The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-21

l Ing part In this years national cam
 paign; What we may broadly call the
 most sharply here in New York by
 the opposition of President Roosevelt
 and nearly all the Republican leaders
 to the renomination of Governor
 Hughes. Let us examine some of the
 factors in this phase of the problem
 and see what their bearing Is. In do Ing so 1t is not necessary for me to
 assure you that I am not prejudiced
 against any church or religion and am | making no statement in dispa ra cement
 or criticism of any church or its memr
 pers l am simply recognizing existing
 facts and trying to estimate their inc | huence upon the campaign. conceding
 at the outset that members of d
 church, no matter which one. have the same right to their feelings as a class about matters political as have any
 other class of citizens. like business
 men or laborins men or farmers
 What are some of the conditions
 as to the various churches and their members which assume importance in the campaign?
 "First--It is no secret to anyone that the Catholic people feel quite friendly to Taft. as they have a per
 feet right to feel. out of gratitude for
 the fair and impartial manner in
 which he treated them iu performing
 his official duties In the Philippines
 That is perfectly proper and natural
 feeling.
 "Second-Tt is undeniable that Cath ollie friendlinsss to Taft has produced a little reaction of Iukewaruness among some of the members of Prot estant Churches. This, aiso. Is quite natural and not to be criticised. be- cause We must take human nature as we find it.
 ''Third-What we may call a small drift of Catholic sentiment toward Taft and of Protestant sentiment to- ward Bryan is helped along by certain other factors which, rightly or wrong ly, are playing their paK
 "Fourth--Consptcuou among these is belief which has gained currency in some parts of the country that Judge Taft as a Unitarian. is not altogether orthodox in his religious views. Some so 90 far as to believe that he is an agnostic. WhisperinEs to this effect, which no doubt do him great wrong, are already heard in many eircles.
 "Fifth--A few weeks ago an evan gelical paper printed at Louisville. Ky. contained an attack upon the ortho- doxy of the Republican candidate, and I understand millions of copies of that paper are to be circulated.
 ''Sixth--Most men believe Judge Taft's work in the Philippines is above criticism. That iB my own belief. But l hear that within a short time an at tack is to be made upon his treat ment of church questions in the col umns of high class Protestant weekly published in this city. It Is not to be savage attack. but one dealing largely with official records. in an ef- fort to prove that undue favoriuism was Rh hxyT Tu kA kho Va hn1t Of course, this review will Do used as campaign document by the Demo- crats among the members of certain churches and certain secret or fratcr- nal orders which are not oyerfricndly to the Roman church.
 ''seventh--Coming now to the other side of the case, we all know that Bryan Is extremely popular with the church people throughout the coun- try. His lecture, The Prince of Peace has been heard by more people than have heard any other oration from the lips of living man. 1t has been de- livered in an almost infi1ite numb Der of churches, ChRutauQnas, Y. M c. As, church lyceuma and lecture courses supported largely by church people. In this way Bryan has won great num- bers of admirers. run name many cities and towns in which. afrer the delivery of this lecture, every Protest ant clergyman the next Sunday preached from his pulpit a sermon full of praise for the oration and the Christian statesman-orator.
 "Eighth-Governor Hughes Is an earnest church man. Tn the eyes of church going people of this State he is a moral hero. a leader of reform and of 6 better civil life. His fool fish opponents within his own party have sneered at him as Charles the Baptist thus offending a great body of American citizens who do not be- lieve a mans religion should be jeered at or criticized. be he Baptist, Metho- dist. Catholic, Presbyterian. Congrega- tionalist. Episcopallan, Unitarian, or what not. It happens that this Charles the Baptist has been engaged in a great struggle with the gamblers and that he has on his side the great body of good citizens. regardless of creed. though it is only natural that many of his supporters should come from the church going class.
 "Ninth-Now. as we all know that President Roosevelt named Judge Taft l as his successor at the head of the 1 party. We all know that President Roosevelt can renominate Governor Hughes by speaking one 1 word. In view of the peculiar copdi- tions have described to you, what will be the effect upon the voters | the country if the Presi- dent fails to speak the word that 1 means Hughes again? Will not the | church people everywhere say the Re- | publican party has taken the side of | the gamblers against the churches and l VIII not this accentuate 1 and aggravate the tendencies of the | church vote of which we have been 1 speaking? These are the reasons why | I say that if the Republican party | bosses reject Hughes they will beat | Taft"
 My opinion is that the man quoted | In the foregoing lays rather too much | stress upon the political potentialities of church matters in their campaign. | But it Is quite clear that he has pre- | sented matters of uncommon interest to which not only the candidates and their managers but the newspapers must