The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-10-22
AND He CLAIMS TO
BE INDEPENDENT.
Was The Journal Too CowardIy To
Publish The Following.

70 the Editor Of The Republican,
My DEAR Mr. EDITOR:
| herewith enclose copy of an article
which fully explains itself. | sent same
to the editor Of the Garrett Journal on
October 9th, and after perusing very
carefully two succeeding issues of his
paper, find he made no reference to
same | now appeal to you for space
in your paper.
KINGWooD, w. VA, OCT. s. 1908.
James D. Hamill, Editor, Garrett Jour
nal
DEAR SIR:
a few days ago had occasion to look
over the issue OF your paper of the 24th
inst. and while was much impressed
with its literary style, and paid more
attention to its contents than | do ord-
narily to weekly paper, yet | was very
much surprised in reading an article
that in my judgment was an absolute
contradiction Of the spirit of fairness
that seems to usually govern the policy
of your paper.
The article to which refer was head
ed Taft and Christianity, and sub
headed Not in accord with his Coun-
try's Religion. feel that every pat
riotic American should deplore articles
of that kind in any newspaper, for YOU
will agree with me that if American
means anything, particularly on relig-
ion, it means the right of every man
to worship his God according to the die
tates of his own conscience, formalitv
being only a rule developed through
custom, association and environment.
All denominations are branches of the
same great tree, "Christian Religion, -
and believe in the Golden Rule, What
sOever ye would that men should do to
you, do We even SO to them. This
teaches US to be broad, to be fair, to be
charitable, to be manly, and not to be
cOWardlv, and the trend of this article
from beginning to end is, in my judg-
ment, the embodiment of absolute cow
ardice, because there is no authority
specified or even intimated for its orr
gin. Appearing, as it does. apart from
your editorial columns, it is not submit.
ted by any correspondent, but is given
as a news article, without authority.
and is an absolute apology from the
standpoint of intelligence, reason and
decency. A more sacrelgious article
| never read, and trust as an Ameri-
can and a member of the Protestant
faith, shall never again be called upon
to witness such rabid hypocrisy as is
shown in that article, and which must
have proven an insult to the Intelligence
of the community into which that issue
of your paper entered.
The Hon. William H. Taft needs make
no apology for his religion. His life is
an open book. Kind charitable, chris
tian fortitude has characterized his life
in its every sphere from childhood to
the present day. He is an honor to the
religion of Christ, regardless of form or
formality, and no one can substantially
prove to the contrary.
| hesitate at being party to any re-
llgious controversy, but do feel it to
be nv duty to resent the insult that has
been thrust upon the people of this sec
ton of the country by this coWardly at
tack upon one of the foremost citizens
of our nation. | ask you, as the editor
of your paper, to either assume the re-
sponsibllity or place the responsibility
for that article where it properly be-
longs. not only brand the author of
the article Il hope it is not YOU as
cringing coward, but one who morally,
spiritually and politically is unworthy
of any consideration upon the part of
any intelligent citizen of this country
of the free.
Kindly give this letter space in the
columns of your paper.
| will be pleased to discuss the ques-
ton over my own signature, either with
you, as the editor of the paper, or with
the author of the article, independent of
who or what he may be.
Trusting you will, in the spirit of fair
ness, give this space in your paper, and
awaiting your answer as to same, am,
REASON.
Mr.. Lloyd Shaffer, of Carmel, w. Va,