The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-09

is the most important clause in it. Thy
kingdom come, Thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven" We need not
worry about heaven; that is all right
1t is the earth that is wrong and needs
to be made like heaven So I say let
the churches, let the Christian people
study how to make this earth what It
ought TO be. and as we go along we
shall find heaven being realized; we
shall get our fOretaste of it.
CHRISTIAN VOTERS MUST ACT.
L do not see, myself. how the Chris
tan people OF this state will ever get
together politically until they have the
good sense to waive their. party prefer
ences where principle is at stake
where it is plainly a case of a law
abiding citizen over against one who IS
Indifferent or actually hostile. and be-
leve now is the time for the independ-
ent Christian voter to come forward III
manly fashion and say something ike
this: I believe in my party, in It's
principles. in what it has done. in what
it plans to do, but I viii not support
and [ viii not vote for any man in my
own party who is known to be an
enemy to the law of the state, or who,
by his previous record, has plainly
shown that he has no intention of obey
ing his oath of office While claiming
the right to belong to a party. L claim
also the greater right to act according
to my conscience and my convictions II
my party puts forward for any place or
responsibility a man who is unfit for 1t,
and in municipal elections I will vote
for the best man for the place, regard
less of his political faith" I believe we
are rapidly approaching the point where
men of all political faiths who do any
thinking and who love their fellow men
are ready to unite on some basis for the
common good.
NATIONAL QUESTIONS MAKE NO
DIFFERENCE.
It makes no difference what we be-
lieve in our different parties concerning
the affairs in IT, Philippines or in Cuba,
it makes no difference what views we
hold concerning the tariff or reciprocity,
when 1t comes to the question of whom
shall we elect for mayor or county at
tOrney or district judge. There is no
more connection between those dues-
tons in national politics and our mu-
nieipal affairs than there is between the
Apostles Greed and the price of meat
and Christian people will never act to-
gether politically until they have the
sense the plain, everyday sense. TO see
that the interests of the whole COM
munity center about the right kind of
a man, not about the views he holds as
a party man.
As Horace Greeley used to say about
the resumption of specie payment, The
way to resume is to resume" The way
FOR Christian people to get together po-
litically in Kansas is to get together.
There is a splendid opportunity for that
in our own county this year. The ma
chine in the party has endorsed for re
election man who. by the consent OF
men in his own party, has not done his
duty as county attorney. Let the Chris
tlan people of this county and city
simply get together on an Independent
candidate and elect him. We can flnh
such a man, and If all the Christians
of Shawnee county will vote together he
can easily be elected. I do not believe
the bad people in this city or il any
other city or county in the state of
Kansas, Outnumber the good people
but the bad people always get together
Numerically we Outnumber the bad
element; politically they outnumber US.
because our forces are divided. There
IS good reason to believe that large
numbers of men who are loyal to the
party are not able conscientiously to
vote for the man whom the machine
has endorsed for a second term for the
Office of county attorney. Now if all
the Christian men in the party together
With Christian men in all the other
parties, will unite their forces around
the Independent candidate, who Will
simply be a man who will do his duty
1 repeat, he can be elected. The same
thing IS true of our city officials If
all the Christian men and women of
this city viii unite their forces next
spring they can elect their own eandi-
dates without any trouble whatever. II
not, then We must acknowledge that we
are outnumbered by the evil element
ana do not believe that; it is not true
BEGIN PROCESS OF EDUCATION.
In answer to this question then how
shall Christian people get together polit-
icaIly? would say, first, with a long
look into the future. building for the
time to come as we'll as for the immed-
late present. The Christian people of
this state can begin a process or educa-
ton and training, especially of children
and young people, using the church, the
prayer meeting, the Sunday school, all
forms of religious organization as
means through which this process of
constant education shall go on. 1t is
not by physical force that this old world
is going to be dubbed into the King
dom of God. 1t is only by the slow pro-
cess or training, of instruction. of home
influence, Of preaching, of teaching, of
building up. This is a slower process
than physical force or the spasmodic
efforts which come from rousing the
fcult, perhaps, to rouse this audience
to the point Of using physical force
against law breakers, but the effect of it
would be simply momentary. It would
all have to be done over again It is not
the joint that needs to be demolished
or the gambling device that needs to be
taken out so much as the guilty officer
who needs to be removed Give US the
/ right men in public offices and the Joint
and the gambling device will have to go;
! but the corrupt officers viii have to go
/ first IN order to have any permanent re-
suits; and before the corrupt officers
] go, the people must be educated to the
! point where they viii put right men in
/ their places.
MUST WAIVE POLITICAL LOYALTY
Second-Before Christian people will