Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-03-03

Editor Courier
When lawyer has a bad case in
court, he seeks to divert the minds OF
the jury from the real point involved,
In other words he constructs straw
man, and then proceeds to demolish
his own creation. The cuttle-fsh,
when pursued, elects an inky fluid,
feeling instinctively that the murky
waters will give an opportunity for es'
cape. / leave the application to the
reader, as we proceed. In the Courier
Of the 21st inst..I was indicted on sew
eral counts:
THAT / used words, words,
words"
2-That failed to state in former
letter whether I think it right or
wrong to tax non-church members for
the support of the churches.
3-That put myself in a dangerous
position by claiming for society the
right to regulate, etc"
4-That l devoted "the greater part
OF a column to abuse of Dr. White. :
5-That I have SURRENDERED and
gone over to the other side.
To the first count Immediately
plead guilty. True, might have used
hieroglyphics or ideographs to convey
my Impressions. / can only plead n
extenuation twentieth century COM
mon sense ard reason for adopting
the more progressive method, that OF
the use of words.
The second count is also true. !
think that my think which still think,
does not greatly interest the reader.
ci, ac1y
that think it perfectly right to so tax
them, in return for the benefits. ack-
nowledged by the greatest minds,
Christian and non-Christian, (cf. quot.
from Renan, vide my former letter..
to accrue to them because of religious
teaching, just as the childless are
taxed because of benefits accruing to
them or account of the spread of edu-
cation. If these things do not inure to
the benefit of ALL it is unjust to tax all.
| note with considerable amazement
that the gentleman does not under
stand the argument from analogy.
Permit me to quote:
HE SAYS, for instance, man NAV
have no children and refuse to pay
taxes to support schools. He must
know that this is an entirely different
matter, as our public schools are en-
tirely separate from religion"
do not know whether this fquares
with the, code of morals the gentle
man believes in. I do know that
it does not square with the Christian
code. NV precise words We're: in
his next edition he ought to add the
further suggestion that persons own
ing property, and having no children,
should be exempt from school tax, as
they are very uniustlv compelled to
pay for the education of other peoples
children" ! said nothing about man
refusing to paw. etc. The precise point
I was making, though mere passing
remark, was that the cond tons are
analogous. ard hence, if mis- reasoning
be sound in the first case 1t Is equally
so in the second. and this too wheth-
err tho schools "are entirely separate
from religion" or not.
The third count is untrue. The posi-
ton is safe and sane. He denied all
right to regulate another's religious
observances: an universal posNllate.
/ refuted this by citing two we'll
known instances wherein the Ameri-
can people regulated the religious
observances Of Others" viz. polygamy
and human slavery: One taught by
Mormonism. the other held by many a
minister within the memory of living
man, as being taught by the Bible,
and quoting the 25th verse OF the 9th
chapter of Genesis. Reader, observe
the reply given: everybody knows
polygamy was regulated because it
was q violation Of the law of all the
states, and slavery was abolished by
force OF arms, without regard to relig-
ion. as a war measure.
The gentleman is certainly very
adroit. Let's see What is the ques-
ton we were discussing? All, yes! It