Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-04-17
BOOTHS SECRETS OUT
THE TRUE REASON or THE SALIVA
TloN ARMY CONFLICT.

THE TRUE REASON or THE SALIVA
TloN ARMY CONFLICT.
BalIington Says His Father Spoke slight
inEly Of America and Exhibited Preja-
dice Against the United states-That
Led TO the Commanders Withdrawal.
NEW YORK, April 15-when Balling-
ton Booth returned from inaugurating the
Volunteer movement In the west, he found
that efforts were being made by English
Salvation Army officials to undermine his
new organization. Personal attacks, he
said, were being made upon him and his
wife In London. Garbled extracts from
his letters were being shown, he said, and
false constructions were put upon his ao-
tions.
The situation so aroused him and his
wife that they determined to break the
silence which they have maintained as to
the family disagreements that caused
them to leave the Salvation Army. They
issued statement giving the inside his
tory of the revolt. They alleged:
l That on Jan 10 they protested against
their removal on the ground Of the feeling
toward England then existing in this
country, the heavy financial responsibility
Of their new building and their unfortu
nate relations with General Booth, from
whom they he'd received no communion
tion for six months.
That they were convinced that the sys.
tenn Of governing the Army here from
foreign country was unwise.
That rules and regulations for the Army
here, even as to minute details, were made
In London without consulting them.
That they were not consulted as to i'm
portant appointments, promotions and
changes of policy affecting the Army In
the United States
That the resignation Of william Evans
as chief secretary was forced and the ap-
pointment of an Englishman in his place
was insisted upon in London.
That a rule made by them forbidding
the use of tobacco by enrolled officers of
the Army in America was vetoed by the
London authorities, and they-the Bal
lington Booths-were ordered to abrogate
It, They refused.
The Primary Cause.
Here are other parts Of their statement:
"The generals visit to this country was
the primary cause of the disagreement be-
tween us. From first to last he impressed
us with his displeasure and his dissatis-
faction with us personally and with our
method of administering affairs. We loved
and understood this country. He exhibit
ed prejudice and misconception Of 1t and
its people He objected to the display of
the national flag upon our badges and in
our halls and In our homes. He said that
the time had arrived to cease carrying the
stars and stripes at the head of our pa
rades. He objected to the use of the eagle
upon our orests and insignias and con
stantly spoke deprecatingly Of the ooun-
try, its people and its institutions.
During his last interview with us in
America the general stated that he wished
us to assist the struggling work in Cana
da by giving up certain portion of the
! United States to be annexed to the domin-
ion. We expressed our willingness to fur
ther assist our comrades in Canada with
money (having already helped them finaD.
cially), but that the annexation of Ameri
can territory to Canada was quite i'm
practicable and would damage the work.
Their Protests Unheeded.
"Our arguments carried no weight,
and the general considered them unrea-
sonable. When he spoke of the national
| feeling, he closed the controversy by draw
ing his finger down the map of North
| America in three sections, declaring that
ultimately he intended to out the country
/ IN three, Joining eacn 20 section OF Can
ada to break down any national feeling
existing. We said such division would
ruin the work in this country, where the
broken union of the states means so much
"After the generals return to England
lengthy correspondence followed in
which we gave a number of reasons
against this annexation. Though they
could not carry our Judgment, they forced
us to make the annexation, and at the
present time the Army work in Dakota
north Montana and north Washington is
governed from Toronto and we have been
told that the officers hardly dare to let the
citizens of these oities know that their
money goes to the Canadian headquarters
1t was intended upon our removal from
command to divide this country.
"The unjust manifestos and unohristian
assertions made by the leaders of the
Army and their representatives In this
country, particularly the unrebuked and
excused assertion by one of their trusted
staff officers, that (Ballington Booth) am
insane. and the most abominable reheo-
tions upon the private character of Mrs.
Booth which have proceeded from another
staff officer give us sufficient reason for
refusing to entertain any suggestion of
returning to the ranks of the old move
ment.