Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-10
CHRISTIANS MIX IN Politics.
Workers I'm the Churches Declare for
Better officials.


While nothing will be done that can be
construed into the endorsement of any set
Of candidates or the nominees OF any party
at the coming municipal elections. an eff
fort is being made to unite the church people
of the cities of the state in an effort to get
better men for municipal Offices
This object is being sought through the
organization of a Christan citizenship COM
mittee in each town and city where there is
Young Peoples Society Of Christian En-
deavor or any similar organization of young
people in the church work. The depart
ment OF Christian citizenship was formed
by the Christian Endeavor society of the
state some time ago, and the department
placed in charge of Clarence II. Judson of
this city. Mr.. Judson has bsen devoting
as much of his time as possible to this work
and Is In correspondence with the officers
OF the different Endeavor societies of the
state with the view of uniting them in a
movement for better government in the local
elections that will be held throughout the
state next month.
When Mr.. Judson sent out his first letters
few days ago he created something of a
sensation In the ranks of the asprants for
political preferment. He has been besieged
by candidates from all parties and asked
whom he proposed to endorse in the COM
ing city campaign. His answers have been
uniformly the same. He says 1t is not the
plan nor the purpose of the Christian citizen
ship committee to endorse eny candidate
or set of candidates. The object of the
organization is to encourage Christian citi-
zens to take part in the primaries of the
different parties, and to endeavor to secure
the nomination of good men. No effort is
made to induce any man to change his
politics unless his party noininatas a candi-
date who is obnoxious to the Christian
citizen, and in that case the citizen is asked
to lay aside his partsanship and support the
best man for the office regardless of po-
litical affiliations.
Mr.. Judson has prepared a letter for the
Endeavor societies of the state in which he
sets forth the objects Of the new department
Of young peoples work in the church and
public affairs. He makes 1t plain that the
Christian citizenship is not an effort to force
young peoples societies into politics nor to
engage the church, as an organization, in
political work, but is simply the application
of the teachings of Jesus Christ to public
affairs; the Christian people standing unitedly
against evil in public places. Following are
some of the objects and plans of the COM
mittee as explained by Mr.. Judson:
ut believes 1t to be the duty of every
Christian voter: L. To go tosthe primaries
and to oppose the nomination of corrupt
men. 2. To go to the polls and to oppose the
election of corrupt nominees. 3. To use
every influence to purify the ballot and the
franchise. '.a
''It is the apathy and carelessness of good
citizens that has let so many corrupt poll
tlcldtS lHtO ONCE anu tnat mas wasted our
national life, and Christian citizenship calls
upon every Christian to shake off this sleep
of Indifference and rouse to the work of
{, ~
study the situation in your own neghbor-
hood as regards the Sunday question non
enforcement of law, the Illegal! selling of
liquor, etc. See that a full attendance of
Christian voters is secured at primaries and
See that facts are made known
the unworthiness Of candidates
from Christian standpoint Let the officers
Of the law knew that you are with them in
the enforcement of law