Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-17
answers the Prohibition
Committees Charges.
penudiates the Statements Of
ey--Denounces in Return.
.,.. 70 Gust Him from National
Committee.

chicago Dec. lo.-At special Iieet-
10 of the Prohibition national COM
r,',,ee Thursday, Chairman Oliver w.
stewart faced his accusers and re-
,rsd 10 the charges made during the
i.st Presidential campaign. He denied
.rsrv charge against him and in return
ti,,arly attacked John G.. Wooley, who
,o5 tho fight on Stewart. Forty of the
r members OF the national committee
yrere present in person at the meet
;nr and at least a dozen more were rep
resented by proxy.
Stevens of Pennsylvania, read
.ba report of the auditing committee.
which spent six weeks investigating
,,a accounts of Chairman Stewart. He
srrlained that the committee had not
eone back of the face of the vouchers
sod had not attempted to question the
visdom or policy of the expenditures
made for certain purposes. The report
corcluded with number of recon-
mendations which indicated that a new
system of raising campaign funds and
sypending them was desired.
Action on the report was deferred
i
his annual report.
The results of the last campaign,
Chairman Stewart said. in ameas-
IRE Disappointing as the vote in a num-
her of states fell below the total of four
years ago. The reason for this de-
crease, Chairman Stewart asserted.
was the attacks of q prominent Phohi
ND tail iX-id al
the methods of conducting the cam
paigli. Chairman Stewart accused
Judge Woolley and his associates Of
causing all the trouble.
"Our party organization was lame
and Ineffective" said Mr.. Stewart,
"and | realized that the first need was
to strengthen it by interesting a large
number of Individual workers in the
movement. To accomplish this l decid-
ed to use our Prohibition papers. Be-
fore the end of the campaign l OBJ
tanned an enrolment of $4,000 men,
btrs the largest enrolment we have
ever known. | sincerely wished l might
use the New Voice for this purpose. but
In view of certain information, which
had come to me | could not do it. This
was responsible for the trouble.
Il found that Judge Woolley, when
he organized the New Voice, capital
lied it for $4,000. The actual amount of
stock paid for was small. Woolley sold
lot of this stock and the proceeds
watflrft HIS pOekels The result was
that many thousands of dollars was
paid in by loyal Prohibltionists all over
the country under the impression that
The money was to be used in building
Up the party paper, when as a matter
Of fact it was not.
When these facts came to me l was
astounded and shocked. Later he came
to me and insisted that l loan him
part of a trust fund in my possession
IcOnsulted with Samuel Dickie and he
agreed that it could not be done. l re-
fused Mr.. Woolley's request. Then
learned that Mr.. Woolley's friendship
and the influence of his paper could on
y b. assured by the use he could make
Of my official position.
When the matter of nominating
Gen. Miles on the Prohibition ticket
came up, Mr.. Woolley and l talked II
Oier and agreed that he would be
good candidate, if he adhered to th'
principals of our party. | communicat
ed with Gen. Miles and ascertaineo
that he was Democrat, hence l de
cded it would be inexpedient to nomi
nate him. Woolley criticised me To-
taking this position"
Chairman Stewart then read extracts
al
published in the New Voice, in tn
course of the campaign.
At the afternoon session severa
PERSONS opposed to Chairman Stewar
spoke explaining their attitude. Thel
declared that they did not charge
Chairman Stewart with personal dis
honesty.
A. A. Stevens of Pennsylvania
Rrung a surprise on the committee
By reading a carefully prepared motion
Tor the removal of Mr.. Stewart, a!
Chairman of the national committee
supported by 33 specified charges. TIT
prAcipal charges in the motion were:
Failure to advise with the eXecutiv
VOmmittee in planning the recent cam
Eisn; recklessly using $4,000 in cir
eaating prohibition paper publishe
d Hartman, Tenn; maintaining a
Me expense of the national committe
branch headquarters in his eXclusiv
district. where he directed his persona
campaign; ignoring the Presidentia
candidate and his platform; general in
competency in the conduct of the cam
paisn and personal arrogance as chair
man OF the national committee.
y suggestion that a vote Of conf
u'hce in Chairman Stewards persona
honesty be taken and that he then b
invited to resign and a substitute cal
Hs Tor an investigation of the charge
We're voted down.
ihen Committeeman Dickie Of Mich
IN moved compromise substitute
u'eiarlnS that Chairman Stewart ha
"o' elnbezzled any funds, but that tn
strained relations existing between tt
olaifman and a large number of I'll
Party leaders made it expedient for hi
TO resign.
while this molten was under discu!
siol an adjournment was taken.