Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1908 — REPUBLICAN MACHINE INSULTS THE MINISTERS [ARTICLE]

REPUBLICAN MACHINE INSULTS THE MINISTERS

Issues a "Confidential” Circular to Republican Chairmen Asking Them to "Organize the Preachers” for the Republican Party. Mr. Marshall Defends the Ministry Against This Republican Affront. Some time ago the Republican State Central Committee sent out a circular containing “Confidential Suggestions to County Chairmen.” One of the paragraphs in this circular was as follows: “Organize temperance people. Organize the preachers. Organize the business men. Organize first voters. Organize the women." This suggestion of the Republican State Committee to the county chairmen to “organize the preachers” Into Republican campaign adjuncts was such au amazing breach of the proprieties that it doubtless caused many of the Republican county chairmen to gasp. But the Republican managers did not realize what a stupendous blunder they had made In offering such an affront to the ministers of the state until Thomas R. Marshall In his Terre Haute speech read the “confidential suggestions” to a large audience and In behalf of the preachers resented the insult that had been cast upon them. The Inability of the Republicans to understand that ministers are ordained to preach the gospel and not to be*organized Into political clubs or drum corps for the benefit of the Republican party was made plain by Mr. Marshall. On this point (using bis exact language) he said: a

"It has always been my Impression that when a minister was consecrated with holy oil that he was enlisted to fight the battles of the Lord, and not the battles of the Republican party, and I will take my chances on there being a great majority of ministers who still believe that the peculiar mission of the minister is to preach the gospel and not to beat a bass drum in a political procession.” But no sooner had Mr. Marshall thus given publicity to the impertinent Instruction to “organize the preachers” than the Republican managers saw what a mistake they had made —the mistake of being caught in a contemptible piece of business. Seeing no other way to break the force of Mr. Marshall’s revelation, they caught up the “bass drum” phrase, caused garbled reports to be printed in Republican newspapers, and yelled out, in big, black headlines, that “Marshall Atr tasks the Preachers.” Speaking of the matter the Indianapolis News said:

“Certain politicians have tried to make it appear that tbe Democratic oandldate has insulted the ministers of the state—that he Is ‘opposed’ to the ministers. Those who know Mr. Marsti&ll will need no enlightenement on this subject. He is an honest, cleanUvlng gentleman, a man of the highest character, and, we believe, a member of the Presbyterian church. The idea tjiat he would bead a crusade against the offioial representatives of the Christian religion is absurd, and is fostered largely by those who are trying to ulse the ministers to further their own schemes. What Mr. Marshall was dealing with at Terre Haute was not the preachers, but the politicians.” After quoting Mr. Marshall’s language, the News added this: “That there are ministers—we hope all .of them —in Indianapolis, who hold precisely this view, was proved by the action of the Ministerial Association on Monday, when it struck out of its resolutions all reference to candidates •r parties. What Mr. Marshall objected to was to organization of ministers by oounty chairmen, and that was all he objected to. We think that the ministers will agree with him. We think further that honest people will aot be impressed by the criticism made by those who take certain words from their context and thus seek to give a false Impression of what was said.’* The professional Republican preacher—the kind that can be depended on in every campaign to do political work for his party—swallowed the story about the “attaok on the preachers,” and began to expatiate upon it with his usual partisan zeal, and perhaps will continue to do so. All ethers, however, will take good care not to be misled by such disreputable tactics. V The campaign of the Republicans, so far as it has progressed, has been marked by so much false pretense and prevarication—lying is the better word —that It is explainable only on the theory that the Republican managers and their helpers can find no honest ground to stand on.