The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-18
DID THEY MEAN IT2
Are the Kansas Christian Endeavor
Voters
GOING TO LEAVE THE REPUBLICANS?

UOINU ~ Lhhfh 1u1 0bIUDLlShNo
Editor Lewis Roby of the Christian
Endeavorer says That at Least 1000
OF Them VIII Vote the Third Party
Ticket
The old party politicians who know all
about the situation in Kansas. are not
taking into consideration the fact that
there is a new element in politics in this
state this year.
In the August number Of the Kansas
Endeavorer, the official organ Of the
Kansas Y. P. S. c. E. Editor Lewis l.
Roby stirred up a hornets nest.
Editor Roby published some resolu-
tions adopted by the 7. p. 5. c. E. state
convention. and in commenting on them
took the ground that the convention
meant what it said by the adoption of
the resolutions, which are as follows:
Sec g. That we commend to the local socie-
ties the careful study Of .sCbristian citizen
ship, in its bearing upon the political. social,
ment of higher and better standard of citi-
zenship-
Sec A. That we pledge ourselves to labor for
the suppression of vice, and immortality and
incompetence. And. as the suppression Of the
saloon system IS the supreme issue q our state,
we demand the enforcement OF existing laws on
this subject; and hereby absolve ourselves
abandOns prohibition IN Kansas. even if tnat
In commenting on the resolutions Edi-
tor Roby said: "Since that time the Re
publican, the Democratic and the Popu-
list state conventions has been held.
and each of them have positively refused
to endorse or support prohibition. Theirs
is the cowardice of silence"
Several political organs at once pro-
tested that Mr. ROby did not represent
the Christian EndeavOrers of Kansas, and
charged that he was trying to turn the
organization into political machine be-
cause he said: The only remaining
party IN the state, the Prohibition party,
has taken bold stand for the principles
we advocate, and they invite our votes
and support"
In the September number of the En-
deavOrer, Editor Roby says his position
has been generally indorsed by the lead.
ing mem ers of the organization which
he represents.
To a STATE JOURNAL reporter today he
said: 1T is not my purpose to turn our
society into a political machine. but
l simply took the ground that the resO-
lutiOns meant what they said, and / am
now satisfied that they did.
"The committee on resolutions which
reported that resolution was composed
of three preachers who had always voted
and affiliated with the Republican party;
they were Rev B. L smith of Topeka,
Rev. VIM. Foukes of Salina, and Rev.
w. l. Garges Of Sterling. If these men
had known that the Republican state
convention would ignore prohibition
when it assem- bled, they might not have
reported resolutions wOrded lust as those
adopted by the convention, but 1 have
been assured by the chairman of the
committee on resolutions that l could
have said nothing less and that the resO-
lutiOns meant just as I had Interpreted
them
There are between 5000 and 5000
voters in our society in the state out Of
the 10000 mem bers, and about 5000 of
that number are young men who Will
cast their first ballots this fall 1 have
heard from not less than two thousand
voters in the society, either by letter or
by meeting them personally, who agree
with me that they will stand by the resO-
lutiOns adopted by the state convention
"Of course there sic large number of
voting mem ber5 of the organization who
will continue to vote the old party tickets;
some Of them have personal reasons for
80 doing, but there will be enough to act
independently to make a showing which
will convince the politicians for revenue
only, that our demands must be recOg-
nized if they want our votes.
Il have just received a letter from H.
w. Rule president of the Wichita c. Il.
Union. man who has been a voter many
years and he says my position is all right
and is endorsed by q majority of the
mem bers of the society in that part of
the state who Will act independently IN
politics this year for the first time.
PERSONALLY I have always been a Re-
publican. have voted the Republican
ticket for the last eight years, but that
party must be purified if it wants my
continued support"
In line with this action Of the Y. P. S.
G. T. to vote independently in politics
and refuse to support any party opposed
to or failing to endorse prOhi bitiOn. the
Methodist preachers in most of the dis
trict conferences of the state have taken
similar action.
1t is true that they have adopted reso-
lutions of similar nature every year
since prohibition has been an issue in
Kansas and have continued to vote the
Republican ticket, but this is the first
year the Republican party has
failed to make some mention of
prohibition in its platform, so that it can
be expected at least a small per cent of
these preachers will vote Independently
this year who have heretofore allied
themselves with the old parties.
The political managers have not
been figuring on this new element IN
Kansas politics, and it may be. if the vote
is close at the November election, this
independent vote will decide the result
GERONIMO'S BRAVES.