Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-23
RECHABITES MAKE DENIAL
ORDER WILL NOT SPLIT ON PRO
HIBITIoN ROCK.
High Tent Chief Ruler Says Mem
bers May Operate Against All
Forms Of Intemperance.

| Forms OF 1ntemperance.
In connection with the recent publica-
ton in The Star Of the statement Of a
longtime member and former high officer
of the Independent Order of .Rechabites,
and of the later statement Of. Mr.. j. T.
Rolf Of Harmony Tent in regard to the
policy of certain tents of the organiza-
ton as to the local prohibition crusade,
the present High Tent chief ruler, n. z.
Vowles, yesterday made a counter state
ment. He denied that there is any danger
of division in the association because
of the efforts that are being made in be-
half of prohibition by certain prominent
members. Chief Ruler Vowles then
added:
ITO the thoughtful reader the state
ment Of the so-called veteran Rechabite
in The Star conveys an answer to itself
| on its face. in that while it's author Pro-
fesses to be member of the order he
hides in the dark to assail it and present
admlnistration He asserts that certain
tents of the Rechabites are very much
dissatisfied with the effort that is being
made to have the order take part in the
prohibition crusade and to unite with
| those who are fighting the saloon keeper.
and that they are considering the propri-
ETY. of seeding from the order and organ
lzlng another to be known as the Ameri-
| can Order of Rechabites, which shall be
free from any connection with the English
society now existing under that name.
Inc tents alluded to had given no ex-
preston Of their attitude toward those
questions prior to the publication of the
| article, and they had neither done nor
said anything to warrant the conclusions
lhey repudfated and denounced the state
| ments In the next regular meeting after
their pubhcation.
Efforts Not Limited.
1.-The statement that the Order Of Rech-
abites is limited in its work in the cause
of temperance solely to moral suasion is
founded upon no fact. and is contrary to
its ritual In that every person when initi-
ated as member of the order takes a
solemn pledge to not countenance the use.
manufacture or sale of intoxicating LIQUOR
and to do all in his power to spread the
principle of total abstinence from all such
thlngS. The order is not limited to any
particular means by which the existence
OF total abstinence may be made to pre-
vail in the world
What better things could Recha bites
DO TO promote their most cherished prin-
ciple than to do everything possible to
bring about the abolition of the saloon
fore the weak and unfortunates who
are unable to resist the temptation Of
indulging in strong drink as long as it is
right before Them and from what greater
evil can the young and old. male and
female. be removed than that of the sa-
loon? Is the influence that goes out from
the saloon good?
The Rechabite who has gone into
print to tell to the public what would be
secrets of the order if they existed. and
which he took solemn obligation to keep
secret from the world. is opposed to fight
ing the saloon keepers, and represents
that the order is being led to make war
on the liquor seller. No man having
OF Rechabites has ever made any fight
against saloon keepers or urged others to
do so. The fight that is being waged is
against system and against policy
that permits the system that exists.
ITO spread the principle of total absti-
hence war is made on the policy that
makes saloon keeping a lawful business
when society realizes that the state
is more guilty in legalizing traffic in in
toxicating liquors for the revenue 1t de-
come conscious that his business is an
evil and the 'wine-bibber' and 'whiskey-
guzzler that drinking is wrong and i'm
moral.
Majority Against the Saloon.
There are nearly 500 Rechabites in
Washington. 1t has been estimated that
not over fifty Of them favor the contin-
uance Of the saloon. 1t is with these that
our disaffected brother would found an
other separate and distinct order of Rech-
abites. Should he succeed in forming
such an organization the signs in the sky
indicate that the object of their concern
will be soon swept out of existence by the
storm that has passed over the south.
The past high chief ruler in his annual
address at Newport News last year stated
that the order Should continue to work
along moral suasion lines in the states,
but in Washington, where there is no vot-
ing. it Is different, and every temperance
man who loves his home can join all other
forces in fighting the saloons
This report was adopted, and is the last
expression of our organization, and will
be adhered to by me until it is changed
by the proper authority and in the pre-
scribed manner.
John ]. Coulter. another member Of the
order, in an interview stated:
Having been a member for some twenty
years. / am disincined to allow man
who has been a member about three years
to tell me what the cardinal principles
are. l am member of Harmony Tent
Tent at the last two sessions. The session
at Newport News last year adopted the
report of the high chief ruler. w. w. Cor
dell. on the prohibition question. which
report stipulated that the order would
steer clear Of prohibition party entangie-
ments except in Washington, where every
man who loves his home could take sides
and aid all prohibition bodies. This report
was unanimously adopted Nine-tenths of
the order in Washington will live up to
that principle. '.,t
Three Tents in Opposition.
IA prominent Rechabite stated that five
local tents had Joined the saloon allies
against prohibition. That is not correct.
Only three have-Harmony, Advance and
Purity. If our order can hold nine-tenths
Of its membership against the enemy with
it's war fund and elegant parlors at the
National We will have a better percentage
for God and home than YOU will find In
the churches of the city. Brother Rolf sets
up q man of straw and then knocks 1t
down. He states that we are not fighting
the man behind the bar. That is true
We are contending that the man behind
the bar is in bad business. and We are
fighting that. Our members pledge them
selves to discountenanca the use. manu-
facture and sale Of intoxicating liquors.
and how any Rechabite can become an
ally of the saloon by opposing prohibition
in Washington, where there is no politics,
fail to understand. l fought for the
Union during the civil war and am fight
ing for prohibition now. Another murder
committed. Last seen in saloon! Great
II.