Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 October 1900 — Praying and Voting. [ARTICLE]

Praying and Voting.

Rev. D. A. Tucker, a former pastor of the Free Will Baptist church here and well known to most of our readers, writes in the Morning Star, a temperance paper, the following letter which we copy by request:

On many accounts I should personally decline to go on the stump as a political partisan speaker, but lam constrained to speak when opportunity is afforded on the prohibition or temperance questions, because I am convinced that the legalized traffic in intoxicating liquors is the bitterest curse, physically, intellectually, socially and morally, that has ever smitten with shame the fair face of the republic. -r- ~—

The dark curse of American slavery, though great, fcwas a dwarf compared with this gigantic curse. Ido believe that the liquor traffic threatens • more danger to our nation than is threatened by tnilitarism of imperialism. Respecting the vital interests of our people, the silver question, the tariff question, and the expansion question sink into comparative insignificance. No intelligent man with a grain of honesty in his moral make up will deny the fact that the liquor traffic has the law making and the law-executing power of this government in its iron grasp, and is reaching out its mighty hands, filled with bribes, to tempt our judiciary powers. Despite the universally admitted magnitude of this giant evil there appears to be a canspiracy of silence among the leaders of all political parties, but one, on this subject. And the God-fearing men who have begged, year after year at party conventions, for recognition of the evil and an expression of hostility to the liquor traffic, are treated with silent contempt or derisive insolence. But the saloon keeper is flattered. And a deadly lethargy hanging over Christain people calls for outspoken leadership on the part of Christain ministers if the host of the Christain church is to be j aroused to action.

The Savior said, “What do ye j more than they?” Where is the ! difference, when brewer, distiller, j Catholic priest, Protestant minister, Sunday school superintendent, deacon and saloon keeper all: stand shoulder to shoulder voting the same ballot? I can not shut my eyes nor close my ears to the unspeakable sorrows of my brothers and sisters around me. Ravaged homes, staggering drunkards, broken-hearted wives, pitiful orphans meet me every day. Our association passed a resolution scanctiouing the Nicholson j law of Indiana, and pledging our-; selves to its enforcement. Andj we bave defeated four applicants in as many months here in Ridgeville. And by the grace of God, we will rid ourselves of the curse of a licensed saloon! lam set in the midst of this misery, as a disciple of the meek and lowly Nazarene, to try and Bteady their staggering feet, heal their broken hearts and awake to hope their despairing souls. Bufi at every effort, I am met with and confronted with the antagonism of the liquor traffic, which the state iteelf protects and fosters. What else can a Christain do, when confronted with such facts, but make his protest so loud and so effective that it can not pass unheeded? So long as Christain ministers and laymen continue to pray, and and preach sermons, and vote like the brewers, distillers and saloon ketpers, just so long will we be treated with the practical contempt we deserve. Rev. D. A. Tucker.