The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-10
THE WAR CLAIMS MATTER.
Introduction of Subject Causes Acri-
mODiOus Debate at Dallas.

Introduction of Subject Causes Acri-
mOniOus Debate at Dallas.
Dallas, Tex, May 9.-The publishing
house war claims matter which has ag-
itated the Methodist Church. South, for
several years. was the dominant fea-
ture to-day in the proceedings of the
general conference of that church. DR..
McGhee of the South Georgia confer
ence called the convention to order.
Bishop Morrison in a personal expla-
nation declared that he knew absolute
ly nothing about the Bacon-Clay letter
on the book publishing war claims un-
til it was read in conference Wednes
day. He was not consulted and did not
endorse the action taken. Statements
were made in succession by DIR. Love-
joy, Drs Grass and Alexander and
Bishop Gambler, terminating in de-
cision that Bishop Gamblers letter to
Senators Bacon and Clay should be
read and referred to the committee on
publishing interests for the informa ton
of the conference.
Bishop CnndIer's Statement.
Bishop Gambler asked permission to
make a statement. He said he had ten
dered the letter to the conference; that
he had nothing whatever to conceal.
and that all who wanted the letter
might have it.
Bishop Gambler then read the letter.
1t was a plain request to a senator,
who is his personal friend for informa-
ton concerning the opinions of sena-
tors as to whether the Senate had been
deceived by the publishing house
agents. The statement of eighty SEN
a tors that no misrepresentation had
hpaT made has already hnpn NH liSha6
Applause greeted Bishop Gambler as he
closed. The matter was referred to the
Committee on Publishing interests.
Judge Strother of Los Angeles, Cal,
acting for himself and others of the
Publishing Committee of the confer
ence of 1898, presented a paper under
the head of Personal Privilege"
He plainly charged deception, mis-
representation and other wrong-doing"
in connection with the publishing house
war claims, particularly on the part of
the book agents in their dealings with
Congress during the tendency of the
claims. The accuracy of some of the
statements in the report of the Book
Committee read yesterday was chal-
lenged.
The reading of Judge Strother's pa
per precipitated an acrimonious debate.
The papers and Judge Strother's per-
SOildl STATEMENTS " NAiC CCAASA 49,
were severely attacked by DR.. Col
Inns Denny, chairman of the Book Com
mittee; John o. Wilson of South Caro-
lima. Col e. c. Reeves of Johnson City,
Tenn, and others.
1t was decided not to permit the pa
per to appear in the journal and a
suggestion to have 1t referred to the
Committee on Publication interests
was not allowed. Under a call of SUI
coordinate conferences for resolutions a
| large number was presented and re-
ferred without reading,
| An important incident of the con-
| vention was the adoption of resolu-
| ton. after much contention, ordering
| the Committee on Publishing Interests
to employ a stenographer to write all
the proceedings, including the testi-
mony given during the committee
! consideration of the war claim mat
ter.
Bishop Morrison Challenged.
r. w. Boswell of the Mississippi
| Conference withdrew his challenge
against the right of H. c. Morrison of
Louisville to a delegates seat.
Reports of standing committees We're
! filed and referred. These included the
reports on church extension, board of
missions, etc.
Rev. P. H. Whisner, secretary of the
Board of Church Extension, submitted
the quadrennial report to-day. A sum-
mary of twenty years work, 1SS2-l902
shows a handsome increase in money
collections.
Progress of missionary work in
China, Japan Korea, Mexico, Brazil
Cuba. etc, is said to be marked. The
convention adjourned until o'clock to-
morrow