The Topeka state journal., 1905-05-01
TO MPEACH DAVIS
Topeka Preachers Take the Pre-
liminary Steps.
VIII First Ask Governor HOch's
Assistance.
LETTER TO THE MAYOR
Expect Governor to Call Atten-
tiOn to Conditions.
This to BE Followed by Neces-
sary Legal Steps.
AN OLD PRECEDENT.
The Case Of Mayor Wilson Is
Cited.
Report of Committee on Public
Morals Adopted.
Expect Governor to Call Atten-
tiOn to Conditions.
This to BE Followed by Neces-
sary Legal Steps.
AN OLD PRECEDENT.
The Case of Mayor Wilson Is
Cited.
Report of Committee on Public
Morals Adopted.

Governor Hoch has been requested
by the Ministerial union of the city to
take a hand in enforcing the prOhibi-
tory law in Topeka The governor viii
be asked to write a letter to Mayor
Davis calling his attention to an
alleged dereliction of duty.
Quietly and without any degree of
sensation the Ministerial union this
morning assembled in the parlors of
the Y. NJ. c. A. and endorsed unan-
inously the special committee report
of Rev. Chas. NJ. Sheldon, Rev. Frank
z. Mallory and DR.. S. S. Estey. who
were appointed from among the
members of the union to wait upon
Mayor Davis and secure an expression
from him with regard to his policy
upon the illegal sale OF Intoxicating
liquors.
The report strongly condemns the
mayors policy of delay with regard
to prohibiting the liquor traffic, and
states that it is the evident intention
of the city's executive officer to license
the joints. 1t expresses the intention
of carrying the matter before Gov
ernOr Hoch in the event of the mayor
failing to restrict the illegal sale of
liquors anu enforcing the prohibitory
law and calling for an Impeachment
of that officer.
MIR. SheldOn'S Report.
Following the opening of the meet
ing Rev. Chas. M. Sheldon presented
the committees report and after com
pleJing the reading Of it said: 1.-THE
fundamental idea in the whole report
is an appeal to Governor Hoch; to re-
quest him to write letter to the
mayor asking that the latter enforce
the law and that if in the event of
failure so to do that impea chment
proceedings would be instituted.
Plenty of time has elapsed for the
mayor to have brought bout an en-
forcement of the law. He should have
turned to the chief of police imme-
diately after he had taken the oath
OF Office and asked him to enforce the
laws on the statute books Instead of
doing that, however, he told us to
come back in a month and that he
would then be able to tell us what he
would do We don't want to make
these resolutions empty; we want to
act upon them, and act upon them
right now. The time is ripe, I be-
Heve- We don't want to lose the right
of protest. If the spirit of protest is
allowed to remain inactive in Topeka
the spirit of righteousness viii die
Dexter for Impeachment
Rev w. L. Dexter, secretary Of the
State Temperance union arose and said:
II am heartily in favor of that report
but I think it should be strengthened.
think we should substitute demand
peach the few officers of this county
who have permitted the violation Of the
nqWor law. The only hope that they
have is that the matter will be over
looked and we hope that it won't be-
Topeka sets the pace for the rest of the
state and what we do here has a
wholesome effect on the remainder of
the state"
Rev. John d. Knox, one of the old
citizens of the city and formerly pastor
OF the Hr1TEf MhfhndiGf
In the early history Of the town we
had mayor by the name of Joseph
wilson. The town was running wide
open and there were so saloons but we
had him removed from office and put
in Bradford Miller and the saloons were
soon run out. What was done then can
be done now"
Young Would Go Slow.
Dr. Thomas S. Young pastor of the
First Baptist church, asked for more
deliberation, He requested that the
matter be kept out of the newspapers
and that copies of the resolutions be
submitted to Governor Hoch and Mav0r
Davis and that the latter be granted
two weeks in which to return a definite
answer to the union. He said: IT have
taken part in number of like occur
rences and it has always appeared TO
me more advisable to go at these things
deliberately. I don't believe the news
papers at this stage could give US much
aid. I think it would be more advisable
to hand copy of this report to Mavor
Davis and the governor. If / under
stand Mr. Davis, and I think I do I
peueNe when he sees the stand that we
have taken that he viii do the right
thing L believe that we should give
him two weeks more and I feel assured
Ihat he will adopt the proper course.
Publicity at this time I hardly believe
Will result in much good and it may
result in a great deal Of harm.''
Ar. Sheldon replied. Il believe the
newspapers, if they will, can be of a
great deal of aid to us The mavor has
been in office long enough to have de
elued upon a policy. He has lived here
all of his life and he should know what
the law is by this time. We have lived
mere longer than DR.. YOungrand prob
ably know the conditions better than he
does The time is ripe now The peoDle
nave been asking the members Of the
Union for some time for action Now
Is the time to appeal to the governor"
Prout Finds Beer Bottles.
Secretary Prout Of the r. R Y. NJ C.
A said with regard to a conference he
mad with Mayor Davis. Il called on
mayor Davis together with "a number. of
others shortly after that assault at cur
building by five drunken men a week
ago last saturday and asked him what
ne was going to do about closing up the
joints around near our building. He
stated that all Of the low Joints would
pc cleaned out. I presume the high
joints have been allowed to remain for
Ia making the rounds Of the baths in