The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-10-07

pidHS fillt liltilFrS D1neHfu the rover
Among fhe First suspicious circnm
stances ia this line. was that Bert
C.eer produced q small pointed
palaphlet. marked. "Gitizen's All
anee Constitution and By.Laws." ord
words 70 that effect The fact thar
these were already printed aud IN
such complete form, lead me 20 he
suspicious that there was an individ
.nai purpose back Of those who werel
lnspirlng the nioyement
took iho pamphlet and On loaiing
fhroukh IT, found Ia several places ex
pressiOns that would bar n membcr
Of any labor union from joining this
organizations 4 then looked over.
their application blanks with greater
care. and found a similar EXPRESSION
in one Of the lines OF that blank
whereupon ! raised the poin thai
they were not forming citizens or
ganization. because their own consti.
tutiOn and bylaws and application
blanks excluded portion Of the citi-
zens. namely: Those who might be
members OF labor unions. and that
would moi go any farther with the
movement. so Gar as | was concerned
Several others ~ once examined
the language ! objected to, and
promptly agreed with me. among
them as ! now recall. were Mr.. Robb,
Mr.. Smith. Senator owen and Mr..
Douglas. A heated discussion follow
ed in which Bert Greer disclosed his
personal interest, hy saying that his
newspaper employees were about to
strike for some reason or other. and
hat he did not propose 10 Let his men
un his shop Greer objected to the
.lause being stricken out, by saying
hat If mebmers of labor unions were
/ permitted to join. that they would
:ome in such large numbers as 10 con
rol the organization. and run II 70
iuit themselves. One or two others
supported Greer. but after a heated
discussion vote was taken. and Will
he exception OF Greer and three or
our others. the entire number pres
,nt voted in favor of my motion
which struck out from the constitu
ion and bylaws and application
blanks all the language that prevent
ID labor union members from join
ng the organization.
The next / heard OF the matter. d
Gentleman from Houston. Texas, who
vas introduced BY Mr.. Greer, said
that Mnskogee could not be admitted
into the national organization OF Ciei-
zens alliance. unless 1t adopted tho
regulation constitution and bylaws
out The sentiment was almost uni
gersal. so far as ! heard it expressed
among the Muskogee people, except
ng Bert Greer and a few others, that
Muskosee was competent TO take care
If itself, and did not seek member
ship in an alliance with other towns
There may nave been later meet
ings on this subject in Muskogee, bm
iot 10 my knowledge II was gener
ally understood in Mnskogcc that the
organization died ont because Of q
misunderstanding as 10 It's real pur
pose by a large majority of those wht
participated, and the lack OF any good
that Il could do
As to a separate resolution, which !
see photographed IN some OF the
newspapers. bearing my signature
ronly | say that that paper is forg
cry, but Of course. ! don't know whe
did H. | simply saw q published In
2 Chicago paper quite recently.
A year ago last April. when The
state committee OF the Federation OF
labor was investigating this question
and hearing evidence at Muskogee,
I}eu Greer then claimed TO have ali
the books and papers, but declined tc
exhibit them to that committee in
whole. A page or two were shown
that committee, but other pages were
fastened together, bur they refused te
permit the labor committee unpin and
look at the concealed pages
| am now informed that Mr. Greer
continued TO hold those papers until
recently he gave them TO a Hearst
representative. My Enid speech ex
pressed the opinion thar Greer was
back of the scheme TO misrepreseni
me. and below Is a copy of letter
sent TO numerous county attorneys IN
Indian territory last winter by me,
which explains itself. ] was advised
at the time that Greer declared he
would get even with me, but thar
declaration never worried me, because
considered II my duty 10 protect the
taxpayers of every township in the
state against all sorts Of imposition.
The copy OF letter Is as follows:
ITO the County Attorneys of oklaho
ma Counties:
Guthrie, Okla. March 2S, 1905
To County Attorneys:
Dear Sir: IN the course of treasury
examination have reported 10 me
by The state inspector and examiner IA
class OF bills entitled, Order for
township supplies The order blank
have before me Is to The Musk0.
gee Township Supply Co.. of Muskp-
gee, Oklahoma understand this
company Is under the management OF
Bert II. Greer. brothCr 4 r f'r.Dk Greer
OF the Guthrie state Capital. Il In.
cludes long list OF books and blanks
for the Justices OF the peace, totai
$6i.e0. This does not include the
statutes. which ! understand they are
also furnishing az s3l.50 per set
want 10 say that this list OF pur-
chases is an outrage upon the ,aNp2y'
ers OF your county and II similar or