The champion. (Arcadia, Fla.) 1895-1911, 1908-06-25
Preachers in Politics

good many people are now pointing mora
toward the part the preachers of Florida took in II
recent political campaign and exulting in the result
or what they claim to be the result
The editor of THE CHAMPION believes in tt
preachers taking an interest in politics. The onl
fault we find with them is that they did not begi
soon enough.
Immediately after the election of Governor Brow
ard few prohibtionists in DeSoto county though
the time was right to begin working to secure Stat
Prohibition, knowing that the new governor woul
be favorable to Our cause. Two Arcadia preachers,
Baptist and a Methodist in consultation with tn
president and secretary of the local w. c, T. U.
formulated plan of action and went to work to &c
up petitions to present to the incoming legislature.
They found that only part of the preachers of tn
State were ready. Some thought it premature Others
to the methods proposed, and in spite of the deter
mined efforts of a devoted handful no general en-
thusiasm was aroused and the project failed whei
vigorous and united action such has characterized
the recent campaign would have carried Florida easily
into the dry states.
But since Georgia went dry and Jacksonville
eighty saloons have been augmented by hundred
those Jacksonville preachers have had brought
home to them in such forcble way the evils of the
saloons now in their midst, they got down to earth
with their thoughts and were the most active of all
prohbitionsts in their efforts to keep saloons out of
the State
They went into politics with all their might be-
cause in the ballot is their only hope. They did not
work to win because of any man. or to defeat can
ddate but to save their own city and homes from
the whskey power
Tbav1 A.
interests limited by no restrictions as to means
or men to do their bidding. Furthermore, many
votes were cast by aboring men who saw in the new
saloon interests recently entered the State renew
ed activity in building, and they needed work Those
one hundred saloon keepers that have the past year
come to Jacksonville must have homes and they are
able to build fine ones; they will hire carpenters and
other workmen and the laboring men know that they
must have work to support their families They do
not follow out the line of thought and think where
the money comes from to build these fine houses
They do not see the misery, squalor, starvation
crime and murders that follow in the wake of this
kind OF business activity or they would all move to
the country and go to digging pamettos for living
We believe in good men in politics. We need so
many that neither graft ballot box stufing or unfair
methods can be practiced to prevent free and in
telligent ballot. Until we can arouse the good men
of the State we are hopeessy the prey of ricksters
whiskey. sellers and grafters.
Punta Gorda has eight heroes. They voted for
Stockton on the 10th wnen to do so must have been
dangerous We wish we had their names to enroll
on our list of those to whom honor is due.
We promised to give Mr.. Fletchers picture place
in Our columns if he was nominated Senator, and he
was. We wanted N. B. Broward, but as we can
have him, feel very thankful indeed that so fine ;
gentleman and one worthy of our support as D. U
Fletcher is to represent at Washington one whose
enemies could find nothing against in character, o.
public career. Here's Our hand Senator and ma,
you live long and always be- credit to Florida.
We have apologies to make for the part we tool
in the recent campaign 1t cost us considerable in
financial way from which we expect no returns, fol
the candidates we worked for did not buy the in
uence or editorial utterances of single editor in the
State Ours were never in the market We lost in q
good cause. We go down TO defeat in glorious
company, and had rather feel the approval of an en-
ghtened conscience than to jingle of i'll earned gains
in capacous pocket and be able to take trips 10 the
mountains or seashore