Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-11-16
Treasurer of the Anti-Saloon
League Resigns and Writes
a Scathing Letter
REPuDIATEs LEAGUE METHODS
Indications That War Between the
Prohibition Party Leaders and the
Anti Saloon League Leaders Is About
to Commerce-CampbeIl Is Mama
ger of New Commonwealth

of the Anti Saloon League OF Iowa
The resignation comes after the Com
monwealth has scored the Anti-Saloon
| League and M. l.. Hostetler, editor OF
| the paper, has commenced bitter fight
against the organization. 1t is EVIL
| dent that Hostetters manager has
taken the same views as he has in the
matter and the letter Of resignation
will be published in this weeks issue
of the Commonwealth, which appears
on Thursdays. Mr.. Campbell takes
the same position in his letter Of res
ignation as does Mr.. Hostetter, the
| editor of the paper, but does not state
his conclusions in such broad Ian
guage as does his fellow worker.
The resignation of Mr.. Campbell
from the office of treasurer in the An
ti-Saloon League is taken as the sign
of war between the prohibition people
Of the state and the Anti-Saloon
leaguers. The Anti-Saloon leaguers
appear to be very willing to take UP the
fight, and there promises to be much
excitement between the two factions
before peace ensues.
CampbelIs Letter.
Campbell's letter to President Coffin
of the league, in full, is as follows:
Hon. L. S. Coffin, President Iowa
Anti Saloon League, Fort Dodge. Ia.
- My Dear Sir: In transmitting to
you my resignation as treasurer OF
the Iowa Anti-Saloon League, it is
but proper that should make known
to you, and to the public, the reasons
which lead me to cease my co-opera-
ton with that organization.
During the fifteen years that l have
been an advocate of the legal suppress
sion Of the liquor traffic I have made
it rule to cooperate as best l could
with any and all organizations which
have favored the overthrow of the le-
galized saloon.
I'm December, 1897. I was present at
dist church, Des Moines, for the pur-
pose Of organizing the league in this
state. At that time ! listened with
hearty appreciation to the explanation
of the methods employed by the league
in Ohio; in this connection DR.. How
ard III. Russell laid great emphasis on
the. assertion that the way they did
things in Ohio was to single out the
candidates for office who were not
pronounced in their hostility to the
saloon, and knife them at the polls,
the constituency Of the league being
first informed as to who those men
were. I said then, and have often re-
peated since then, that this was prac-
tical politics. Much stress was laid
on this feature of the work of the
league. 1t was stated by DR.. Russell
that voters affiliated with liquor ridden
parties could by this plan be induced
to vote for clean men on other party
tickets.
The Iowa league has constantly ex-
plotted this featue of the work; in its
literature, thru the columns of it's
official organ, and by its platform adj
vocates-by all the agencies at its
commapd-the league in this state
has urged upon the people the FEAST
biliity and desirability of this method
Of meeting the saloon at the ballot box.
yet never once In the history of the
work in Iowa has there been an honest
attempt to keep faith with that ele-
ment OF the public which was expect
ing and demanding that the league do
something along these lines. On the
contrary, the disregard for this funda-
mental of league work constantly grew
until in 1901 the state superintendent
Of the league announced thru the press
his intention to support the one man
among all republicans In Iowa who
had become the idol Of the saloon
forces-Hon. A. B. Cummins.
In December, 1908. the league in
Iowa was ''reorganized." DR.. Russell
was again in our midst and again we
were told how the league did things in
Ohio; again we were assured that the
league would proceed along the lines
laid down by the national body. DR..
Russell in conversation with the writer
repudiated the past work of the organ
assured me that in the future 1t would
make itself felt in the politics Of Iowa
in accordance with Its fundamental
teaching.
Only Ray Of Light.
The only ray Of light which has been
shed on this subject during the seven
years Of the leagues existence in this
state came In the form OF your brave
and logical letter announcing your de-
termination to deposit ballot for DR..
Swallow at the recent election. Had
this letter been permitted to go to the
leagues constituency unfettered by
meaningless and uncalled for apology
for printing the same in the official or
gan of the league 1t would have re-
suited in the most emphatic protest
against saloon domination known to
the political history of the state. But
even this could not be permitted; the
letter was not only belittled editorially,
but in the Register and Leader the pres
ent superintendent Of the league stat
ed, in commenting on the letter, that
the management was determined to
preserve the league non-political," etc.
The ray Of hope thus rendered the
conscientious elements in the leagues
constituency by you was made the
avenue thru which to announce that
this year, as In the past, the league
would disregard the fact that it was
political organization.
The ballots for 1904 have been
counted and the Iowa Anti Saloon
League may hang its head in shame.
for the author of the infamous mulct
law has with the evident approval OF
the league management. been re-elect-
ed to office with the largest plurality
ever given candidate for that posi-
ton. With a strong organization at its
back, with thousands of dollars flowing
into it's treasury, the league uttered
not one word of protest, but like a