Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-29
METHODISTS TO
RALLY CHURCHES
AGAINST CANNON
CONFERENCE CALLS FOR DE-
FEAT OF SPEAKER
"uNoLE JOE" GIVEN sTlNoINe
REBUkES
Delegates to Big Religious Session In
Los Angeles Urge All Chris
tlans to Vote Against
dictator"
(Uontinue0 from Paas One,


We are in favor of reclaiming, never
to be surrendered, every foot of terri
| tory which can be wrested from the
liquor traffic as an additional base of
operations for further aggression, which
| shall not cease until the world shall
| know no more this me-breeding
traffic. To this end, in tho light of re-
cent experience, and the practical re-
suits whore, according to the episcopal
address, Estates which have been no.
| toriously unfriendly to any temper
ance legislation, except general license,
have passed the local option laws, which
have been accepted by county after
| county until almost the whole state
has banished the saloon" We recon-
mend that our people participate In
every wise movement for local prohibi-
ton, commonly known as local option,
as a step toward statewide prohibition,
and then for state prohibition as
preparation for that national victory
which, in the. fullness of time, is in
evitable in the final triumphs of right.
4. Attitude of the Federal Government
We memorable congress to prohibit
the sale of Intoxicating liquors In the
District Of Columbia, In our island pos
sessions and in all territory and build
ings under the control of the federal
government, to the end that the gov
ernment of the United States shall be
freed from further completely In the
liquor traffic.
We respectfully urge congress to pro-
tect the states in the valid exercise of
their acknowledged police power in
the control of the liquor traffic by
enacting effective Interstate liquor ship
ment legislation, and insist that con-
gressional doubt as to the constitution
ality of such legislation be resolved in
the interests of the people and the pub
lie morals.
We urge congress by proper enact
ment to discontinue issuing internal
revenue liquor tax receipts to any per-
son who cannot show state authority
to engage In such traffic.
We highly commend the action of
congress In complying-in the act adj
mitting Oklahoma to the Union-with
our treaty obligations of more than
eighty years standing to protect the
Indians of the five civilized tribes from
the sale Of liquor; also for refusing
to restore the sale OF
at army posts and for continuing the
prohibition of such sale at government
soldiers homes.
8 Temperance Instruction and the Pledge
We urge upon pastors, Sunday school
teachers and all leaders of our young
people of the Importance of teaching
the value of total abstinence from the
use of alcoholic liquors and tobacco In
any form. And to this end we urge the
most vigorous and constant prosecution
of pledge signing work through our
| Sunday schols, Epworth league and
other young peoples societies.
We protest against any attempting
to repeal the scientific temperance In
struction laws which exist generally
throughout the states, and recommend
that by every means at our command
we encourage teachers In our public
Oh IA terhA puff n
learning to give instruction in an in
teresting and practical manner.
g. Our Own Temperance Society
We heartily congratulate our own
temperance society for its part in the
advance movement of the past quad
rennium, and urge that 1t give the
fullest possible cooperation to all
movements against the saloon
I. The Anti-saloon League
While the church is peculiarly quail
fed to give temperance instruction
and create sentiment against the
liquor traffic, and cannot escape its
responsibility for. such work by turn
ing 1t over to any organization which
1t does not directly control, yet since
no denomination alone can successful
ly secure legislation or compel the en-
forcement of law, we recognize the fact
that our churches throughout the
United States are already winning
sweeping victories in this field through
the AntiSaloon league movement and
are contributing large sums Of money
for it's maintenance, therefore we In
dorse the Anti-Saloon league of Amer
lea as safe and effective agency
through which the membership of the
Methodist Episcopal church may CO.
operate with members of other
churches and temperance organiza-
tions for united action against the
saloon, and thereby call upon our
churches and pastors to continue in
creasingly their cooperation In carry
ing forward its work. That we rejoice
in the splendid leadership of the Rev.
DR.. e. s. Chapman, of stainless Flag"
fame, and hail him as our leader in
the statewide campaign that is now
on. We will welcome him and his CO.
laborers to our pulpits, our hearts and
our purses.
8. Other Organizations
We rejoice in the existence of the
many organizations whose object is to
promote total abstinence and secure
legal prohibition of the liquor traffic.
and recognizing the extent to which
many of them, notably the Woman's
Christian Temperance union. under the
guiding genius of one of Methodism's
most illustrious women, who have con-
ress and enlightenment on the ques-
ton, commend them to the kindly and
favorable confederation of our people.
o. Political Action
We recognize that the church as an
ecclesiastical body may not properly
go into partisan politics nor assume to
control the franchise of the citizens,
yet we maintain that the time has
come when the responsibility rests
upon every Christian voter not only
to oppose the saloon as a matter of
abstract principle, but to cast his ball
lot in the manner which will be most
effective against the saloon and tend
soonest to put the liquor traffic in "the
course of ultimate extinction"
We record our deliberate judgment
that no candidate for any Office which
in any way may have to do with the
liquor traffic, has a right to expect, nor
ought he to receive. the support of
Christian men so long as he stands
committed to the liquor interests or re-
fuses to put himself in an attitude OF
open hostility to the saloon.
We hold that it Isl the duty of every
Christian voter to vote for reputable,
qualified, temperance candidate, upon
another ticket, in preference to dis
reputable or unfit one, controlled by
the saloon, upon his own, to the end
that righteousness, temperance and
morality may become the normal ac-
tivity of government everywhere.
Whereas, Thk Hon. Joseph G.. Cam
non, speaker OF the national house Of