The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-03
WHITNEY'S DEMANDS.
Republicans Cannot Afford TO Surren-
der Their Cardinal Principles.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
The beg-pardon methods of some would
be Republican leaders. lest they drive away
the Whitneys and other half-awakened
Democratic sinners, reminds me Of a true
story. About ffty-five years ago a stall
wart old Methodist preacher. known every
where as Uncle Jimmy JONES'" was pastor
CT a little handful of Methodists In the
town of Vevay. He was famous as a re-
v~ivalist, SO that wherever he went a re-
vival Of unusual magnitude was expected.
His method was what was then new among
Methodists, as we'll as other churches-a
protraeted meeting, often continuing a
month or more, resulting in the conversion
of scores and sometimes OF hundreds.
About midwinter he began one OF those
meetings in Vevay without the aid of that
modern appliance called an evangelist. 1t
had continued a week or SO without any
very remarkable incident. when a little
coterie Of bon ~vivants. the chief OF whom
was Dean kelso, a local politician of
unreliable party affiliations, home just then
on the holiday recess of the Legislature,
we'll filled with wine. propoed that they go
the next night TO church and surprise the
preacher and his little congregation by ali
going forward for prayers in a body.
Enough of the scheme leaked out the next
day for it to reach the ears OF the old
preacher. He caught on" at once and re-
solved not to be taken In by their impious
project. SO when they carried out their
plans he made no more ado over them.
and would allow others to make no more,
than over common sinners, which
was to them a sad disappointment to
begin with. To carry out their joke they
attended meetings for some time with
meek sincerity, but they did not deceive
the experienced old circuit rider, who was
an old-imer in doctrine as well as in
methods. He believed in hell-nre, and a
great deal or II for a certain class of sin
ners, and he determined TO take advantage
or their mockery to give them q liberal
portion in due season; hence his sermons.
brimstony. 1t was not just the doctrine
they relished, but he only made that other
place all the hotter on that account. After
a Few days endurance of such preaching.
MI. kelso, as the spokesman of the coterie.
said: Mr.. Jones, ii you don't quit preach
I you n Miil dri nnd as campaign ai aMa so from Tig0r0 yoIy
church" Il can't help that. Mr.. Kelso."
answered the faithful old preacher. THAT'S
pect TO be Methodists you must quit all
evil practices which incur hell-fre and
elimination. If you intend to drink and
swear and carouse as you have been i'm the
habit of doing. the sooner you get out of
the church, or, rather, the sooner you quit
pretending to get I'm. the better This
plain speech was at first much deplored by
those of the brethren who had seen i'm the
movement a large accession of wealth and
|.social influence to their members. but later
on they were satisfied that the best inter-
ests. il not the life of the church, were
conserved by it.
OF course. it was not long before the en-
tire lot of them ceased to make any pre-
tensions 70 a religious life, and again re-
sumed their cups and their cards. il in
deed they had even suspended them during
the episode in which they hoped 10 make
the preacher tone down his orthodoxy TO
meet their demand: and the preacher main
tanned his seif-respect and influence. while
the church escaped entire demolition.
Three months ago there was not an intel
ligent man in America that even pretended
10 think II possible 10 prevent a restoration
of the Republican party to full power by
the almost unanimous demand of the peo-
pie, who had marked the absolute failure
OF the Democratic party at every point and
aster to the change of policy which IL had
brought about; and every Republican was
bold TO affirm his faith in whatever was
distinctively Republican,. including the COM
pick but corrected measures which had
for seventeen years maintained the exist
of assaults upon IL from every side. But
now come the Whitneys and Hills of the
ne nem in 2 bodpy parry IL w anu wifi pT0p onIg 70 ton eom Down 10
our creed to suit them and quit preaching
the wholesome doctrines OF protection and
\ RECIPROCITY dil tNCIE II IL lidA ~ us
tinctly Republican; and some Republicans
are short-sighted enough to think that
would be good politics. Out upon such po-
litical cowardicei We want. Just now, an
army of Uncle Jimmy Jonses who will
hurl at them true political orthodoxy, all
the more vigorously because they do not
like TO hear it, and the most of that they
like the least. We need to take no new
stand on coinage. and least of all on pro-
t teeIion n and mse, reciprocity Sof the income oasee sufl,
of n thousand Dan Kelsoes would
have justified Mr.. Jones In lower
ing the standard OF morality which
his church had established on the author
ity of the Bible; no more can the co-opera-
ton of a thousand Whitneys compensate
for the lowering of our standards of poiit-
ical faith. The capture OF the party or
ganization by the organs OF the party is
was wise when he said to Mr.. Kelso. III
you men intend TO quit your evil ways the
Methodist Church is a good place for you.
but we cannot afford TO adjust our creed to
your habits" If the Whitneys of the late
Democratic party are in earnest and want
to renounce the policy which has brought
on present conditions, the Republican party
is a good place for them. but We cannot
afford 10 adjust our creed to meet their
views nor cease to magnify protection and
reciprocity and q limited silver coinage just
because they propose TO become one of US,
vet adhering TO all their bad political ways.
Hence my voice is still for war. We will
take sir. whitney in If he will come in on
trial. in the old Methodist fashion. but he
must not come In proposing AZ. the begin
ming TO cmasculate the Republican party
erto successful measures or the sins of the
| TIarancraf tia marty GEIs