Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-17
MORE ABOUT TAINTED MONEY.
he Agitation Regarding Rockefeller
Gift Started Afresh

New Haven, Conn, May 17.-In a.
letter acknowledging the receipt by
the protesting committees of docu-
ments bearing on the recent acceptance
of the Rockefeller donation to the AM
erican board of commissioners of for
eign missions, the pastor of the Cong
rcgational church in New Haven, with
the exception of the Rev. Artemus
j. Haynes, of the United church, have
Jointly given expression to their views
in the matter The pastors in their
letter say that while reluctant to eX-
press their views some extraordinary
statements of the protestants call for
an answer. They deplore any unnec-
essary and harsh criticism of mis-
sionary societies. Further, they say
that they are among those who have
agreed to the acceptance of the gift
but have not, in any declaration OF
their views, manifested what the conf
mittee calls amy tendency to palliate,
excuse or exculpate anything that may
be shown to be wrong in the business
methods of any corporations. On tae
contrary, the pastors assert, they have
not neglected suitable opportunities OF
testiying against any recognized dou-
bile standards of private and pubic
morals. or against any recognized form
of industrial or social evil regardless
of what individuals might be present
in their congregations. and without
anxious thought of the possible offense
to the contributors to the treasures OF
our churches. The letter continuing,
says
1--WE deeply regret that your com
mittee has published and is scattering
broadcast such declarations as to the
following concerning the reply to you
of the prudential committees: EXpla-
nations. eyasions, excuses, legal quIb-
bles-but not one sentence from be-
ginning to end that rings true, ana
other words which we forbear to quote.
"In view of your publication of such
charges we are called on, irrespective
Of our opinions concerning the ques-
ton at issue to say that in our judg-
ment the reply of the prudential COM
mittee is admirable in form, Christian
in its spirit, and in its reasonihgs
worthy of respect for it's straighior-
ward simplicity and it's clear ethical
tone and we would express our conln-
ued confidence both in the equity and
high honorableness of the judgment of
the men who are held in so great es-
teen among us as President Capin
Secretary Barton and the gentlemen
associated with them in the prudential
committee
1--WE notice with regret the following
words: The courts can be bought, the
legislatures can be bought, the church,
es can be bought, but the American
people cannot be bought
"Such unqualified words under other
circumstances might be passed by
without serious notice, but when adj
dressed by a number of Congregational
ministers to their brethren, they can
not be left unchallenged. This state
ment. so sweeping in it's condemnation
of legislatures, so calumnious of the Jl1-
dietary so unjust to our churches we
would repudiate as untrue In fact and
socially destructive in effect.
eve desire also expressly to dissavow
the assumption that by the acceptance
of such donations or by the use OF any
mans gift of that which is lawfully
his own, the trustees of charity enter
into am alliance with him in his bus1-
ness. become yoke fellows with him in
wrong practices, or In any way COM
promise themselves with questionable
methods of corporations"