The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-08-05

the Publishing House claim, from
the pen of Hon. Jordan Stokes, APP
peared in the Nashville American
of the date of July "a, and, as it
gives rise to several new points, it is
presented to our readers:
1t is to be deeply regretted that the
various arguments touching the Metho-
dist Publishi House claim have drirted
away from the real issue and degener-
ated into personalities. This unfortu-
nate matter should be considered in the
calm light of reason, and that course
OF action adopted by the church which
is most conducive to the upbuilding of
the Christian religion ana most con
sonant " it'll the teachings of our be-
loved Master.
There are but three issues in which
the church is deeply interested, and, in
determining the truth concerning them,
bitter feelings and personalities should
be avoided, and the truth arrived at,
and then such measures adopted by the
church as will commend it, not only to
the love of its membership, but to the
respect of the world.
These issues are:
|. Was the contract made with Mr..
Stahlman illegal?
2. Did the servants, employees or
agents of the church, by false represen-
tatiOn or the suppression of the ttuth,
obtain this money for the church?
3. If they did, or if the contract was
! illegal, will the church keep the money
and, by so doing, ratify such actions OF
! its agents?
| Many arguments have been and are
being made which do not touch this
issue. For example, it is said that the
claim is a Just one, and that the money
ought to have been appropriated by
| Congress. Suppose that is true, it does
not follow that it was right for the
representatives of the church to resort
to deceptive and deceitful methods to
obtain it, A party has no right to make
false representations so as 20 take his
claim out of the statute of limitations
though the claim may be ever so just
The law of our land requires, not only
that the claim be just, but also that he
who seeks the machinery of the cour
to enforce it must do so with clear
hands. Our law books are full Of caset
where parties with just claims hav,
sought to invoke the aid of the courts
in their enforcement, and, because o
fraudulent and wrong methods resOrteC
to by the party, the court has repealed
the attorney from afterwards practic
ling law. 10 say, therefore, that tn,
claim was just one is no answer to the
charge of deception made as to tn
manner in which it was collected
1t is also insisted that the Senator
had no right to ask the question as t.
whether any compensation WAS to b.
b. paid. Suppose that is true, then Their
was one Of two courses for the repre-
sentatives of the church to pursue
namely, to decline to answer or to tel
the truth. Nothing short of this shoult
be tolerated by church. BY under
taking to answer the question, tn
right of the Senators to ask the queS
ton was admitted, and it cannot nov
be said that false or misleading an
swer was justified because Of want o
authority to ask the question. If wit
ness in our courts were permitted T.
adopt this method, trial would be
farce; the witness could sit in iudg
ment upon the questions asked hin
and answer truthfully only such ques
tons as he thought were right AM
proper, and could answer falsely thos
he considered as being asked withou
authority.
1t is also insisted that it is customar
to pay agents or lobbyists to work Il
!
ought to have known that this was D
exception to the general rule Suppos
that is true, then what justification ca
it be to the action of the agents OF tn
church who sought to create the in
preston, by their presentations tina
this claim, was an exception IT, the ger
eral rule, when, as a matter of fact,
was not? The wrong in this matte
that affects us lies, not in the fact tina
it is customary to pay lobbyists to wor
up such claims, and that the Senator
knew of such custom, but it lies in tn
: fact that the agents sought to make tn
Senators believe that this claim was a
exception to the rule, and that no con
pensation was being paid, when, as
matter of fact, they knew there was.
1t is also insisted that the partie
making the alleged false represents
tions are men of the highest mora
character. Suppose that be true, it wa
: that very character that caused sue
confidence to be given the represents
, tions. If made by parties of less cha
, acter, further investigation would hav
been made and the truth developed
The good character Of the party mai
ing the representation is no evidenC
of the ruth or falsity of such represer
9 tatiou, nough it may be looked to q
= eNlu6nCe SnOWllE lDbGub dCbudblIR III
r party making the same. If the reprt
sensations be false, then certainly til
good character of the party would NJ
justify the same.
] Some parties seem inclined to b.
3 cloud the matter, and, instead of NEE
ing the issue, criticise others who hay
expressed opinions touching the sam
These are new tactics. All of us hay
many times heard lawyers, when d.
d Tending desperate cases, say very littl
about the case, but abuse most bitterl
other parties in some way connecte
with it, Some are inclined to CRITICS
= the Senators for instituting an invest
Y cation, and say that they have made
e show of themselves Certainly no tru
[ friend of the Methodist Church woul
4 advance such an argument. Light, M
darkness, is the cardinal principle
every Christian church. If an agent
the church is guilty of a wrong, I'll
Z church should never condone the wror
, by concealment of the fact or critics
!, those who have brought it to ligh
n church should have no skeleton benin
Z the door. To criticise the Senators f
y having the investigation does not a
y quit the parties charged, but puts tho
. making the criticism in line with tn
e class of people who believe that no a
{ constitutes a crime unless detection fC
n lows-in other words, that it is not Il
b act, but the fact, that it is brought
>. light that constitutes the offense.
N this same connection, certain parti
!, are very severe in their denunciatiOn
n certain preachers, notably DR.. Ste