Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-06
THE A. P. AS ACTION
What the Chairman Of the Advisory
Board Says.
EXPECT KICKING; BUT NO "SQUALL"
Decision Against Mckinley Was
Reached BY Affidavits.
REPORT TO BE APPROVED

Among the advance guard of the Supreme
Stevens and Col. w. O. Crosby. members of
the executive committee of the advisory
board Judge Stevens is chairman of the
board and he will have his hands full at
the meeting of the council next week He
IS here to take few days rest, having
been working in the south recently
A reporter for The Star saw Judge Ste
Vens at the National Hotel this morning
and asked him if there was any truth in
the reports that the A. p. A. council next
week will have stormy session on politi-
cal matters.
Il don't look for 'squaI,' as 1 see it
stated III The STAR said Judge Stevens
There may be some kicking, as is to be
expected in an order composed of so many
men and where some of the members are
partisans or followers of presidential can
didates. In an order of that kind we are
likely to get in men who cannot dvest
themselves of partisanship. Many Of the
stories of expected trouble next week orig
mate from statements of so-called A. p A
papers. The fact is, there are no official A.
+. A papers. The order is responsible in
no way for the utterances of these papers
TO my knowledge the Supreme Council has
at two different annual conventions refused
to indorse any patriotic paper as it's organ"
Did Not Exceed It's Authority.
us 1t a fact that while your committee
condemned Mckinley it erlogized or in
dorsed other cand:dates?' ,...-
NO, 1t Is not true that any candidate
was eulogized. We simply went over the
public records of each man as we found
them and reported on the facts. AS to the
committee exceeding it's authority, as is
charged, tnat Is mistake. There Is no
question as to the authority possessed by
the advisory board and the executive COM
mittee, which represented the board. has
the same authority. The duties of the COM
mnttee We're to receive reports from the
order from each state and territory regard
irg the standing of the prominent presi-
Dental aspirants in all parties. The reason
the democratic candidates were not consid-
cred al our meeting here is because there
were no candidates announced at that time.
What It's Duty Was.
After the board had investigated the
facts presented to 1t, its duty was to pre-
sent Its findings to the order throughout
the United States, by circular or otherwise
This the board has honestly and fairly
done. Let the record speak for itself. No
charges have been made against Mckinley
either orally or by circular, by this commit
tee, but are based upon affidavits furnished
us by prominent and trustworthy members
OF the order who are in good standing In
the findings against Mckinley we did not
arrive at conclusions from hearsay evil
dence, but, as stated, on the afffdavits of
responsible men. These afildavits will be
presented to the full advisory board and to
the Supreme Council next week.
How the Board Acted.
Now, as to the stories that there are
some profound secrets connected with the
work of the committee when it met here.
The facts are that an invitation was ex-
tended to anybody and everybody who de-
sired to furnish evidence against any of
the presidential candidates. We sought
interviews with each of the candidates
themselves. and with their managers. We
gave Mckinley and his managers ample
opportunity to inform the committee as to
his standing relative to the principles of
the order Now, l want to say this: While
here and in New York and elsewhere every,
presidential candidate except Mckinley
volunteered to appear before us, and
granted us cordial interviews when we
thing they could to facilitate our work.
Now, what was the conduct of Gen. Gros-
venor, the Mckinley manager here? A
committee, Of which 1 was at the head,
went to see Gen. Grosvenor al the Capitol.
A Congressman, a friend of ours, went in
the House and informed Gen. Grosvenor
that we would like to him. He abso-
lutel refused to see or talk with us, even
in attendance were Mckinley men. He said
he would telegraph to Mckinley about the
matter. The statement that we did not
give Gen. Grosvenor chance to talk with
us is false.
Not All Republicans.
"It is erroneous to say that the commit
tee which met here was composed wholly
of republicans. The committee is as near
ron-partisan as it can be. Seven members
of bo ord hore nh
the others. They telegraphed that they
would be satisfied with whatever action the
committee took The executive commit
tee, may say right here, had full power to
act, and did not have to report to the full
board before it's action became final, but
We will report to the board and to the Su-
preme Council.
Not ut All Worried.
1.-The evidence upon which the report
against Mckinley is based has not and will
not be made public until it is given to the
full board. We have no fear that our re-
port will not be adopted by the council
when laid before it. We have sworn afi-
davits to substantiate every charge we
have made We did not go at this business
like lot of school boys We did not make
up report on stories, but we made 1t up on
sworn affdavits which will satisfy the Su-
preme Council"
rs it fact that when the committee
IL
bers were for McKinley?"
Yes; that is a fact, and could not be
convinced for long time that the charges
against him were true. l would not and
did not submit to the conclusion reached
by the other members of the board until q
full investigation had produced such evil
dence as considered sufficient to act upon
In connection with the matter of affidavits,
1 will say that we have one as to McKin-.
ley's relations to the A. P. A. in Ohio from
the Rev. Adam Fawcett, now a minister al
Portage, Wis, and formerly in Columbus"
What the Charges Are.
OF course, the full charges against Nc
kinley will not be made public now, but it
is learned that the majority of the accusa-
tions are that while he was governor of
Ohio he Disseminated against A. P. A.
men in appointments. and that he has pan
dered to Catholic influences. The A. P. A.
committeeman say that the A. P. A. elect
ed Mckinley governor of the state the last
time. and that when they asked for some
of the offices he seemed to show fear of
recognizing the order in any way.
Penalty for Firing Timber Lands.
The House committee on public lands has
ordered to be reported favorably a bill to