The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-11-12
SAYS ANT|-SAL00N
LEAGUE IS A
FRAUD
C. r.. MAsEE LAUNCHES ToRRIo
PHILIPPE AGAINST oRGANlZA-
TON AND DEMANDS INVEsTlGA.
TON OF ITS METHODS.

THE Anti-Saloon league is fake,
This is the summary way in which
c. r. Mabee, who is fighting the off,
GERS Of that league, disposes of them.
Frankly he admits that the alleged
breaking Of a contract with him by
the Anti-Saloon league officers, by
which he is deprived Of considerable
money he would have made otherwise.
is one reason for his animus.
Mabee is not q sanctimonious per-
son, He says damn" and "divvy" and
| other things just as dreadful and ne
approaches the subject of temperance
as problem In economics, not morals.
| That Is because Mabee's business has
been the perfecting of factory systems
by cutting out wastes, establishing
pace makers and other devices to get
the best return for money invested.
He Is trying now to wipe out the
Anti-Saloon. league and put the tenn
perance movement In the control OF
the churches. He has prepared q
mass of evidence TO submit to the
meeting of the church committees In
Philadelphia next month and conf
IDENTIFY excerpts to have the Anti-Saloon
league repudiated at that time.
"As long as the churches must stand
for the work of getting prohibition,
they might as well have the direc-
tion," says Mabee. The Anti-Saloon
league is a graft. 1t is after the money
and has sold out the temperance
cause in more than one state. Fur
thermore, 1t Is tied up to Standard Oil
and other interests and has used It's
influence in electing legislators to
control the votes of those legislators
TO kill pipe line bills and other worthy
legislation or to promote bad legisla-
ton.
THE Anti-Saloon league fights the
Good Templars and other bodies which
really want to abolish intemperance.
1t wants only enough progress against
the saloon evil to keep its contribu-
tions coming in. IL We were to get
complete prohibition, what would be-
come Of the men who are making
their living out OF the leagues patrons
and suckers?
Manufacturing and industrial cor
porations can afford to pay to have
the saloons wiped out. ! know it be-
cause I have gotten their subscrip-
lions on that basis. There are plenty
OF towns where the manufacturers
would pay handsomely 10 get rid of
the grog-shops. Ii means great diff
ference to them In the efficiency OF
their labor. II means a great differ
ence to the labor, also, as the money
would go farther II the money now
spent for drink were used for other
things.
my contract with the Anti-Saloon
league was tor the interesting of cor
porations in this work.
Il am trying to get an audit Of those
books now to show the real condition
OF affairs. I want to wipe out the
grafters."
The following letter written by
Mabee shows the effort he Is making
TO break up the Anti-Saloon league:
November 10. 1908.
Bishop Luther Il. Wilson. President
Anti-Saloon League of America. Chat
tanooaa Tenn:
Dear Sir:--In my letter of Oct. 27
last ! extended to you the courtesy or
wise I'm investigating the management
OF the Anti-Saloon league. I have
waited a reasonable time for your re-
ply. and. from yOtir attitude OF silence,
/ assume there must be. some reason
why you desire to protect the organiza-
ton. OF which you are president.
AS you apparently have made no
effort. up to this time TO investigate.
this matter l desire to serve notice
upon you that your present attitude. or
conformation. cannot In any way frus-
trate the movement on foot for an In
vestigation OF the Anti-Saloon league
by the members OF the temperance gen.
eral committee Of the Federated Chris
ttan churches, which convenes In Phila-
delphia next month.
II you do not desire to take advan-
tage OF my former letter 10 inform
yourself OF existing conditions. as
then 1 have to say to you that the
members OF the temperance general
committee will make It. epcumbent
upon you, as their president. to In
vestigate the Anti-Saloon league.
have personally interviewed a large
number OF the members OF this com
my possession. and there Is deter
mination on the part OF many to ascer-
tain the true conditions by voting for
thu appointment OF committee TO in
out fear or favor. Why do you, Bishop
Wilson. postpone "the evil day?"
Damaging Data Promised.
When a proper committee has been
make an intelligent inquiry. there Will
be presented TO IL an avalanche of
damaging data such as no man can
1t will be shown that thousands of
dollars In subscriptions have been Sc
cured through gross misrepresenta-
ton: that the political influence the
league exerts over the Christian
churches and the Endorsements OF can
didates to public office have both been
offered for safe and sold like grain on
the board OF trade; that contributions
from political interests have been re-
corded on the books by the use OF
fraudulent entries. that the Anti-Sa-
loon league conventions are cut, dried
and manipulated affairs the details of
which would be obnoxious To the lowest
type of political ORGANIZATIONS; that
the league has employed. and continues
10 employ. with full knowledge and
consent of officials men In prominent
positions in its work over whom IL is
possible to exert undue influence Of a
political and financial nature. by yir-
tue OF the fact that, in the past. these
men have been guilty OF the grosscst
kind OF intrigue: that the league. while
acting as a collection agency 10 secure
funds for temperance reform. takes
credit for all temperance Victories
when, as a matter of fact. these VIC
tories are brought about by local inter-
ests, the work OF Christian people. and
similar efforts OF other able temperance
organizations which are against the
saloon: that no church or person would
donate one cent 10 the league II its cor
ruption is openly exposed; that the
league has persistently fought the
temparanee-eaa-e certain stutrs, und
heen In the defeat of