The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-15
NEWAIAN'S INTER FER ENCE
POLITICS.

Bishop John P Newman has return
ed into the sea of politics and he has
discovered to his great grief that it is
exceedingly hot water. Deeming him
self better than other men CHS calling
should make him better, but it does not
he started in to abuse the Populists
and call them all sorts of names. He
said that it was his purpose to tell the
one thousand ministers under his
charge that it was their duty to use
the pulpit to fight the heresy of free
silver, declaring he intended to do it.
This brought forth a protest from
member Of the Methodist church, the
eastern member of the national execu-
tive committee of the Peoples party,
Mr.. G. F. Washburn, of Boston, Mass
The language he used was plain and to
the point. 1t succeeded in drawing out
from the doctor reply, which was in
part as follows:
But whether Populists are good
American citizens or not is question
too large for you and me to settle by
controversy. The American people will
decide that next November, when, by
a magnificent ma ority, they will elect
two men who sand four-square on
hundred cents IN an honest dollar.
should feel badly to have Brother
Washburn forsake his church, but he
had better do that than pay his pastor
fifty-three cents on dollar.
never preach politics, but patriotism
and financial honesty is a cardinal viz
tue of a patriot L have a great re-
spect for the nativebo American,
but good many native-born American
citizens fought for the confederacy and
for the degradation of labor. | am
glad in the belief that our noble Amer
lean farmers are keen enough to escape
this silver mania, and who, in the
clear, bracing air of the coming No
vember. will vote for that true Ameri-
can of Ohio and for that other true
American of New Jersey, who will re-
deem our country's power and glory.
This in turn brings forth a rejoinder
from Mr. Washburn in which he re-
quests Dr. Newman to keep out of
politics, closing his letter with this
keen and cutting remark: Your incor-
rect statements indicate that you have
given your attention to theology and
not to money questions, hence I advise
you to study it instead of talking it."
This advice given DR.. Newman to
keep out of politics is excellent, so ex-
cellent that it is to be feared he will
not follow it. He has no business in
politics, that is, as a bishop of the
Methodist church. When he uses his
ecclesia stical position to influence the
course of politics, no matter for sghom
or for what he may use it, it is a di-
rect interference by the church with
the state He has no more right to so
interfere than the ministers and priests
of other denominations; and because
he thinks it will prove popular thing
to try and shout down silver does not
! in the least diminish his offense. Some
how or other the mixing of religion and
politics has the effect to let the devil
loose
It is impossible to suppress the
thought that DR.. Newman's great zeal
for an honest dollar and the good
name of the country is very largely
prompted by the fact that the candi-
date whom he favors, that true Amer
lean of Ohio is member of his own
church. He is not to be blamed for
this. but he must not make preten-
sions to a higher, holier patriotism
than his fellow countrymen, who do
not agree with him in politics, possess.
1t is much easier for him to make his
claim than to establish his pretensions.