The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-05-27

State Anti-Saloon league to account
for 100000 or more of this amount,
or to show the churches of your state
where they have made any pro-
gress in the line Of temperance re-
form.
To assist the leagues solicitors to
get into the pulpits of your city and
state, and ask for this money, 1t ap-
pears that fraudulent degrees of Doc
tor of Divinity, etc, issued on blanks
as formerly used by the defunct
Montezuma University, of Besemer,
Alabama, have been used These di-
plomas were sold by prominent
league official from the Office of the
New York Anti-Saloon league at
prices ranging from $25 to SIS each.
The leagues workers we're instructed
to make these purchases, as 1t would
help them in their work. President
Lovett, of the Montezuma Univer-
sity, has just stated over his sigma
ture, that these diplomas were not is
sued with his knowledge, His sig
nature, however, appears affixed
thereto, but the university was
burned, and went out of business two
years before the diplomas were is
sued.
When an auditing committee called
on Rev. II. H. Russell, d. D., founder
of the Anti-Saloon league, and chair
man of the headquarters committee
of the National Anti-Saloon league,
before his recent resignation as su-
perintendent of the league in your
state, and demanded the books for an
audit, they were informed the books
had been moved to the office of an
attorney and, strange to say, neith-
er the leagues general attorney, w.
B. Wheeler, of Columbus o., or its
general superintendent, Rev. P. A.
Baker, D. D., demanded their return.
Rev. u G. Robinson, of st. Louis,
Mo-, ex-superintendent of the Mis-.
souri, Anti,Saloon league on April
ID, 1909, stated before the committee
on religious affairs of the Michigan
legislature, that DR.. Russelps COM
missions In one year exceeded $l3,-
900, while the amount unaccounted
for by his office in one year was
$2S, 200.
oficials and employees of the Anti
Saloon league claim 1t has received
upwards of $5OO,OO0 from John D.
Rockefeller, whose motives In this
connection we do not question. 1t
appears however, from evidence fur
MI &c
attack on Standard Oil, in "Frenzied
Finance" and which has since been
published, that the league has de-
veloped into a political organization,
whose object 1t is to keep the tenn
perance question agitated in order to
foster legislation for corporate inter-
ests with which Mr.. Rockefeller is
connected, and that, In this connec-
tion, outside interests dictate the can
didates which shall receive the en-
dorsement of the temperance and
church people.
some outside interest dictated the
constitution and bylaws of the Anti
Saloon League of America as they
appear in the last annual report. By
this manipulation, state superintend-
ents are chosen by one man, and the
precaution was taken to omit dele
eating any power to the president
or vice presidents of the national
league. In this manner, the will of
the Christian people to rid them
selves and the temperance cause of
graft, were set aside during the fed
eral council of churches of Christ in
America, which convened in Phila-
delphia, December 2, 1908, at which
time Bishop Luther B. Wilson, presi-
dent of the National Anti-Saloon
league, with copy of this manipu-
lated constitution in his hands and
tears in his eyes, turned to a crowd
of delegates and stated: "My hands
are tied. have no power to act in
any capacity Here, in the constitu-
tion, have no right to appoint
committee, or even call a meeting"
(From the stenographer's report.)
The bishop had promised, through
the columns of the public Ledger"
NOTlu AuSTlCdH, enquirer, ana
other Philadelphia daiIies, that he
would appoint committee to in
vestigate the leagues affairs.
The entire machinery of the league
from coast to coast, is in the hands
of one man, Notwithstanding reports
to the contrary. For reasons best
known to him, state superintendents
are appointed who can be depended
upon to work for the election of such
congressman, senator's and state Off
cials as may be determined by the
trainers of the constitution and by
laws. Where there is no object to
support any particular candidate, en-
dorsements have been sold for cash,
which has been recorded on the
leagues books by false entries. 1t
would seem that such conditions,
carried out under cover of the church
es, are as important to the public as
the insurance scandals and that your
action in this matter will be awaited
with interest.
That Dr. Patterson, the present
superintendent of the league in your
city and state. was sent there by At
torney Wheeler and Superintendent
Baker from their home city of Co
lumbus. Ohio, because said Patterson
could be depended upon to cover the