The weekly true Democrat., 1908-06-12
PREACHERS ANp PoLITIcs.

To the Christian Voters in the Demo
cratic Primary: Ministerial Al
lance, by their misguided zeal for
temperance, have rushed into party pol.
ltics, which, In my humble Judgment,
Is a grievous mistake and I fear will
work an injury to the church Of Christ.
1t has during three centuries fought
for the separation Of church and State,
and no longer than the eve of the pro-
hibitiOn election in North Carolina,
May 2OtL, its general assembly in ses-
sion at GreenYille, N. c., while reaf
firming their former action, indorsing
temperance and recommending the
Punishment Of intoxicating liquors
from the land, declined to adjourn
even long enough to allow those mem.
beFs favOring prohibition TO march in
procession. The action of this alliance
Of ministers of the gospel is nothing
more or less than an effort to Ocerce
individual church members to vote for
a man, in many ways untitled to gov
ern our State, by the fear of the church
and the dread all Christians have Of
even appearing to stand for immoral
ality.
There Is no such issue before us and |
cannot be until a constitutional amend
ment is submitted to the people, as II |
will be by the next legis-
Iature. Even when IL is submitted. who |
Is to say that State prohibition is any
more a moral issue than local option?
Gov. Fleming In his able letter, has
called attention to the class OF men
who framed our present constitution,
)mittiug, however, the name Of James
9. Speer, a lifelong Christian and
temperance advocate, who, II / remem-
Der correctly, was chairman Of the com.
nittee on temperance and wrote the
ocal option law. Those who are striY.
ng to make this a moral issue quote
rom w. J. Bryan, the great Christ
an temperance leader, but are careful
lot to mention that he stumped his
)Wn State for local option against
state prohibition, claiming that local
ption was Democratic, while StateI
was not
These are the people, 80 tnsistent
hat none but Bryan men be sent 70
he Denver convention, yet when Gil
hrist, myself and other Christian men
elieve as he does and have the COur.
ge to say so, we are called enemies TO !
morality and are aligned With the ad-
coates Of intemperance.
BE not deceived by such arguments. :
his is purely and simply Democratic ;
rimary for nominating a governor and
ther Of1cers. We know tins men run !
ing for governor. Gilchrfst, years :
go, stood for prohibition in his own 4
Iunty and helped carry DeSOto dry.
Ir. Gilchrist announced his candidacy
! April 1905, during the session of
le legislature, and has quietly' and I'm :
dignified way sought the ONCE ever =
nee, and no tidal wave Of prohibition !
rs caused him to lose that pOise and
llance that prOclaims HIS fitness to 3
AXE us a safe and sane governor,
ialified to deal Justly with all classes
I'd conditions. Any man with intel. =
yence enough to mark a ballot should u
lderstand that the Legislature alone n
N send down this amendment to be
ted on.
Separated from this QuesttOn, which a
rs no place in the election, Mr.. GiE y
.rist's majority will be Overwhelm. cI
&. I trust II will be large enough
It is. wish in conclusion to ask
! Who have not, to read Gov. Flem-
g's letter in the Times-Union Of the
h, and no Christian OF Democrat
ed feel any fear in following Francis
Fleming anywhere.
]. n. wHITNER. N