The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-08-21
ANTI.SALOON LEAGUE
TURNED DOWN

Tine partisan activity OF the Anti.
Saloon League in the new state OF
Oklahoma. as controlled by few
managers. not by its rank and file
membership. who were lead to believe
thai the league was non-sectarian and
nonpolitical, seems TO exist I'm a num-
ber OF states, and has lead the Pros
byterian General Assembly, one Of the
worlds greatest religious organiZa-
tions to refuse to indorse or recog
nize the AnH-Saloon League. The
assembly realized that the cnmth
would be lead into an the dangers
and pitfalls of politics by taking the
opposite course. This attitude OF the
General Assembly should be proof i'm
Itself eagr the Anti-Saloon League Is
gradually losing control of Its own
affairs and turning them over through
JOS misguided officers Co politicians
aud political rartiess whose wishes
are TO set votes. rather than TO pro
mote temperance
A lhOusand delegates attended the
Presbyterian General Assembly a.
Columbus, Ohio, on May %. when the
ndorsement OF the Anti Saloon
Lcague was turned down by the unani.
nous vote of the delegates The
church indorsed it's own temperance
organization as the one through which
10 should do lts temperance work.
and many other ohnrch organizations
are following the same policy
f. has become apparent to many
church people that too often leaders
of the Anti-Saloon League are in it
ior what they can make and charges
of graft are common The churches
find that they are made to stand spon-
sor for tactics and political work
which their sense OF decency and fair
ness iQrbids them TO indorse Accord
ingly there has arisen tendency
among the leading denominations to
scfer any lancied connection with the
Leasoe and further declaring i'm
favor of the temperance organizations
under their own Jurisdiction which
are conducted on the safe and sane
methods formerly in vogue. and which
Iim the dominant principle of moral
suosiou as their motto ACCOMPLISHED
so much real good in the past The
great heresy of modern temperance
work Is the leaning upon political
action and less and less on moral
means. Better proof of this fact can.
not De found anywhere than in the
proposed new state of Oklahoma.
by the enactment of a drastic law
ana the failure 90 enforce 81. there is
injected into the public mind the idea
that laws are 20 be observed or VIC.
lated according 20 The win OF those
affected J need not say how an.
together perni.ious such loose
theory is. XXX S The constant viola.
! ton on neglect OF amy law leads 10 a
I demolallzed view of an laws"
lt is to give pnctIoal application "a
the sound sense of such men as Sec
/ retary TAFT that th1 Citizens League
/ Of Oklahoma has been organized by
! ail poiiiieia parties and religious de-
I nominations 10 oppose the adoption of
/ STATE iaq prohibition as contemplated
under the constitution, the question
being submitted separately from the
/ consultation The failure OF prohibi
I lion in Indian Territory. hacked by All
/ the power OF the federal government
/ and the even more conspicuous fail
Z gre of prohibition in tha state OF
( kansua after more than twenty wears
I trial. are practical Illustrations OF The
I views expressed by Secretary Taft
I The Citizens League fay0rs laws 70,
/ the contrCl ui one liqu0g traffic iha.
viii be supported by pHblic sentiment
pa ino respective communities. notably
local opiionmeaspres. This win come
nearest 20 law enforcement. and give