New-York tribune., 1895-10-02
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
THE VOICE" AND WARNER MILLER

mn FINK REPLIES TO Mr.. COoTEs CRITICISM OF
THE TEMPERANCE ORGANS COURSE IN 1855
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Cir As the Rev James Coote Is so intensely per-
sonal abus.vely abusing me because ne THINKS NE
abusive IN your columns OF the Z'tn ihS'' az"
sure that you will give me space Tor .he i'.'o""s
s,m,e statement Of facts covering the points IN
his extraordinary assau.t;
7 find upon an examination Of The Voice rec
orda that "conHdenar letter was sent to num-
Nor ~ nerqon, who had been delegates 70 the Meth
od,s Episcopal Genera. Conference IN 1879 Inns was
after the denial tina; Warner Miller was pFe"e''
when the vote was taken on the adoption o. inc
temperance report which denounced Incense h's" u
low az vicious in principe and p1wer!eSs as
remedy" and while Mr. Miller was ma"hs ms oe's
bra;ed Guberna,orla, campaign in favor OF hish
license We published November l. lSSS, the iac's
which I'm our Judgment, those letters MADE Gear l
cannot hrd that We published line "garoieu OF
otherwise from any Of these letters e"he' A'o"
one from Mr. Coote or from that or any o'"er u.'e
gate 1t was not the intention 10 publish the ie'-
ters: tina, was the reason the correspondence was
morksa "confdential" We wished TO know the ex-
act facts simply for our guidance in the then pend
ing controversy.
Thesc facts as publ!s November were that
Mr. Miller was not present when the origina. vote
vas taken on the adoption OF the temperance re-
port; he was present when the report was recon-
S.dereu
after having been slightly amended, II wes nnals
adonted and was present when the amendment 10
the Dlscipline was adopted which declared that the
Methodist Church is 'unalteraby opposed to license
laws.
At the time OF the pubcatio OF these fac's. we
gave the widest possible challenge FOR denlais' say
ing ",hat Mr.. Miller present and not Silent
whom the vote (on the reconsidered report on May
o., was taken but actually voted for and appauded
the resolutions we can prove. If this statement ~
| questioned by an unimpeachabe eyewitness our
editors had what they deemed clear PROOF OF the
truth of this statement, and gave their PROOF. III
rho folIouing January find a denial In The Voice
from Mr. Coote containing such rather l'nponte rei-
erences to US as He'd" "impernence' II his let
tor was not published IN full certainly his denial
was given broad enough. As to General FISK, ne
personally helped 10 get at these facts. and
authorized us to his name publicly as indorse-
ment II the facts were questioned. II General FISK
ser wrSIe ,Se Sey dde Siis Of OF ocobsr 1855 viii be
tanly curious TACT .,. .o ,. ..,,o,u,s,.
act In resurrecting this history we nave gwen our
reasons fully in our own periodical and would sianiy
too much OF journalistic courtesy In the heat OF a
political campaign ,, ,.,., ,,.
being "mendacious." lying" Did I believe 1t to be
such I would cheerful.y see it sunk into the depths
and call names when argument fails Permit me
say that most uneGvoea instructions " S ss are
| to avoid mlsstatements. and TO correct errors
promptly and conSpicuously made. AS this charge
| OF lying Is often and hippanty made. we pro
| pose to Mr. Coote TO join him In laying before a
Committee of any three impartial Leading Methodist
| c.ergymen or laymen any case or mlsstatement
| ne can recall, and II the committee decides that
''The Voice has not told the truth or refused tuli
correction. will publish conspicuously the finding
! OF this Methodist committee; II the committee de-
| cdcs for THE Voice" Mr.. Coote 10 have the de-
! cslon published In some prominent Methodist paper
That seems fair. Decency requires either proof or
silence Life Is short for either abuse or ly-
| ing" - J. IA foNh.
| New-York. Sept 30 1895