The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-22
Declares Independence.

richmond NeWS-Leader.
In communication printed else.
where a prominent member of the Anti
Saloon League, for whose allegiance to
that organization We can vouch. COM
mends strongly the refusal of Mr.. Har-
ry St. George Tucker to permit him.
self to be cateehised and cross ques-
toned by the league. He also con-
dennis the league for the methods 1t is
warns it that Il is being made the in
strument for promoting the success Of
petty politicians and place seekers
Very probably large proportion of the
rank and file OF the league share the
opinions and feelings of this corre-
spondent and earnestly resent the die
tatorial and domineering meth cd Of the
ieaders.
One Of the greatest OF the Protestant
religious denominations has as it's fun
damental principle jealousy of any al
lance or association betN cen church
and State. Yet we are seeing now a
steadily increasing tendency to apply
the power and influence Of church or
ganizations and representatives in po-
Jr., broadly indicates his belief that
the majority of vc>ers of the city Of
Bristol were brtbed or bought to volv
for licensed saloons. We read of a
expel and exclude from the churches
tn ose who saw At to vote for licensru,
We read also in the newspapers that
pastors Of several denominatlo are
church members to the Anti-Saloon
League leaders. These leaders are TAX
ing 1t on themselves as they did two
years ago, to apply to candidates for
all Offices a yardstlck with the implied
threat that those who fail to measure
up to league requirements shall meet
its adverse influence and strong oppo-
sition.
If The News Leader had been in
doubt until now as to which of the two
candidates for the Democratic nominal
would be determined by this letter OF
Mr.. fuckers. 1t shows him to be a
man of established principles with the
backbone to express and maintain
them. He manifests independence. re-
sistance to domination and inquisition,
characteristic Of olu Virginia and of
the Virgintans who brought honor to
the State and made her famous and DO
tent. And 1t was time for some man
OF that kind, holding such sentiments
and with the courage to maiptain them,
to come to the front. The State has
been drifting. under the dominion and
domination of a few clergymen, excel
lent men in their personal lives and in
their intentions. but certainly not Ii
censed to boss virginia. to direct her
policies and to control her voters with
the terrors of ecclesiastical wrath and
threats of accommodation, future
damnation and political extinction for
those who dare differ from their opin-
ions. That was the policy Of the popes
and priests of the Catholic church when
II was at its worst and in the darkest
days of our civilization. Men who re-
fused to be governed by the church, or
rather by those who assumed the pow
err and right to speaA for the church,
were put under ban, cursed, denied
Christian fellowship, rites and burial.
Something OF the spirit of Patrick
Henry when he Numbered against the
parsons in the old hanover court h ouse
appears in the Declaration of Independ-
ence put forth by Mr.. Tucker. And we
believe the great majority of the most
rigid and earnest church members. will
be with him. They love their denomi-
nations und their churches and their
names. but they have not forgotten to
love liberty and they resent as strong
iy as any every attempt to use the
church organization for political pur-
poses or to confuse political and eco
nomic questions by proclaiming them to
be moral and religious questions.
candidate of his Views on pending
questions and to have respectful and
frank answer. No religious or quasi
religious organization mas the right to
intrude itself into politics and to re-
uuire candidates before the people to
answer its inquisitorial questions or
measure up to its requirements