The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-15
moral hazards incident to military

While because of an oversight on the
Fart OF the secretary this report was not
signed. Chairman Evans. of the central
Illinois Conference, stated that the fol-
lowing members had been favorable to the
report Chairman Evans. Prof. ]. w.
Bashford, Cincinnati: Samuel Dickie. ed
itor of the New Voice; Herbert T. Ames,
of the Central Pennsylvania Conference
and DR.. G. Z. Stockwell, of the Troy. y.
Y, Conference. Delegate NJ. N Johnson
had objection to one Of the sections of the
general report concerning Prohibition
states, and DR.. Price had prepared mi
nority report on the three paragraphs re-
ferring to the President
MINORITY REPORT
The minority report consisted of quo
tation from the episcopal address and read
as follows: Aroused and indignant at the
aggressions of the liquor power; at the
inexcusable miscarriage of the canteen law
and at the new perils in which the Nation
is involving its new possessions, the church
will summon and pledge all our ministers
and people to a more determined struggle
against this enormous evil. and urge each
to contribute thereto according to his
Judgment. his testimony, his example and
his ballot
A motion to adopt this portion of the ma
jority report, followed closely by a motion
to substitute for 1t the minority report,
opened the question to heated discussion.
The argument of w. b. Howard, lay
delegate from the Eastern New York Con-
ference, that the majority report was an
effort to "belittle public Official" brought
forth the reply from DR.. d. Parr. of North
Indiana, that 'the report could belittle no
one when il spoke the truth. / contributed
to the presidential situation as far as
was able, but l do not answer for the
future" said DR.. Parr. IF a man makes
a mistake. let him take the consequences.
but let the church face toward the
right.
A dozen calls for recognition when DR..
Parr yielded the floor and DR.. r. II. Gill
bert, of central Pennsylvania, after an IL
lustration of a sailor who criticised SER
mon, because there was no harpoon In
it," said: 'T-don't believe in taking the
harpoon out of our report by making the
substitute, which perhaps was the best
the episcopl board would offer, but which Is
beneath this committee. There is only one
right side to this question"
In the cries for recognition which fol-
lowed DR.. F. H. Linch, Of West Virginia,
who was acting as temporary secretary.
secured the floor and called forth volley
of disapproval when he said:
II favor the substitute, first, because 1t
Is more statesmanlike, and second, be-
cause 1t is more likely to pass In the Gen.
eral Conference. There are men in the con-
ference, and powers they are too. who will
not stand for the least word of condemna-
ton or personal criticism of the President
or the administration. At the least word
of remuneration they will arise and slap
you in the face. We are not all together
on this great question of temperance. Why
will you take this means to further sep
arate us? Harpoon principle as much as
you will, but it isn't necessary to harpoon
an Individual"
DIR. EATON'S VIEWS.
DR.. Eaton, of the Des Moines Conference.
took exception to the imputation that the
committee had to frame its report to suit
the General Conference, and referred to
claim that the President had been present
at beer banquet in Milwaukee and
was friendly to the liquor interests. I'VE
might have made those claims part OF
the report" said DR.. Eaton; 1--WE might
have made the report more personal, with
good grounds. In fact. the arraignment
of the President is mild in comparison to
what we might have made it,
Following the line set by DR.. Eaton, DR..
w. d. Marsh, Of Little Falls, N. Y, said,
in answer to DR.. Lynch: Let the friends
of the administration in the General Con-
ference kill this report If they will. They
may slaughter the report, but the people
will have something to say on the ques-
ton which the report concerns-a curse
which has been forced upon our soldiers.
One of the greatest opportunities of the
Methodist Church in a moral way is now
before it."
r. H. Rose, layman from st. Louis, who
frankly announced himself a Democrat,
said: II hold the remarks of the secretary
in bad taste. Is the General Conference
the boss? Must we ask the General Con-
ference what to do? Must we refuse to act
for fear the General Conference will sit
down on us? Let the committee have the
courage of it's convictions and let the con-
ference do as Ii pleases."
The reference made by Mr.. Rose to his
political afiliation called forth the state
ment from DR.. Henry Brown, of the Co
lumbia River Conference, that 'if the Pres
ident were Democrat the committee
would not hesitate to denounce him and
that the committee could not afford to sac
rifice principle for a personal friendship.
The vote to make the substitute was lost
and the original report was adopted The
remainder of the report will be taken up
at the meeting of the committee Wednes-
day and will probably be adopted as read.
There is a probability, however, that the
minority report submitted by DR.. Price may
be added to the general report.
Delegate Johnson took exception to the
portion of the report which read as follows:
I'VE deplore the fact that our general gov
eminent by it's internal-revenue system,
continues to give legal recognition to so
corrupt business, and especially do We
condemn the course of the government in
accepting and collecting revenue from per-
sons in prohibition towns or States who
are known to the officers of the Treasury
Department TO be engaged in the violation
were opposed and the section of the re-
port was adopted.
The committee to which was referred all
the questions which came up in the dis
cussion of the report of the committee on
the organic law of the church organized
to-day with DR.. Buckley chairman and
DR.. John F. Goucher as secretary. The
committee may report tomorrow.
TWO NEW BISHOPS.
After stormy session the committee on
episcopacy to-day decided to recommend
to the General Conference that two new
bishops be elected to provide for possible
deaths on the board during the next four
years. The body voted down report from
a subcommittee in favor of petitioning the
conference to elect colored bishop. In
stead of making direct recommendation
on this question the committee reported
a revised version of the declaration