The Topeka state journal., 1902-04-21
OPEN The FIGHT.
Ministerial Union Wants Candi-
date For County Attorney.
An Address on Moral Conditions
is AdOpted.

~A-N-O cC~-e
A crusade that has for its object the
election of avowed prohibitionists for
the offices of trust and responsibility in
the city of Topeka and Shawnee county
has been begun by the committee on
public morals of the Topeka Ministerial
union.
IN presenting a set of resolutions at
the meeting of the Union this morning,
Rev Chas. NJ Sheldon asserted that
the time was propitious for announcing
an independent candidate for the office
of county attorney.
There has been a great deal of dis
satisfaction expressed among the mem
bers of the Republican party with the
present tenant and nominee for the Oh
flee. CSalen Nichols" declared Rev. DR..
Sheldon, and if we are able to secure
a strong man to make the effort to Sc
cure the election we viii have many
things to our advantage. We Will be
able to draw many Republican votes.
The following is the set of resolutions
offered by Mr.. Sheldon and read before
the members of the Union:
Your committee on public morals
calls the attention not only of the Union
but of the public to the fact that so far
as some of our city and county officers
are concerned the prohibitory law IS not
being enforced and we are living under
a reign of anarchy. We wish to empha-
size the fact that some of our city and
county officers are encouraging an
archy BY their attitude whether it be
one of active participation with other
law breakers or a passive attitude
which ignores to q large degree the law.
nessness now existing they are directly
encouraging habits of anarchy which
are beginning already to nave their
disastrous effect on the community
Your committee calls special atten-
ton to the gambling devices in stores
and other places where day ana nlgnt
boys and young men are enticed to their
ruin The state law against such devices
is explicit and stringent and there IS not
the shadow of an excuse for the exist
ence of any device or place contrary 10
Your committee again emphasizes the
statement that the greatest criminals
in orr cftv and county at this mo-
ment are those officers Of the law VINO
are guilty of perjury of their oaths OF
office It makes no difference What
their wealth, the social standing OF
their politics may be, they are guilty OIL
crime against the state, against the
homes and business interests of the
| people, against their party and against
their God.
We make no appeal to these guilty
officers to enforce the law. We belleNe
such appeals are useless to such men,
But We appeal to the people 10 gSe
together, regardless OF party or cteeu'
and elect true men to take the places
OF those who now disgrace the name 91
citizen. We especially urge the peopie
J
the election of a mayor who snail oDey
his oath of office. We also urge the
people to unite in the election of
candidate for county attorney IN place
Of the present officer, who has been en-
dorsed by the machine in his party TO
fill a second term.
Your committee believes that the pro-
hibitOry and anti-gam laws rep
resent the will and wish of the people
of Kansas. We also believe these laws
can be enforced We also believe in a
campaign of education, of quiet but
constant appeal to the people to unite
their interests in the election OF men
who will obey the constitution We
urge the church members, the business
men, the fathers and mothers OF this
city and county, all who love decency
and order, all who believe in the sane
tity of home and the eternal destinies
of their children. to unite against the
laWlessness that exists at present
among our city and county officials,
and by a sensible, nom partisan union,
place such men in power as shall take
away our present disgrace and make
US able again to be glad in what we
believe to be the fairest city of the best
state in this republic.
The members of the Union unani-
mOusly adopted the report of the COM
mittee on public morals and decided
that an effort should be begun at once
to find men who will agree to obey their
oath of office in the natter of the en-
fOrcement of the prohibition laws, and
offices wherein lies the power to stop
the liquor business.
Rev. NJ. f. McKirahan in a short talk
declared that if there was hope of sue
cess in the election, then there must be
a thoroughly organized assOciati ton to
make the campaign. We must have
money to be used the same as is done by
our oppnents,' he declared. We must
fight the machine by a machine"
The inability of the Prohibition party
to secure some one to try to break into
the Republican convention to secure the
nomination for county attorney was
discussed at some length The reason
was explained in the statement that no
one seemed anxious to try for some
thing when certain defeat could be the
only result
Rev. J. D. Knox asserted that the pro-
hibitionists in Topeka were too slow.
we should have been awake and doing
work long before the Republicans made
their nominations"
T. z. PrOut, secretary of the railroad
Y. NJ. c. A. addressed himself to the
Union concerning the state Of affairs
| he declares exists in the neighborhood
OF the railroad Y. NJ. c. A. building.
| -Four weeks ago Sunday we had IA
drunks in the association building. The
! joints are thick down on East Fourth
avenue in our neighborhOOd, and as fast
as the men who frequent the places are
recourse for those who are members OF
the association is to come to our rooms
/ Consequently we are brought face to
face with the condition as no other peo-
pie in the city are. It is high time we
were doing som ething to enforce the
laws.
A n n