The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-10
Yet Mr.. BILLIARDS. Honesty Is
Established in Topeka.
DENUNCIATION FROM PULPIT
Compares Mayor to Devil in
Local Politics.
Makes Any and All Kinds Gen.
eral Charges.

ID.
of ISLANDERS and lies, too low and con-
temptible to even deserve an answer
from me-" And the mayor IN glanclhs
through the statements showed PLAIN
The sermon was on The Devil IN
Local Politics. 1t was given before
an audience of five or six hundred
persons who were expecting TO near
something of a startling nature from
The sensational intimation made in
the sermon that Mayor Billiard is cor
rupt and profits by illegal sales OF
liquor in Topeka was startling in view
of the integrity of Mr.. Billiard. How
ever much people may dltfer from lue
mayor in his personal views ne Is al
most universally given credit Tor un-
impea chable honesty and his reputa-
ton is established in that respect
In his sermon Rev. Gordon sal !:
There is no such thlng as Passln :
goodness There is no neutral zone
where one may stand mere spectator
of the strife between right and wrong
The man who refuses or falls 70 resist
the Devil is thereby resisting Goa: 10
live morally a man must night Inc
fight for righteousness whether III
ones own life or in a community is no
sham battle. The sword of the spirit
was given for actual use, not Ior pur-
poses of dress parade
I'VE are glad the church is fighting
the false gods and real devils OF
heathenisnl. 1t is occasion for gratl-
white slave evil and the saloon. some
body may think city politics an affalr
too trivial for earnest attention. Let
me say that here is the cruX OF the
whole situation. The great dailies are
located in the city, giving the city
the power of moulding public OPINION
The banks and trust companies, fac-
tories and business concerns are IN
the city, representing the mighty pow
er of concentrated wealth. At the
present rate of growth, within gen.
Grafton, there will be 20,OOO,OOO more
people in the cities of America than
in the open country. The city VIII
hold the vote. AS the city goes so
goes the country. and as America goes
so goes the world.
"Thc Devil in City Politics"
us the devil in city politics? There
are, am glad to say, many men IN
politics who are absolutely clean and
honest, but 1 am concerned with the
other type tonight. Let me ask
purely hypothetical question. If you
can agine such a thing, suppose the
devil should come to Topeka and
somehow so succeed in woodworking
enough good people to get political
control What. judging from your
knowledge of his character, whether
hearsay or more directly. do you sur
mise are some of the things he would
likely do?
many possible of Sunday rest lest
they might have a chance to some real
thinking and would encourage all
sorts of counter attractions to the
church. He would put a cigarette in
the mouth of every susceptible boy
and make it convenient for him to
get fresh supply. He would approve
pool halls where boys might in dis
regard OF city ordinance congregate to
smoke. swear and gamble. He would
display and spread amongst our youth
obscene literature and postcards to fire
the flames of lust. OF course he would |
have nothing to say against diSreput- |
able houses where boys and girls may
be fastened on to hell. He would set /
a saloon against every school. opposite !
every church, and on every prominent |
corner, and open doors to drunkenness 1
wherever men congregate. If una BILE |
because of cast iron prohibitory laws /
from actually opening saloons, he |
would go just as far in that direction |
as possible. If he found it customary
TO maintain a police force for the pur
pose of enforcing law it is certain he
would place in power men of character
akin to his own
'All this has happened here. l hold
here reports from a group of men who
at my request visited pool rooms.
These reports show there are respect
able pool halls and also that there are
places of an entirely different charac-
ter There is a city ordinance against
permitting boys under is to loiter in
such halls. The police evidently do
not know such an ordinance exists.
Postcards are being exposed for sale
that would make a Jezebel blush. In
this city not very long ago there were !
over 40 places where without much
trouble liquor might be bought. Beer
was delivered until a few days ago by
the carload.
1T is said the mayor always comes
back. Tonight I wish to ask a few
leading questions that may make it !
p little easier for him to come back.
Mr. Mayor. did YOU ever give the po-
liquor laws? If so, why have these
flagrant violations been permitted? If
The police did not know of these VIC
ations then why did they not know?
Did it ever occur to you while on
night ramble that it might have been
more profitab bic for the city if the !
money spent for the gold watch given
The chief of police had been used to
hire real esh-and-blood watch to
follow the police for week and then
report and publish, if printable. what
he had witnessed? If your method of
bookkeeping permits. have you any
objection to telling us how much you
-ourself have made out of the unlaw-
'ul trade in liquor this past year?
If you ever meant to enforce the
laws, why did you select
IS policemen so many men guilty of I
the very laws they were en- {
ragged to enforce? Were the noisy {
raids (very noisy afterwards and we |
inspect a little noiSed beforehand) | |
mere so many kegs were captured '
md so few proprietors, made for the $
purpose of casting dust in the eyes of :
he gullible? Certainly they had no i
cry general corrective effect. Are you ;
making your race for mayor on the :
ecords of Chief of Police Jenkins and )
bella Sare, the police matron? |.
branded as "!Arch Conspirator-
what pity that an old man who t
night have gone on to wear as a {
rown of glory the esteem and honor {
Il his community should bear upon his t
row the mark of Cain. Against him
s. a private citizen L would have not e