The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-03


Jesus of Nazareth on the back Such
a man does not know the first prfnci-
pies of the life of the meek and lowly
Nazarene.
ling in politics is based wrongly What
ought to be the relation of the church to
the voter It should be that of procIama-
ton; not of dictation. When the church
tries to dictate to a man and tell him
how to vote, reason has ended and tyran-
ny has begun. do not believe that the
church all the time should be giving polit1-
cal instruction. But the time comes when
the struggle becomes one for right and lib
erty- And if the church makes no protest.
she is zrecreant to her trust and should
deserve the contempt of every man. The
Bible always has message for the voter
and sometimes its application is specific.
THE church has a right to ask every
is a man worth than sheep?' With the
flood of beer and whisky which has been
brought into this city. it requires that
the best be taken out of our homes to
feed the lusts of the wicked"
Rev. Mr. CranneH said he believed in
parties but when they substituted the
love of God country for themselves
then they became an enemy. 1T is a
healthy thing" he continued, "to know
that it does not have a clean sweep. The
practical politician would say that is bad
politics; but / say it is craftsmanship. If
party can not live without pandering to
base elements it had better die. The
final message of the Bible to the voter is
that upon him rests the responsibility. If
the voters should get out next Tuesday
and vote their convictions the brewers
could not swing the election. YoI Elay
complicate this situation with the thoughts
of party fealty; but everyone knows when
the smoke clears away, that if certain
candidates are elected from every joint
and brothel will go up one shout of ex
ultation; and the state and nation will say
that Topeka has just what she wanted"
AT THE METHODIST CHURCH.
At the First Methodist Episcopal church
the services were almost entirely in the
nature of an independent rally. The
songs were all old-time patriotic
airs Dr. McFarland's pulpit edi-
toriaI'' was devoted directly to the In
dependent campaign, and his sermon was
concerning the use of the ballot, Urging
voters not to neglect Tuesdays election
and appealing to them to vote for the IN
dependent candidates.
DR.. Mcfarland announced as the subject
of his pulpit editorial, Facts and Falla-
that an attempt has been made to bring
good many side issues into the cam
paign which were irrelevant to 1t. The
question was not one of party, he asserted,
but one of good citizenship and decency
in opposition to law nulli1eation and vice
He declared himself a believer in party
organizations but in this case the issue
is not one of party
''If there were any way of telling. it
would be found that most of those who
will vote for Nichols and Lucas and who
are crying so loudly for us to stand for
straight Republican ticket, will themselves
vote for hardly any other candidates
on the Republican ticket" DR.. Mcfarland
asserted. I'VE have been left the alterna-
tive of asserting to a system of low null
lification and vice becoming permanent
thing or starting this independent move
ment for the welfare of our city and
county. We chose the latter.
zone of the greatest fallacies of this
campaign has been the statement of the
mOr0inU that we ought TO SIan0 lOr
the straight Republican ticket In order
that the party may present=a united front
at the spring election. sfhe vicious eie-
ment cares not for party. Il will always
be found lined up in the interest of vice,
and at present that happens to be in the
interest of the Republican candidates for
county attorney and sheriff.
DR.. Mcfarland announced the prayer
meeting which will be held all day Tues
day in his church. led by the w. c. t. L.,
to pray for the success of the Independent
candidates, and he asked how it would
for the success of Mr.. Nichols for county
fThe very suggestion causes You to
smile'' he said ''Do you suppose that a
/ single prayer has ascended for the sue
/ cess Of those candidates who are openly
allied with the vicious elements2'
In his sermon DR.. Mcfarland told at
what great cost the right of the ballot
! had been secured and urged citizens not tc
( hold it lightly, but to go to the polls and
vote The ignorant and vicious never
neglect those things. he said, but 1t is the
the franchise He closed his sermon with
final plea for the Independent candidates
in the interest of law enforcement and
good order.