The Washington herald., 1910-04-25
Speaker Cannon Defended.

Editor The Washington Herald
The preacher who tries to control poll
tics is again in evidence In an address
delivered week ago Sunday. IN the
Hamline Methodist Church. Rev. Wilbur
F. Crafts accused the Speaker OF the
House Of packing committees so that
no law for the protection Of the Sab
bath or for the promotion OF temperance
has any chance TO pass the House"
So far as Sunday legislation is con-
cerned this is certainly not true, FOR
twice since Mr.. Cannon has been Speaker
the House has passed Sunday bills. once
on April 6. 1901. and again on June II.
1906, and this IN addition TO the Sunday
closing provisions" which Mr.. Crafts and
few other got tackled on 10 the
government appropriations 70 the St.
Louis and jamestown expOsitiOns. OF 800
and 1907. This part OF the charge. there
fore. at least cannot be sustained. Mr..
Cannon has not been as successful in
holding this kind OF legislation in check
as Is alleged
But even though Mr.. Cannon had been
instrumental in holding up Sunday legis-
latiOn in Congress, as Col. Richard NJ.
johnson did in 1899 and 1890. II would be
nothing TO his dlscredit. for, as stated in
those famous Sunday mail reports. o"
prepared by Mr.. Johnson, and as every
preacher even ought TO know who has
ever read the Constitution OF the United
States, Sunday legislation, being reH-
gious legislation. is unconstitutional. In
such case OF him It might be said, as the
biographer said OF Nj Johnson for his
bold. courageous. and patriotic stand
against national Sunday legislation.
Charge him not with hostility 20 the
principles OF religion because he opposed
the wishes and thwarted the designs OF
the clergy. rather say that he proved
himself the friend Of pure religion by
guarding it against communicating al
lance with politics"
It was not through hostility or even in
10 religion that the founders OF
the national government interdicted Con-
gress from passing religious laws. but. as
stated by Bancroft. that the Infinite
Spirit Of eternal truth might move in It's
freedom and purity and power"
Before these men who are calling so
lnsistently upon Congress 20 pass a sun
day law urge such legislation further.
they ought 70 alter the principles upon
which the national government was
founded. and change the Constitution
That the real object behind the demand
for this legislation IS altogether at vari-
ance with both the spirit ana the letter
OF the Constitution IS evident from such
expressions as the following from an edi-
torial in the April number OF the Chris
tan Statesman. the official organ OF the
Reform Association.
Washington and the District OF CO.
lumb.a have no Sabbath law. ''' The
value or such law would lie not only
In the relief which It would bring 70
many who are now deprived of their
weekly rest, but in the support which II
would lend TO the cause OF our national
This reveals the secret OF this whole
Sunday law movements desire 10 en-
force a religious institution by law and
thus gain support from the government
by law 70 a national" religion. In other
words. II they have their way. the pas
sage OF such a law will be but the begin
ming of a national religious establish
ment, just as the Sunday law OF Constan-
tine in S21 was the beginning of the Sup
port which the bishops Of his time gain
ed for their national Christianity then.
and Of the wicked and oppressive reH-
gious establishment which followed. All
honor 10 Speaker Cannon or TO any other
man in or out OF Congress who sees the
evil In such a movement and has the
courage 10 battle against Il.
The great danger. as 7 have pointed ont
In the public prints OF Washington be-
fore, is that Congress, through outside
ecclesiastical pressure. will pass the IN
Christian. Un-AmeriCan. and unconstitu-
tiOnal Sunday law which It ought not 20
pass, and. through other untoward in
huences. fail to pass the grand. humane
and much-needed law
against the terrible liquor traffic which
Il ought TO pass. Honest labor and limo
cent recreation and amusement on anv
day. though not consistent with proper
Sabbath keeping. is not a crime: but the
loling out of that stuff which makes men
mad and criminals is
crime and should be treated as such
The licensing OF the traffic is nothing less
than the licensing Of crime. But the spirit
m Spirits is not more wicked. nor, IN