have acted more wisely
in some things, but I do not propose tc
4 begin my active work in this party D.
my latest choice by serving on the kick
I ing com mittee.
Now Brother Biddle have taken this
new departure because 1 am convinced
that the Peoples party affords me th'