The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1899-09-01
CHURCH MEN AND POLITICS.
The Plain Duty OF Christians
let In Public Affairs.

teto VI Nhc boopGh ano OCep AeNSt-
euce for all the teachings Of the Holy
Bible, we beg a serious audience with
you for few moments.
The excitement which Is now shak.
Ing our State from center to clrcumS
ference, produced by the proceedings
Of the late 30 called Democratic con.
ventlon In Louisville. has enlisted the
feelings OF almost every man on one
side or the other, and It behooyes
every lover Of morality. who has the
welfare Of his State and posterity At
heart. % ask himself the question:
What Is the cause Of all this tumult1
What does all this meant WHITTIER
are we drifting1 Why is our political
condition so corrupt that ministers
and other trniy religious people are
afraid to go to the polls and vote. or
even raise their voices on the subj ect,
for fear ali decent people viii look mp.
on them as degraded and befouled as
with the vomit Of the carrion crown
The answer is found In the fact that
ministers and church members keep
away from primaries. conventions
and the polls and abandon the whole
matter to political tricksters, robbers.
buns and thugs. and as an eminent
divine has recently said: "Why the
decent men Of all parties do not rise
up, take this matter Into their own
hands and relegate to the rear the
whisky drinking, Doodle element pun.
zles rs very much. Unless there Is a
reformation on political lines revo.
luton will be the inevitable result.
But are not christian people who
keep away from the primaries and
conventions largely to blame for the
existing state of thingl Let them
mend their ways or repent In saek~
cloth and ashes"
1t does not require the ken o ( a
prophet to see that the trend Of politis
cal affairs In our State will ultimate
IN the Acknowledgement of the people.
The seed Sown In Music hall Is sure
to produce a harvest Of poisonous
truit unless the honest people rise and
pat the seal of their condemnation up
on the inquitous practices Of the pc.
litieal demagogue.
The crIsis has come, the Issue n
upon us, and 1t must be met, and It
Is not too much to say that God will
not hold rs guiitless II We stand by
with sealed lips and seli,stifled infiu>
ences and see our sacred rights crush
ed by the political dictator. and the
temple OF our liberty torn down by
ruthless and crime stained hands.
The daring Of political adventures
has already reached that point where
they proposed that the Overwhel-
ming majority shall yield to the die
tation Of a small minority; yes, even
to one man. Thls Is digging mp OF
the very foundation stone upon which
the templeOf our liberty rests and will
lead to the,enactmeht Of such laws as
will suit the thugs and thieves who
put them In play. while We sO~caIled
christian people stand back and say:
~ can't afford to have anything to do
with It; my character will be cOntam-
mated by IT," and Il will grow from
bad to worse, until las Is nearly tine
case now) q decent woman will hard>
ly dare to walk the streets alone, or
the farmer to his work IN the field. or
the laborer to his toll, free from fear
OF assassins by the way.
The crimson has many a time come
to my cheeks as men oithe world have
accused the so-called christian people
Of being to blame for the existing
state of affairs, and we have secretly
felt that 1t was only too true. They
say; "You eomplalu Of gambling. Of
the description Of the Sabbath, Of all
the deus OF vice so common In the
community; why dou't you help to
nominate and elect good men and
true, who are above the ring and the
machiue; who will conserve the inter-
ests Of the whole people. that we may
be prosperous. viTtuous and happy"
You say, "oh. ] vote for the eandi-
date Of my party" But did itsver
occur to you that Ia voting for the
man you are indorslug his methodist
We see a man who asks as TO vote
for him for Governor who secured his
nomination BY deception and fraud
and corruption. and who. with only
about two tsnths OF his party In his
favor. dlsfranchised 5aa Of the dele
gates who were the only represeuta-
tlves Of the people, and put In their
stead irresponsible persons committed
to vote for him, and that being d ne.
line the hall and stage with armed pO-
lice and desperate men to make him~
self your candidate by iofcs. We AJAX
You a. honest. not to say christian
men. can you lndorse all thar Yet
you must do II In order to favor the
man.
II you are . Democrat let me say 70
you that at Lexington. on the 10th
day Of August. the Democratic party.
with marvellous uuanlmlty. placed Be.
fore the people Of Kentucky Tor Cow