The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-09-29

THE EVANGELIST
GIVES A HOT SHOT
Replies to Mayor Yeiser's Open
Letter.
He Says tho Mayor Sure Do Know
His Business" 90 the Mayor
Of Paducah.
THE CHAPTER Is ENDED

Rev. ilocomb, before leaving for ST.
Louis, wrote the following open letter TO
Mayor Nciscr in reply to the open let.
tee Of the mayor published yesterday
Dear Sir;--Your waiting TO reply to
my pulpit utterances until after | closed
the meeting reminds me of what an old
negro said when he saw one fellow beat
another into jelly; Boss, IL fighting
l.; your business, you sure do know your
business" Now, Mr.. Mayor, IL politics
Is your business, you sure do know how
- play politics in this city. You know
just how 10 step down and appoint com
miitees TO advance your own interests /;
and just when to reply to minister
that j., after he finishes his work !
wish you had published your card in the
afternoon papers. II YOU had, Chief Of
Police Collins and all his associates
could not have gathered up the frag
mcnis Of your imperial majesty.
AZ To the dignity Of my calling, II You
would I'LL the dignity of your Office as
mayor of Paducah, IL would he unneccs-
sary for me TO speak against those
denominations that you condone. As TO
my knowledge Of Law and facts based
my remarks upon your conversation
with two ministers Of this city. You
told them that you would instruct the
chief Of police To stop the Sunday per-
Torrance. and you did not do what you
said you would.
You said further that such thcatri'
cal performance was unnecessary, a. tho
city Is not a paupcr. After this the min
i,lcr- went into their pulpits and urged
the people 10 stand by You. But when
you failed condemned you.
Mr.. English has more respect for the
Christian feeling IT this city than the
mayor. lie does not claim to he any
thing but man Of the Worthwhile
you are BIG professor Of religion.
While I am down ON the business of
the manager Of The kentucky, ! have
infinitely more respect for him than ]
have for the mayor Of Paducah. II YOU
had the manhood to speak out against
the saloons of this city. and support the
preachers. all deccnt people would re
-pect YOU more.
II am ignorant Of law aud facts, 81
are you. | am not supposed TO know
your business. but YOU are supposed TO
know about these things. Within year
gambling den was discovered in the
city within square Of your residence,
only by the murder Of one gambler by
another on Sunday night over an open
saloon, the existence of which gambling
den you declared your ignorance. II a
mayor Of city he not expected TO know
the moral and criminal condition of the
city. what Is he expected 10 know
Mayor. you sure do know your bust
ness"--which Is TO remain ignorant of
the denominations connected with the
present administration.
You said the people came to hear me
preach. wanting bread OF life and they
got "a stone" gave them a good mes
sage full Of "the bread Of life THAT you
in your high church life profess 10 have
tasted, but bring 80 little Of il into
your professional lifel. Then | did east
"a stone" and il struck the mayor be.
tween the eyes from the way he is
bowling and. Mayor. il YOU had been at
the church and heard 900 or 200 PEG
pie, some Of the best in the city, clap
their hands and rejoice over the stone"
given, you would have realized how Ger
tain people feel over your administra'
ton.
There are hund;cds of prostitutes dis
tributed over this city and no effort Is
being made by the administration 10
suppress them. Mayor, you sure do
know your business"
There are ~ saloons, said to be open
day and night and Sunday. too, and no
effort made to close on even regulate
them.
You vetoed the 1880 closing ordi'
nance. but you are either powcrless to
close the saloons or you don't want to
and If You be powcrless, you are too
weak to be mayor, and II you don't
want to, your profession as a church
official is hypocritical For nine years
YOU have had the chance to demonstrate
what you can do. Now IL you can't do
anything more, I would resign in favor
of some man good and strong enough to
Gll "the dignity of the Office as mayor"
Yours, etc,
WALTER HOIGOMB.