The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-15
THEY ARE FOR MORRILL,.
Doctor Hewitt, President of the
EmpOria College,
A Member of the Synod Of Kan
sas, Says
Nearly All the Presbyterian Ministers
viii Vote for Morrill,

At the close Of the meeting OF the
Presbyterian synod of Kansas in ses-
sion here recently. it was stated in this
paper that a supporter OF the hide
pendent Temperance ticket has taken
the trouble to sound the delegates to
the state synod Of the Presby terian
church which is now in sssion in this
city. and he says that he has yet to find
the first one that viii support the pres
enl administration at the polls this
fall They are either going to scratch
the head Of the ticket or they will vote
for one Of the Prohibition candidates"
The statement was made by The
Journal as a news item and on what
this paper considered good and reli-
able authority, namely that Of Secre-
tary Stevens of the State Temperance
union and one Of the ministers belong
ing To the Topeka. presbytery-
Major c. Hood of Emporia doubted
the statement and wrote Rev. DR.. Hew-
lit. president of the College of En-
p0ria a member of the synod
The reply shows that Presbyterian
ministers very generally mean to vote
for the entire Republican state ticket.
lit should be remembered in this con-
nection. however. that The Journal
published the resolutions exactly as
they were adopted and also published
the rejected resolution as one not
adopted.
The Journal always means to give the
news and is anxious not to be mlSled.
The following is DR. Hewitts' letter:
Emporia. Kan, Oct. IA, 1896.
Major @. Hood. Emporia, kan:
Dear Sir-Replying to your inquiry
as to the publication in the various
newspapers of what purp0rted to be
action of the Pres yterian synod of
Kansas in reference to the political sit
uation and in view Of the widespread
misunderst landing which has been pro-
duced I think it right that you should
be exactly informed az to what was
really done.
The matter which was SO grossly mis-
represented came up in series of res
buttons presented to the synod by the
temperance committee. These resolu-
tions were three in number, and read
a follows:
..First-Resolved. That we do not re-
gard the prohibition law Of this state
failure. but Will continue to work for
its maintenance and enforcement, and
we urge all our church members and
temperance people of the state to do the
same.
Second-Resolved. That we depre-
cate the effort by secret organization
or otherwise to undermine the present
pr0hibitory law, and we call upon all
the members Of OUT churches ana tenn
perance people thr0ug bout the state as
they value the welfare of the state and
the interests of Christ's cause, to re-
sist all efforts to entangle them in any
secret order that seeks return to
licensed liquor traffic
.'Third- Resolved, That the synod of
Kansas as q temperance body hereby
affirms its continued adherence to con-
stituti0nal prohibition. We favor and
urge a persistent enforcement of the
law. and sternly condemn any and
every effort to weaken It's operation or
to resubmit the question"
The third resolution of the bOve
series was a substitute for one offered
by the committee which was rejected
by the synod.
That you may know exactly where
the synod stands, I quote the rejected
resolution.
Third Resolved. That we urge upon
the members of our churches and all
temperance people to weigh well their
duty in this hour of our states need,
and whether they ought to vote for a
candidate known to favor and work for
the repeal of the prohibitory law"
You see that this even in its most Of
fensiVe form is very mild, yet the synod
rejected it for fear some designing
enemy might possibly cOnstrue it as
aimed particularly against Governor
Morrill,
I affirm from personal knowledge
that of the 206 ministers Of our church
in this state, nearly all viii vote the
straight Republican ticket this fall I
know very many of these men person
ally. I know their views and purposes. \
7 am acquainted with their record, and
I am sure that the synod of Kansas is
overwhelmingly in favor of and will
vote for the Republican candidates
for all of them Yours sincerely,
r q