The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-19
EMERSON TAKESIT
Finally Accepts the Prohibition
GubernatOrial Nomination.
Tells Why He is Proud to Be a
PrOhibitiOniSt.
SCORES OLD PARTIES.
Refers to Present State Sunday
School Administration.
Says Populists Have Surren-
dered to Whisky Men.


Rev. F. W. Emerson has issued the
following letter accepting the Prohlpl-
Topeka, Kan, July 10, 1902.
To the Prohibitionists of Kansas:
Patriots and Citizens:-I accept the
nomination for governor which you
have so graciouSly rendered. The bat
tie royal is on. The day of our oppor-
tunity is at hand 1t is not in the spirit
of leading a forlorn hope against great
odds that 1 enter into this contest, but
with the feeling that God is IN 1t, ana
the knowledge that we are on the SIDE
of right. The question before our COM
monwealth in this campaign is not
whether the cause of temperance and
law enforcement shall win, for that
cause has won already. 1t is not
question of the triumph of the saloon
or prohibition because prohibition now
has the victory and has whipped the
mongrel cur into defensive and groWl-
ing attitude. The question before us
plain and simple is this: Will men be
zen and quit compromising conscience"
In other words, will men be consistent
and do right2'' We have made nigh
sounding speeches about patriotism,
temperance and law enforcement. we
have passed resolutions denOuncing the
jointist and the perjured official We
have preached sermons and prayed to
God to help US in this fight. We have
spent our money and sacrificed our
positions. The question now is do we
mean all of this?' In asking God to
help us are we willing to help our
selves? In denOuncing others are we
willing to share our own burden of re-
sponsibility. If we meant those things
will we show that we did by consistent
action in the matter where it counts
most?
The time has passed in our history
when it is longer necessary to deliver
admitted that intemperance is wrong.
We do not need longer to argue con-
corning the evil of drink in individual
life. The leering, debauched counten-
anceS of thousands of drunkardS all
about US, men whose character, man
hood, integrity is gone, the white faced,
sorrow burdened wives and mothers of
our land, carrying their load of woe
their breaking hearts and ruined hopes,
our blighted, cursed and withered child
hood, are sufficient arguments for that.
Today the question is more than a per-
sonal question. 1t is a religious, moral.
financial, social and political question.
1t is a question of patriotism pure and
simple. Men and only men can make
our nation great and strong. The foun-
dalton stones of government are men.
High-minded, noble men. Men of strong
character and unimpeachable life. The
degraded, debauched, debased. drunken
criminal element of citizenship weakens
governmental strength. Any institu-
ton that strikes at the manhood of a
nation, the individual honor and per-
sonal integrity of the citizen, weakens
and destroys that nation. And when
that institution is firmly entrenched be-
hind the body polite by making the
state and nation partners in this citi-
zen destroying business it becomes a
ten-fold menace to the good of the COM
monwealth. The saloon power of this
nation is thus entrenched, and with the
power of the two great political ma
chimes in its grasp it becomes giant
of such proportions that only the
most heroic patriotism will suffice
to overthrow the monster. I be-
lieve that our countrys welfare and
perpetuity is of greater moment than
the welfare or perpetuity of any party.
Parties and men may come and go.
They serve their purpose, fulfill their
place. in human history, and the issues
which call them into being are set
tied or wholly disappear. But with the
nation it is different. 1t must live for
ever The treasure and blood poured
out for it's existence were too precious to
permit it to be lightly esteemed or to
make national subservient to party or
personal interests. Today the chief ele-
ment of weakness in governmental af-
fairs is this government protected
traffic in the honor and integrity of
American citizenship. This nation can
not exist half drunk and half sober any
more than it could exist half slave and
half free. For the honor of American
institutions this anarchistic, lawless
un-American institution of the organized
liquor traffic must be overthrown. There
are other issues of Importance it is
true. The financial question, the pro-
lection of American industries at home
and abroad, the relation of capital and
labor, the trust question, home rule Of
our country, class legislation, these and
a hundred others of like Importance are
before us and must be settled.
In comparison with the liquor ques-
ton. however, these are all of lesser
Importance. Only one great issue is
fought out at time in the history of the
worlds progress, and when that issue
is SO far reaching as the liquor issue,
when it touches every part of the civil,
social and religious fabric of national
life it should SO command public thought