The Adair County news., 1911-06-21
AN OPEN LETTER.
To Editor Burk esville Banner:
My dear Mr.. Carey

Some months ago an outrage was
perpetrated in your county, by one Mr..
Milt Smith, on Rev. ]. A. Goodman, in
which Bro. Goodman was so abused
and threatened, that he felt justified in
asking the court to bind Mr.. Smith to
keep the peace.
In your editoriarof April 7th, refer
ing to TIE matter, you intimated that
Bro. Goodman was out of his place and
that under the circumstances, he could
not expect better treatment.
That the public might know that the
church.to which Bro Goodman belongs
is endorsing him in this matter; l pre-
pared a brief statement for your paper,
which you kindly published, preceding
and following it by a lengthy and
rather caustic reply, in which you again
intimate that not only was Goodman
out of his place, but that am also out
of my proper place when l take notice
of the matter in your paper.
To this | prepared and sent in the
following reply, which you refuse to
give place in your columns;
Editor huntsville Banner:
Through the kindness of a friend |
have just read your editorial reply to
my statement regarding the difference
between Mr.. Smith and Bro. Goodman.
That statement was written that the
public might know that the church to
which Bro. Goodman is responsible for
his conduct is endorsing his course; and
this is sent to call attention to some
misleading statements in your reply.
The facts in the case are these: MIR.
Smith had procured from the County
Court license to sell whiskey at a
certain point in Cumberland county.
Some of the good citizens of the county
believed that his place of business was
less than two miles from school build
ing, and his business therefore illegal.
That it might be definitely known
whether or not his ware house was a
legal distance from school house, the
Circuit Court appointed two surveyors
to measure the distance, and Instructed
them to select two discreet men to car
ry the chain. Pursuant to this order
Mr.. Robert Lloyd and Bro. Goodman
were selected, and it was while obeying:
this order of the court that Bro. Good
man was abused and threatened by Mr..
Smith. Bro Goodman was exactly in
his place both as a citizen and a minis
ter, and had far better right there than
the rabble who were encouraging Mr..
Smith in his vulgar and profane abuse.
AS this is the o, Union of large major
ity of the good people of Cumberland
county.
Again you are mistaken as to Bro.
Goodman's feelings toward MIR. Smith.
He has no unkind feelings toward him
personally, nor he's lie ever refused to
speak to him. Bro. Goodman is not
personal enemy to Smith, but he is an
eternal enemy to his business as is ev-
cry other good citizen AS to whether
the threats were made in a boisterous
or quiet manner, has nothing to do with
the disturbance or danger. If one
threatens to do bodily harm to another,
the only thing the person so threatened
can do-if he means to be a law abid-
ing citizen-is to appeal to the law for
protection.
l am sorry that an outrage like this
could occur in my old home county, and
so near the place of my childhood, but
the thing that surprises. and pains me
most is that our county paper, that
ought to be moulding sentiment for
should array itself with
the lawless element.
Your reference to preachers being
out of their place has absolutely no
alarms for me. The time has been
when small politicians could brighten
the pulpit into silence with that cry,
but those who are informed as 10 pres
ent day conditions, know that that day
has passed, and that the pulpit of to
day refuses to be silent in the presence
OF these great questions of civic right
The Church of God is the
divinely appointed guardian of public
morals. and when anything arises that
threatens the morals of the people, the
minister is entirely within his rightful
place who opposes that thing in every
legitimate way. The pulpit is gradual
ly moulding public sentiment against
the liquor traffic and at no distant dav
this traffic, with all its champions will
go down in overwhelming defeat"
Respt.,
7. L. Hulse.
Columbia, KY, May 16, 1911.