The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-05-16
The WAR CLAIM AGAIN
STILL OCCUPIES TIME OF METH
DIST CONFERENCE.
Bishop Hargrove Makes an Extended
Statement and Judge Strother
Repiies-Majority Report Is
Deferred to Committee.

! Dallas, Tex, May 15.-After one day in
which the subject was not mentioned. the
| war claim was The principal theme OF
discussion before the Methodist Episcopal
Church conference today. The reply of
the majority members of the Committee
on Publish hing House interests to the
| minority report was brought in and dis
Committee on Publishing House interest.
The eighth days session was presided
over by Bishop Gambler a privileged
Communication from the African M. Il.
Church Conference at Nashville was read.
Greetings were seat to the Presbyterian
Assembly at jackson, Miss, and to the
Cumberland Prcsbyterians in session at
| Columbu, Tenn.
The Committee en- Missions reported
great progress in this field. The Gues-
tion Of the union Of the various branches
Of Methodism In japan was brought up
and concurrence in the plan proposed of
uniting the six branches under one head
was had. the provision being made that a
commission of fi,e be appointed to con-
fer with similar commissions from the
other churches on a plan of unity.
The Committee on Itinerancy reported
non-concurrcpce in memorials requesting
the conference to allow no preacher to
hold a mission more than four years, nor
any presiding eldership more than eight
years. Taking up the regular business,
the report Of the Committee on Educa-
ton was considered. Correspondence
courses, open to all ministers at nominal
cost under the direction of the faculty of
Vanderbilt University, was considered
and ordered established.
DR.. 8. s. Keener reopened the discussion
as to sending pupils to Vanderbilt. He
was opposed to chautauquas and seaside
lessons and correspondence schools. and
wished to keep the old methods. A long
discussion, participated in by DIR. Hoss,
DIR. Murray, Dr. Edwards of New Mex
leo. j. d. Hammond of Georgia, John III.
Mclean and others, ensued. The section
voting $4,000 additional for the estab-
lishment of u correspondence was held to
be too large. An amendment fixing the
sum of $500 was passed, and the report
as a whole adopted.
Bishop Hargrove presented petition
from citizens of Nashville, touching the
war claim. The threshing over the war
claim today did not develop anything
new. 1t only emphasized the fact that
the conference seems to be hopelessly
split on the question Summarized, the
report AYERS that the fullest, freest dis
cussion was granted when the matter was
being investigated that contrary to the
contention of Judge .Strother, every wit
ness was allowed to speak and the session
only closed when there were no more
witnesses, that Judge Strother himself
had ruled that The Congressional Record
report was not admissible as a proper
report; that again and again the members
of the minority said that they did rot be-
heve that the book agents had been
guilty of any Intentional wrong; that
there was no intentional deception of the
Senators; that Judge Strother had ruled
that a report of the procedure to the con-
ference was not necessary. and finally
that in no important part of its report is
the minority correct or assuming the
right position.
Judge Strother. IN reply. said that he
did not wish to add fuel to the flames.
but rather that he might, In the name of
peace. Justice and righteousness. establish
the truth.
The papers of the minority and major
ity were referred to the Committee on
Publishing House interests.
An executive session of the conference
was held at O'Clock tonight, when the
war claim was considered