Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-29
METHODISTS TO
RALLY CHURCHES
AGAINST CANNON
CONFERENCE CALLS FOR DE-
FEAT OF SPEAKER
JUNGLE JOE" GIVEN STlNGlNG
RE5UkES
Delegates to Big Religious Session IN
Los Angeles Urge All Chris
tians to Vote Against
dictator"

HNHE first impetus on the Paclnc
coast TO the wide movement
- against him. and showing the oe-
termination of Methodists all over the
United States TO secure the retlre'nei'
of "JJncle Joe" Cannon from PupilS
life was a remarkable resolution passSu
Yesterday in the meeting OF tne SUM
ern California Methodist eonlereiiee. &C.,
There was no indecislon III .ne III, So
ference as to Cannon's unf1tness 10 holu
a public position in every way not m
cornpatible with religious pody
work the delegates showed their uniteu
opinion that he should have the CEN
sure of all Christian men ana women
regardless of political bellel.
Speaker Cannon was referred 10 py
n singing denunciation in the general
statement adopted by the conference,
virtually a platform for action or
Methodists in Southern California In
this the Christian citizenship OF can
non's district was called upon to ar,
range a surprise party on Uncle Joe
on the Sd day of November next, and
give him a vacation for two years
without pay"
Calls Christians to Defeat Him
The conference went further than
this. "In the event" declared the
statement adopted with an enthusiasm
that showed the temper of the dele
gates, that the time Is too short to
arrange the above surprise party, then
we call upon the Christian citizenship
of the United tates, without regard to
political affiliations, to bring all pos
sible moral influence to bear on every
congressman-elect that they put
man in the speakers chair who VIII
not arrogate to himself the functions
of the supreme court, but instead viii
tn oil ha naOn1a and their law
full representatives in congress the
rights guaranteed to them by the con-
stitution of the United States"
1t was a remarkable pronouncement,
adopted in remarkable manner.
There was no doubt. no hesitation, but
united enthusiasm that in itself was
enough to lift the citizenship even Of
the spectators above any party basis
to the level of a religious demand for
q just administration of the country's
affairs.
"It is the demand of a people too
long tolerant Of neglect of moral is
sues" said a delegate. and that was
the tone of the meeting. sass-s-
Bishops Denounce Cannon
The statement adopted voices the
general feeling throughout Methodism:
The bishops of the church have Joined
in denouncing Speaker Cannon as a
foe to moral progress. Their express
S1OuS nave Dtel ClICuidlcu III PAlhtSh
form among Methodists in all parts of
the country. That of Bishop Robert
Mcintyre, who spoke as president OF
the Methodist Temperance society, to
the members of the denomination, is
sample:
when a jam occurs in logging
river of the northwest a stalwart ak
man is sent out to cut the key-log
and break the obstruction which
checks the flow of the tide. The
mightiest reform of our time is halted
by the interstate laws. and Cannon
is the key-log.' He nullifies the peo-
pies will by hindering legislation in
the house. He must be dislodged, that
the flood of moral indignation against
the rum traffic may sweep it into the
pit"
The general statement of the South
ern California conference on public
morals and temperance, which con-
tained the arraignment' of Cannon, was
adopted yesterday as follows:
Report of committee on public NOR
ais. Committee on temperance and the
prohibition of the liquor traffic. Report
No /. General statement.
The Methodist Episcopal church IS
temperance society. We gratefully
acknowledge the blessing of God upon
our temperance endeavors and rejoice
over the increasing tolerance and
greater cooperation among temper
ance workers The progress of the past
four years strengthens our convictions,
increases our zeal and renews our faith
for the greater and final struggle yet
to come.
In the language of the episcopal
address: "There Must not be any re-
action from, the wrath with which all
good and Christian citizens pursue this
law breaking and murderous traffic
1t deserves neither charity nor mercy
Ia Al al
1t will honor, no child 1t will not taint,
no woman it will not befoul, no man 1t
will not degrade. 1t falsely claims to
be a great public interest because 1t
employs thousands and pays heavy
taxes. But no money in the pockets
of employers and no taxes in the treas
ury of the city, county, state or ma
tion can balance the monetary losses
of the nation through this traffic. No
profits however real or immense can
compensate for the corruption of our
politics, the emptiness of the drunk
ards home or the fullness of prisons
and graves"
An enlightened citizenship and a
vital piety demand the utter destruc-
tion of a traffic so accursed. The
liquor traffic cannot be reformed. 1t Is
inherently unreformable. An institu-
tion which outrages the divine law of
love will never obey the police regula-
tions of men. Therefore it must be de-
stroyed, and with our bishops we
"pledge eternal enmity to this foe of
God and man" Our purpose is its ex-
tinction; our battle cry, "A saloonless
country, stainless flag"
1. Personal Abstinence
We declare our conviction that total
abstinence from intoxicating beverages
and narcotics is the duty of all our
people of every cline and country.
2. The License Policy
we condemn the license policy. 1t is
vicious in principle, utterly inconsist-
ent with the purposes of enlightened
government and in practice protec-
tion to traffic which is inherently
criminal in its nature. The liquor traf-
fic "cannot be legalized without sim"
8. Prohibition and Local Option
We stand for the speediest possible
suppression of the beverage liquor traf-
Ac. Under that divine law of absolute
right. which is the source Of all hu-
man law, the only proper attitude of
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