The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-06
"THE ISSUE OF 1900"
A Few Plain Remarks Addressed to the
PrepOsterOus "VOice."
Washington Post.

washington Post.
The New Voice, national organ of prohi-
bition, defines 1.-THE Issue of 1900" Strange
as it may appear. its definition is not the
old one. 1t is not whether the licensed sa-
loon is TO be or not to be; not whether the
traffic in liquors shall be regulated or out
lawed The Voice, in behalf of 1.-The
church., using that term in the general
sense as including all the churches, has
declared war on the administration IT is
very grim-visaged war. with a phenome-
nally wrinkled front that absolutely refuses
to be smoOthed. The Voice begins a col
umn of chuntering and malediction with
the declaration that the honor of the
church is the issue of 1900" 1t accuses the
administration of all sorts, sizes and va
rieties of sin, including, of couise, "the
army saloon II says: 1.-THE present Re-
publican administration, sure beyond a
question of denomination, demands the
Christian vote of the country, and as
reason points to ITSELF 1t declares that
the administration cracks its lash over
religious conferences and assemblies and
shouts at every conscience that dareS to
stand with protest, Bow down. while it's
organs pour abuse and insult at those who
rally under the true standard of the church
and fill the air with confused falsehood to
divert the attention of the less thought
full" 1t further declares that "as to the
relation of the vote that represents the
Christian sentiment of the country to the
political parties that are to be used as the
agencies for expression of the peoples will
there is but one question-will the Repub-
leans hold it or will it so to the Prohibit
tionists? The Democrats are out of the
question" For all these reasons, and for
many others that we have not room for to-
day, '.the vital question of the hour is not
who or what will win, but where will the
church stand? Even the success of the
cause of prohibition is, in a sense minor TO
this issue
1t might be deemed impairment to ask
the Voice to exhibit it's credentials as or
gan of 1.-The church." Although there is no
single denomination or sect for which ii
has a right to speak. nor any one whose
members would not contemptuously resent
its presumption, 1t may be permitted to
pose as mouthpiece for "the church at
upon to protest against its audacity.
The Post is inclined to believe that the
members of the various churches will dis
tribute their votes this year as they have
hitherto done, each voting for the candi-
date of his own party And IL the Voice
persists in its scurrilous abuse of Mr.. Nc
Kinley the Prohibition vote may shrink
and shrivel into even smaller proportions
than 1t showed in the returns of 1896.
If the New Voice, mounted on its pima
Gle of righteousness. were not immeasura-
BILE above suspicion, its spirit might be
grieved by a cruel suspicion of its motive.
The political party for which it speaks
controlled one presidential election a few
years ago. and at least one of the man.
ayers of the deal by which that result was
accomplished demanded compensation in
the shape of an honorable and lucrative
office. But he didn't get it.