Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-03
Circulation Every 1OOOO
Evening Yesterday / OOOO
FRIDAY. JANUARY 3. 1919.
The Church and the Legislature.


ID Is somewhat surprising TO find a
church organization, especially one so
large aud influential as the Methodist
Episcopal Church in the state OF Del
aware. taking decided and positive
stand III respect OF the organization OF the
LEGISLATURE at Dover, next week II Is a
startling innovation, and what us results
may bc are problematical
The Legislature Of Delaware IS elected
on partisan lines, with Democratic and
Republican candidates and occasionally
those of other party organizations CON
testing fur victory When II comes 70
tle work Of organizing the Legislature,
the members ol the majority PARTY have
the responsibility They meet in caucus
and make selections for presiding officers
OF senate and House and Tor all the other
places Occasionally rather frequently,
ii fact here have been dcadiocks due
IL II, inability ~ tie majority members
10 aruc - ln agreement But. N tile
uau. the majority u4rtN. whether Re-
puhhc.u ., Democratic has attended 10
the "details Of organization
Now Wc have new element injected
into this important matter The Metho-
,li>t Ministers Association of thi~ citN
ll,, formally made demand that tEc
Republican members OF the Housc ol
Representatives,, who sre in the ma
lority, shall choose for speaker 4 man
who Is in favor OF temperance cgi-la
tion, so that the efforts OF those vito iavor
temperance legislation shall not he hani-
pcrci by the selection OF committees
inimical 10 their cause Thus, this IN
fiucnce has put it up 10 the Republican
majority members Of the House to Do
this thing, or be held responsible
Ordinarily, the House Republican cat
Gus would meet and select candidate
tor speaker without special regard to his
inclinations in respect Of wet or dry.
But now the matter has been impressed
upon them, by the representatives OF :,
very influential religious organization and
they will bc compelled TO consider be
situa ion thereby created Il Is a fac;
that dgrine ihc aHb4i II which the
nlernbe-s Of the present Legislature were
elected the Temperance issue did not
gurc il was u square partisan fight
b,, r..e.l he Republican and Democratic
p-sr,it-, aHd thc former Won
Now TIA rar'z + 'lled ~ on i, ep,c-
sentafiye> of religions todH 70 elect j
-pcabc- of the House who viii be thor
olghk a7orable 10 temperance legisla-
, ion Tlu> r. X publiran members OF
the | ous, me asked 10 -urordina'e their
polticai cr pei -onal choic, 10 this on
matter That they Vii consent to this j.
very doubtful
To many persons tins intrusion OF
the church in matter 80 purely political
will not be rehshed The church i }
great agenc, for good No doubt d
might become an even greater agency IN
this direction by greater effort b. throw
ing open its doom FOR community gather
ings designed 10 improve the general
conditions OF the community No doubt
this will come in time, for the general
trend of the church il 70 continue us work
for good and 20 keep advancing, not
rctrogradIng.
But when the church undertakes, as
an organization. to dabblc IN partisan
politics, We may well question the pro-
priety OF such move We have no re-
sponsibihty for the Republican majority
members VI the House OF Representa-
tiyes. but We feel, and We believe that
will he the general feeling Of those who
elected them, that they should be free 70
exercise their personal and political choice
in selecting candidates for Speaker and
other places, without any coercion from
outside organizations
20 Tar as temperance legislation IS con-
cerned, there is no doubt the sentiment Of
q majority Of the members of the Legisla-
ture viii be voiced IN legislation, and this
legislation will not lie regulated by partisan
considerations. There are dry Dem
ocrats and dry Republicans wet
Democrats and wet Republicans And
the viii Of the majority will prevail, 10
matter what kind Of committee appoint
ments may be made The voice Of
ma Iority cannot be stifed if that majority
II at All times inslstent upon its rights
and determined that these rights shall
not be overruled
And 50 it may be well for the Re-
publican majority members OF the House
Of Representatives to pay no regard TO this
demand that they shall sacrifice their
possible personal or political preferences
10 certain matter in voting for a candi-
date Tor Speaker OF the house They can
well afford 10 assemble ia caucus and
vote among the various aspirants until
one receives majority, and then abid