The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-21
BLOW AT CHURCHES
 BASIC PRINCIPLE Declares Dr. Demus, of New Executive Commission THE NEGRO AS A CITIZEN. By Unanimous Vote the General As- sembly Make Report on Temper
 anee Special Order
 for Monday.
THE NEGRO AS A CITIZEN.

Columbus, O., May 20.-After a spirited discussion. during which it was charged that an attempt was being made to build up Catholic hierarchy, the Presbyterian general assembly today adopted the re- port of the special committee on adminis- trative agencies referring to the Presby- teries overtures, relating to changes in the form of several church regulations which provide for the establishment of executive commissions by the Presby- teriss and synods over which the moder- ators shall be president.
 The report of the committee was pre- sented at the morning session, but ac- tion was not taken on it until the closing hour of the afternoon. The recommenda- tion for the establishment of an execu- tive committee met with vigorous opposi- tion, the Rev. Demus of Michigan declar- ing that 1t was an attempt to set up a Catholic hierarchy and the Rev Dr. Alex ander T. Kerr of Pennsylvania denouno- ing 1t as born of the spirit of oligarchy and blow at the basic principles of the church. The proposition found warm supporters. however, and a strong defense was made of 1t by the chairman of the committee, the Rev. Dr. Moffatt, presi- dent of Washington and Jefferson univer- sity. He declared that the proposed change in the form of government was in perfect harmony with the principles of the church, but it did not mean a con- centration of power, but rather an ex- tension of power.
 He suggested that the executive com mittee should consist of fifteen members, of which the moderator should be the head, and elected for an entire year in- stead of for the period of the general as- sembly sessions.
 The plan necessarily extends the powers of the moderator, who would act as the representative of the church as occasion teries and other bodies as may be deemed advisable in the interest of the work of the church and counsel with the commls- sion and boards of the church where re- quired to do so. The commission would counsel with the moderator on all sub Jects which he may choose to lay before them, take such action as may be re- quired to further the plans and orders of the assembly and make a report with such recommendations as they may deem ad- visable to the assembly. The adoption of the report of the committee today does not bind the committee to these sugges- tions.
 By unanimous vote the assembly made the report of the committee on temper, ance special order for Wednesday after noon, at which time the controversy be- tween the Interchurch Temperance fed edation and the Anti-saloon league will be threshed out on the floor of the as- sembly.
 Reports of the board of missions for freedmen, the college board and the com mittee on mission work among sailors and soldiers were also presented and adopted today.
 Temperance Question.
 The temperance question continues to be the chief topic of discussion today among the 1000 commissioners of the Presbyterian general assembly and the outcome of the fight is still a matter of speculation. A sensation was created as the commissioners were gathering for the session today by the authoritative announcement that Dr. Henry E. Dosker, chairman of the state committee on tenn perance, will today return the overture on temperance, referred to his commit tee Saturday by the committee on bills and overtures. The overture in question condemns the organization of the church federation of temperance and recommends hot fha al,.. rfty 1,1a artrv the anti-saloon league Dr. Dosker an- nounces that 1t is the business of the overture committee to handle this tenn perance overture and he turned the over ture back to this committee. The &C., tion of Dr. Dosker Is being criticised by many of the commissioners and feel ing on the temperance question seems to be becoming rather bitter among some of the commissioners. The whole ques- ton is scheduled to come up next Fri day
 The general assembly was called to or der this morning at o'clock.
 Negro Citizenship.
 That a mistake was made in 1865 in giving the negro unrestricted citizenship was the intimation made In an address today by friend of the negro, Dr. Wilson of Pittsburg, in connection with the presentation of the board of missions for freedmen The sentiment was re- ceived with applause from the assem- ply.
 q have had men on this board of freedmen say to me that they thuoght it would have been wise to have fixed an educational qualification or a property qualification, and let the colored men thus grow up into the enjoyment of the full rights of citizenship" he said
 This statement he made, he said, giving fun credit to the men who had writ ten the amendment to the constitution, and held that it would be no discredit to the colored man.
 He said the question was seriously asked whether the colored man had the capabilities to reach that plane contem- plated by the forefathers for citizenship and said that after varied experiences with colored men in different parts of the country, he was fully convinced that they did have these capabilities.
 Putting the degraded southern negro at the side of the degraded Pole, the degrad- ed Slav. the degraded Italian, he said he would select the degraded southern negro as the one possessing the most capabilities of being transformed into a good American citizen. There are more possibilities among the negroes than among the degraded alien population, he said.
 Report of College Board.
 The report of the college board was presented at the opening of the afternoon session, when the Rev. Stuart Dickson, secretary of the board. made an earnest plea for the support of the educational institutions He deplored the apparent declining interest among young men in in the ministry, saying that where there