The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-06-07
THE STORY OF THE
MORMONS IN UTAH
The Preacher In Politics

Writing as much as l do for the big
papers of the southwest, ! frequently
receive letters pertaining TO things |
perpetrated, and upon moral questions
might pro6tabIy take up. Many
times the topics | have taken up have
been suggested in this way, and if
cannot discuss the matters advanced,
always reply courteously by letter.
As a rule | avoid politics and religion
for the very simple reason that / am
not a politician and have no religion
except the Golden Rule. For this lat.
ter reason ] have refrained from touch
ing on the subject named in the head
ing Of this paragraph, though particu-
larly requested to take il up by friend
in Clovis who has been particularly in
sistant. Last week he sent me clip.
ping, which I recognize from the type
used as being from the Texico Trumpet,
challenging me to answer them as the
Tenderfoot, and feeling also that to do
no may clear away some false impress
ions as to my attitude in this matter,
7 will endeavor to do so. II is n good
not weather grist, anyhow. Here are
the questions:
Why object To preachers taking lit.
tie dish in the politics of the country :
Have they no interest in the welfare
Of the peoplei
Haven't they a right to gay who or
what sort Of a man represent them in
the law.making body, or who IL to he
the governort
Haven Y they as much right 10 decide
for themselves M any other citizen
Is it a crime for n preacher tn make
a choice between the different candi.
dates when such matters of vital i'm.
portance arise and are now agitating
the minds of the people of Texas in the
present eampaign'
Where could you hope 10 find class
of men better qualified to settle any or
all question Of Importance than the
preachers of our community
That is a modest bunch of questions
10 shoot in one batch at an old bag
Of bones like me, isn't iti Here are
my sentiments, taking the questions
numerically:
|. No reasonable person does object
30 preachers taking all the dish in
politics they please. This is free
country and snst because man hap
pens to be n preacher is no reason why
he should be looked upon az gcldinp
goverpmentally. The only objection
that has had weight has been when
their interest in politics was as n preach
or instead OF a man. John Jones, ID. ID
is an ineongruity in politics, cheapen'
his noble calling, and raises particular
hell in the breast of every unbelievs
who comes in contact with him. tn,
same John Jones, mixing in politics a
a man, with the ministerial whine left
of, as a plain John Jones working fol
good government, is a power OF strength
in any community. II is only when M
drags politics into his pulpit that ne car
be challenged, and then il is his owl
business if his elders will stand for II
and, perhaps chiefly regrettable because
II minimizes his capacity for good in the
direction that he is supposed first %
all TO be consecrated to. IL doesn
make any difference how he styles th'
politics he brings into his pulpit, II b
politics just the same, and weakens hi
strength with the people.
2. OF course they have. A prosper
Gus and happy people are mucl
easier to reach and help than buneI
whose stomachs stick to their backs
A clean and thriving community pay
their preacher in cash instead of prom
ises, and besides that preachers withou
exception are good fellows and outsid
OF their ealing want to see their peopl