The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-29

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There is story floating around in
the papers about a farmer who was
going down to the river one Sunday
morning to see what he had in a fish
trap that he kept in the river and in
cidentally to do a little seining while
the fish warden in that vicinity was at
church. But on the way he noticed
that a wicked neighbor had a noisy
threshing machine at work down in a
bend of the river. Not liking the
neighbor very we'll, and believing that
it was wrong to do that kind of work
on Sunday, he hurried home to his
telephone, and calling up the county
attorney, asked to have a warrant is
sued for the arrest of the threshing
crew The county attorney was busy
picking peaches while his wife canned
them and suggested that the farmer go
before the justice in his township and
have a warrant issued. The justice
was out in the back pasture fixing his
ldmill and advised that the sheriff
be notified. The sheriff was breaking
pair of bronchos and cited him to
the constable OF the township-who
was found pitching bundles at the
one else to whom to appeal, the farmer
gave vent TO a somewhat foreible opin-
ion about the way the law was en-
forced, and went back to his fish trap
and seine.
Now this narrative is doubtless over
drawn. but it illustrates a point that
we scribes and Pharisees might do well
to think about occasionally.
Every once in while Hutchinson, or
Topeka, or Salina, or some other town is
stirred up over the joint question Mass
meetings are held, the ministers and
temperance workers make speeches, and
the city and county officers are arrafgn-
ed for not enforcing the law. Topeka
critcises Leavenworth and Wichita for
allowing open saloons and participating
in the profits. while Leavenworth and
Wichita call Topeka hypoeriticaI because
it pretends to enforce the law but only
partially does So A good many OF US
criticise Governor Hoch for having the
law enforced in Kansas City, Kan, but
making no move towards doing the
same thing in Junction City. Wichita
and other places, just as Governor Hoch
has in the past criticised other governors
for doing the same.
OF course all these criticisms are in
the main justiiable, but they would
have far more weight if we critics were
more consistent.
This is primarily a sermon to sreach-
ers, church members and other moral
critics. including the writer hereof-we
who abominate the jointist and law
breaker, and who pass resolutions ask
ing that something be done.
There is a minister in a Kansas town
"a splendid man, conscientious and
urageous-who took prominent part
in a municipal campaign year or two
ago in an effort to "clean up the town
A newspaper in the town differed from
the preacher about the election OF
councilman, and the minister took oc-
casion to publicly denounce the paper at
considerable length in a sermon; yet
members Of the official board of his
church was a druggist who was reputed
to sell as much liquor as most Of the
joints the preacher was fighting.
In a central Kansas town is a LARGE
brick building on prominent corner in
which for ten years was operated
wholesale liquor house, which MAS the
BdLhBCnE u Tie JO4AlL OuSAAiCSH III lAAc1t
part Of the state And during all those
years that building was owned by one
of the most prominent churchmen of
Kansas thoroughly good man.
In the church Of which the writer
hereof is a member, the rules forbid
card playing, dancing and other
arnusements that are under a ban,
but the society columns OF the news
papers disclose the names of mem
bers of that church who not only at
tend dances and card parties but who
also give them-and they go unre-
proved by their respective pastors.
Such church members contend that
they do not believe these things are
wrong, and they are not wrong of
themselves in many instances. The
pastors of the churches, too, excuse
themselves for not strictly enforcing
their church laws on the ground
that it is better to overlook such slight
lapses than to make trouble by bring
ing the offenders to time.
But are not the Methodists and the
Presbyterians and the Congregation
alis1s and other church members
morally bound by the laws of their
respective churches as much as the
jointist is by the moral law against
liquor-selling? The latter contends
that he does not believe in prohibi-
ton, and if he lives in Wichita or
Leavenworth or Junction City, where
liquor-selling goes" he is doing no
wrong.
And it is something of question
whether the pastor who is little bit
timid about enforcing the laws of his
church has any right to criticise a
county attorney who dislikes to stir
up trouble for himself by enforcing
prohibition.
However. we will all probably con-
tinue 10 try to dust the notes out of
other -neonle,s ewes while n1,r nm, or.