The Van Buren press., 1903-10-31
A False Imputation.
Prom the Little Rock Democrat

Prom the Little hOcA beno''N'
Some DAYS ago the Ozark Demo
crat published, by Q. c. Colburn.
one of the most conservative men
in the state, aud withal Christian
gentleman. made the assertion
that Governor Davis in his speech
at that point said among other
things:
81 am not fit to belong to the
church.. ,.and no man is MT. There
ia not a married man true TO his
wife: | am not and no other man
ia; all our wives could get divorces
on that ground"
On reading this statement, to-
gether with the criticism that fol-
lowed, we were astounded ana
unwilling to believe that the gov
ernor had been properly quoted.
On inquiry of Mr.. Colburn person
ally he asserts most positively that
he quoted the governor correctly
and that several other gentlemen
remember his words just as he
quoted them. Judge j. H. Evans,
who was chairman of the meeting
at which Governor Davis spoke
IN Ozark, made the following state
ment in writing to Mr.. Colburn:
"After stating the circumstances
of his restoration to membership
In the Baptist church, Governor
Davis said: "But. fellow-cltizens,
! am not fit to belong to any
church. No man is fit to belong
to q church. The women are fit
but the men are not. If our wives
knew what we are doing they
would sue us for divorces"
Col. Charles Gordon Newman
Of the Pine Bluff Commercial,
subsequently, wrote to the COVER
nor and asked him whether or not
he made the statement attributed
to him by Mr.. Colburn, and this
elected a fiat denial from the gov
ernor, who said Colburn was mad
at him and had been criticising
him for pardoning liquor men
and that when he spoke IN Ozark
he exhibited a petition for such a
pardon with Colburn's name
signed to it, and this caused him
to fabricate the story as quoted
above.
But unfortunately for the gov
ernor, he spoke the day following
his speech at Ozark at Benton
vile, and there he made substantl'
ally the same admissions and
charges alleged by Mr.. Colburn.
In proof that he did, the follow
ing affidavit is made by prominent
citizens of Benton county:
State Of Arkansas,
Countytof Benton.
We, the undersigned citizens Of Ben
ton county Ark. state on oath that we
heard the candidates for governor speak
In Bentonville on the 2ist day OF Sept
ember, 1908, and that Governor Davis
In his speech, referring to his having
been turned out OF church, among other
things used practically the following
language: II acknowledge that | am
not good enough to belong to the church, ,
and none OF you men are. Nobody but
the good women are good enough to be-
aong TO the church. You may take the
best men In your town, the one who
goes to church the most and prays the
loudest, II his wife knew where he was
and what be was doing last night she
would bring suit for divorce this morn
ing
(Signed.) A. B. Herd, justice Of the
peace. Herd, Ark, j, W, Williams,
merchant. Lowell Ark, P, Carnahan
munster, Bentouville, Ark, c. Cargile
doctor. Bentonville, Ark. w, N,
wsldnip, pastor M. e. C.s s. Bentonville
W. Ii. Cloe, ex.sheritf, Bentonvlle,
Ark.
Sworn TO and subscribed before me
this Sd day Of October, 1908
(Signed.) e. L. TAYLOR,
County Judge,
I hereby certify that the above partie.
are wholly reliable and ~ good citizens
~ can be found In Arkansas, and
further certify that heard Governor
Davis make the above statement,
(Signed,) Ell. TAYLOR,
County Judge Benton County, Ark
Had these remarks been at.
tributed to a private citizen we
should ignore them, Coming from
80 distinguished u citizen ~ the
governor and having been made
~ asserted IN public, 1t is clearly
the duty Of the press to refute the
foul aspersion contained therein
against the citizenship Of the
state.
The assertion Is as false ~ the
devil could conceive.
And the man who believes as
these expressions would indicate
would naturally place false
estimate on his fellow man, NC
would Of course imagine that
every man was liar aud that he
would sell for prIce. He would