The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-04-23
BY PEARSE PINCH.
The Celebrated EmpOria Divine
Raises His Voice
In the Pulpit Against MorrilFs
Course.
LOVERS OF ORD E E
Can Not Countenance the Kansas
Governor
In His Efforts to Degrade the
Law.
All Civil Order is Now in
Peril.

ale clearly ought to resume the
scepter or resign the office" These were
the closing words of the sermon in the
First Congregational church of EN-
poria last Sunday night by Rev. Pearse
Pinch. the pastor.
The text was from Romans 1874, "He
bearetu not the sword in vain" ''This,"
said the preacher, "was what Paul said
of the civil ruler in his day. The sword,
as the symbol of civil authority and the
instrument for enforcing it was not
vain thing in the hands of a man duly
chosen to bear it Our worthy governor
appears to have different concep-
ton of the matter The law he declares
can not be enforced where local public
sentiment is against it."
kansas is to be congratulated on
having a governor who has the courage
to admit openly a theory 80 disoredita-
bic, on which his predecessors have of
late years been secretly proceeding. His
Irankness has raised an issue on which
the friends of good government can not
afford to keep silent 1t is an issue in
volving far more than the question of
prohibition. 1t involves the question
of government itself. The power of a
great state to enforce the DEGREES of
majority as framed in law and sustained
by the courts, is called in question. If
Governor Morrill, thinks it is the temper
of the people of Kansas to accept that
position, it Is to be hoped for the sake of
good government within the state, that
be will find himself fearfulIy mistaken.
This is nothing but the old hated doc
trine of nullification with a new appIi-
cation. 1t will undermine all law and
all government
"GOvernor Morrill, will be much more
Of governor on PauPs conception of
ais Office than on this wretched theory
he has had the frankness to confess.
Let US see whether the law in ques-
tion cannot be enforced where local pub
lio sentiment is against it. The governor
IS authorized to appoint police commits
sioners for cities of the first class who
are empowered to completely supercede
the police regulations as locally estab-
lished 1t is their duty to turn out of
office the entire police force and the DO
lice justice and put in men of their own
choosing. Governor Morrill, can go into
Atchison, Leavenworth or Wichita and
pick out three men who will enforce the
law he can find them; no trouble about
that; they are there There is not city
in Kansas that has not ten righteous
men. There will be no shower of brim-
stone to burn up any Sodom within our
borders. Ten righteous men can be
found in the worst city we have, and
among that ten Will be three fit for police
commissions. Governor Morrill, can en-
force the law in six months so as to fix
it eternally in Kansas
"There are several reasons WHY the
law ought to be enforced 1t ought to
be done for the sake of genuineness.
General Grant spoke with characteristic
sagacity when he said that the best wav
to secure the repeal of a bad law is to
thoroughly enforce it, The opponents
of prohibition are not willing to risk that
test. They are afraid that enforcement
would make it popular even in the COM
muEltles that are now opposed to it. On
General Grants theory six months of
thorough enforcement would bring about
one or the other of two results; Either
the law would be seen to
be SO beneficial that almost every
body would want it, or else it would
become so odious that almost nobody
would want it. Let US know where we
are for once. Give US at least a chance
to know by actual trial whether this law
well carried out is the thing we want
"Ihe law ought to be thoroughly car
ried out just because it is the law Any-
thing else lies in the direction of an
archy. Our government was once almost
wrecked by the assumption that local
public sentiment may nullify the acts Of
government Our governor surely could
NV AoNO uC0 buo LQ6dnlQR OF
words. He compels US to choose
between government and anarchy and to
part company with our honoredsgovernor
In doing So If this law of ours is to
suffer notification in one community
after another where executive power
weakly abdicates the authority conferred
by the choice of u great people. the
slow disintsgration of law will prepare
the soil and sow the seeds of anarchy.
1hen 1t will only need the irrigation of
strong drink, no longer checked by law
10 bring forth harvests of chaos from
which the state will not recover in CEN
turles. 1t Is question of something
other and greater than prohibition. It is
question of the continuance of onr
civil order ~A
"The law should be enforced. because
Is something new in the government of
eiIies The problem of our cities is com
ing 10 be one of the most serious with
~hlch the American people have to deal.
oonethlng more than the simple prime
lple OF local self government seems to he.
necessary to save the state and the ma
'lon from the influence of municipal mis-
RUE and corruption. The peculiar law
VI hansas, If faithfully carried out NAV
demonstrate for other states wav to
step IN and regulate their cities when
1ney 90 not govern themselves arioht
we ought to demand of our cover1or
mat he shall fully demonsfrata +ba
merits OF this law 1t is his dntv and
Opportunity to show that local public