p. 21 | Value of the Petition Work by W. A. C.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 4, 1909

Value of the Petition Work

By W. A. C.

THE accompanying illustration is a reduced reproduction of a cartoon which appeared in the Sacramento (Cal.) Bee, of Feb. 5, 1909. It indicates quite forcibly the value and importance of the petition work in our opposition to the passage of religious measures.

Referring to this matter, Elder J. O. Corliss, writing from Sacramento, February 10, says: “I am sure that petitions are of great help in our legislative work, as you will notice by the cartoon mailed you yesterday. It did not appear until about two weeks after petitions were put in; so you can see that they are remembered. The Bee is keeping before the people the thought that those personal signatures have been filed.”

Writing to the brethren in the State of New York through the Atlantic Union Gleaner, of February 10, Elder C. S. Longacre says: “There are now fourteen [now twenty-one] Sunday bills before your State legislature. Now is your time to enter an effective protest against these bills. I never knew until last week how effective these protests are. When we appeared before the Maine Legislature last week, to argue against the Sunday bill, the letters and protests of our people that were coming in thick and fast on every mail, gave us a tremendous influence and standing with the committee. Come to our help, brethren! We can not fight the battle alone.”

It is a mistake, therefore, for any one to belittle or minimize the influence and importance of the petition work. And by this we mean to include everything of the nature of personal letters, memorials, resolutions, remonstrances, and protests of all kinds. These things do exert an influence and have weight.

As long therefore as the right of petition is recognized and exists, we feel that advantage should be taken of it, and use made of it. And it would seem a sort of providence that the same section in the United States Constitution which enjoins Congress from making any law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, guarantees the right of petition. If there is anything the people ought to petition and protest against, and have a right to petition and protest against, it is the evils of religious legislation. We hope therefore that none of our people will lose sight of this important work, and the opportunities it affords to present the truth to the people. W. A. C.