The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-14
He Says the Societies Are Arbitrar rily
Ruled, and Condemns the Corpora
tion Policy Of Their Managers.
FATHER" CLARKE ASSAILED
THREE MILLION "PRIvATEs" AL
LEGGED TO BE BADLY TREATED.
Topics Discussed at the National Bap-
tist Congress and the Convention
of Christian Workers.

BOSTON, Mass, Nov. 13-John g. WOOL
ey, who has controversy with President
Francis Z. Clarke, of the Christian En-
deavor, has written a letter to the society
at large in which he declares the societies
to be under boss rule and declares that
the corporation policy" adopted by the
management leaves nothing TO the judgment
of the members. Mr.. Wooley says: THE
president of the corporation that controls
the United Societies of Christian Endeayor
is also chief owner of the Golden Rule.
There are some 100000 Of us privates We
have no president. no trustees. no secretary
nor treasurer. no newspaper, no voice, and
so | am forced to address you individually
by the mail sumbit to the injustice and
tyranny of boss rule which l refuse to do,
for your sake no less than my own.
'On Oct. IL. the Voice snewspspcr) pub
iished an article containing portions of two
speeches of mine, one delivered before the
Genesee NJ L. Conference at Rochester. y.
Y, and the other before the New York NJ.
E. Conference. at Newark. y. j., on Oct.
10, i'm which l alluded to Mr.. Francis Z.
Clarke in terms derogatory to his leader
ship of the Christian citizenship movement
in our society, but not otherwise. On Oct.
e, Mr.. Clarke. Mr.. Baer and Mr.. Shaw had
letters in the Boston papers, and later in
the Voice, from which ii appears that
Messrs. Baer.. Shaw, and probably Clarke,
are party Prohibtionists. The press dis
patches of Oct. % contained my reply. On
Oct. 81 the Golden Rule published one side
of the matter and suppressed the other.
suppressed ! say, but since that time
have been requested to publish my side,
and have promptly and curtly refused,
which was, perhaps, fair enough to me,
but not to you. This accords with the set
tied policy of the corporation. 1 do not
even suspect that there is any conscious
sefshness in the management Of our or
gan. 1t would doubtless be an advantage
if the three million had less chaperoning
and more responsibility.
"Oct. Is ! sent to the secretary of the
United Society a scheme of conciliation, in
substance as follows:
"First-I apologize to Mr.. Clarke for the
sharp language of my Newark speech and
suppress so much Of it as relates to him.
it being still under my control and not hav-
ing been as yet issued in pamphlet form.
'Second-Mr. Clarke to. apologize to me
for his conduct in the corridor of the Rruns-
wick and print my Boston Common speech
as written, with his comments on its points
seratim.
'Third-Mr. Baer to write brief state
ment of the difficulty and its settlement,
this statement to be signed by himself,
Mr.. Clark and myself, and printed in the
Golden Rule
"Fourth-The whole matter to end there
as to all its personal features.
This proposition was also rejected, and
so, having done all that ] could, / stand
and write you this for truths sake. and
conscience sake. Nothing could induce me
to lead a division of our society We ought
TO be loyal and respectful to our leaders,
but leaders are very prone TO forget that
they owe US loyalty also. And president of
our society, whose attitude toward the sa-
loon is indefinite in its ordinary details, is
deficient in loyalty. or bravery, or capacity.
My thought is that speech was infinitely
bigger than the Prohibition party. Finally,
l confess myself baffled and beaten in this;
last effort. Mr.. Clarkes exact whereabouts
remains undiscovered, but the effort has
value for what it did not accomplish. After
such trial one feels like returned polar
expedition-as if he had been close to a
place which has neither latitude nor lonei-
tude. but not quite. 1 will meet you at the
equator JOHN G. WOOLEY."