The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-05-23
EXCITING TINE
IN ASSEMBLY
American Anti Saloon League
Endorsed by PreSbyterIanS
After Hot Debate.
VOTE FINALLY UNANIMOUS
BUSY TWO HOURS FOR THE
MODERATOR.

Columbus, O., May 22.-Following two
hours of exciting debate. which at
times became acrimonious, the Presby-
terrain general assembly today accepted
without a dissenting vote resolutions
declaring that the permanent commit
Tee on temperance should not embark
upon or interfere in political work, and
endorsing the American Anti-Saloon
League as a ''safe. sane and effective
organization in the advancement of
temperance" The assembly pledged to
The league the fullest cooperation
consistent with the cons titutiOn of the
church"
The report of the committee on
church polity was presented by Rev.
DIR. William P. Fulton of Philadelphia.
An overture from the synod of Indian
Territory, asking the assembly for a
deliverance on the subject of how the
church might secure representation in
nom ecclesiastical temperance organiza-
1ions, had been referred to this com
mittee. 1t reported a resolution that
while commencing the achievements Of
the Anti-Saloon League, Women's
Christian Temperance union and like
societies, the assembly reafhrmg the
policy of the church to avoid official
representation in on-ecclesiastical
bodies, but raises no objection to its
members or ministers connecting them
selves with such societies as individ-
Uals.
Opposition to the Report.
Rev. i. o. Whitwen of Oklahoma
City Immediately took the floor in on
position to the report and made an
impassioned plea in behalf OF the work
which he had been doing in connection
with the Anti-Saloon League toward
hill n
the constitution of Oklahoma. He de-
clsred that he had been threatened by
the brewery interests, who had told
him that when the Presbyterian gen.
eral assembly met he would be called
off his perch" When threats had
failed. he said an effort had been made
10 buy him off with contributions TO his
church He pleaded with the assembly
net to put burning torch in the hands
of the brewery interests.
When Rev. AIr. Semple proposed that
the report of the committee on polity
be passed and that the report of the
starding committee on temperance be
received. the assembly acquiesced.
Rev DR. Dcsker of Louisville, as
chairman of the latter committee, re-
ported that the committee had acted
adversely on the Overtures asking that
the Inter-churcn Temperance Fedora
ton movement be abandoned and the
Anti-SalOon League endorsed. The
committee recommended that the basis
of agreement cor tho Inter-church Fed
Grafton be approved for reference TO the
inter-chuTch congress to be held at
New York in 1905.
Storm of Protests.
The first part of the report adverse
To abandonment of the Inter-chuTch
Temperance Federation was adopted,
but the second part, deferTing the def
uition of the duties of the permanent
committee on temperance, raised a
storm of protests. Rev. DR.. Semple de-
clared there would be no further delay,
that the question at issue would be de-
cided now. Shouts of approval greeted
this declaration.
At this point DR.. W. O. Thompson
president of the Ohio State university
came forward with the substitute reSo-
luton, barring the permanent temper
ance committees from any participa-
lion in political affairs, and which was
subsequently adopted. In reply to
questions. he said he would not object
TO an endorsement Of the Anti-Saloou
League, and Rev. DR.. Semple thereupor
offered an amendment endorsing tbs
league
From that time on until $40. when a
vote on the resolutions was taken, the
time was occupied with exciting debate
during which the moderator frequently
found it necessary to rap for order,