The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-18
RAFFLES IN ALABAMA.

The Advertiser some days ago re- ceived the following letter from Rev. E. L. Crawford:
 Union Springs, Sept. 13. 1909. Editor The Advertiser:
 In your Issue of September 12, in an editorial criticism of Mir. A. r. Smith, of The Bullock County Breeze, you give a quotation from his paper and you re- ply as follows:
 "'The Advertiser, however. does not seem to be built that way. On the contrary, 1t sent special representa- suppress and how to color the report, as was the case on the occasion of the meeting of the Alabama Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. at Greensboro, last December. when special reporter attended with instruc- tions from his superior to suppress in- teresting action of the conference, which was cone. statement that The Advertiser sent special correspondent either to Greens boro or to Union Springs to distort or misrepresent facts Is absolutely at va riance with the truth"
 In this card shall have to do only with that part of MT. Smiths state ment which says that last December you sent reporter to the Alabama Conference in session in Greensboro. with instructions from his superior to suppress interesting action of the con- ference, which was done," and your re-
 You brand the whole paragraph as falsehood, but in specifying particular ly you use the words ''distort or mis- represent" instead of the word sup press" which he use used in reference tass to that your denial included also the statement as to the Greensboro incl dent.
 last napanhQr sent MT. Collier, one of your reporters, to Greensboro. to report the proceed ings of that body.He came to the sec retarles of the conference with the % re- correct news for your paper, and, as one of the assistant secretaries. I took great pleasure in showing him every courtesy and rendering him what ald was not a week day during the session that he did not spend at least an hour in the secretaries room. On the third day of the session, December II, 1903, inc minutes of the conference have this record: "A resolution offered by J. s. Frazer and E. l.. Crawford, expressing admiration for the character of Sem ator E. w. Carmack, deploring his un- timely death. and declaring the sympa- thy of the conference for his widow and son. was unanimously adopted by A rising vote. Tn reference to this resolution, in the secretaries room, In the presence of several members of the conference, MT. Collier made the state ment that he could not forward the resolution to your paper. His state ment was practically as follows: That the gentleman who had given him the assignment to report the conference had instructed him to report no Car mack resolutions. That at this time this gentleman stated to MT. Collier further that MT. Glass had said that he had observed that wherever Bishop floss held a conference that he (Glassi had noticed that the Bishop had res oiutions in reference to Senator Car mack passed; that Bishop Hoss would have the same done at Greensboro, and that he (Glass) wanted no such reso- lutions reported.
 When this recital was ended Rev. c. H. Motley. one of the assistant sec- retaries. arose in great indignation and stated that he intended to de- nounce the matter on the conference floor the next day. and 1t was only after much persuasion that he could be prevailed upon not to do so.
 The whole manner, matter and cir cumstances of the statement as made by MT. Collier preclnded any doubt as to its veracity or accuracy.
 It may be we'll to add that Bishop Hoss knew nothing of this resolution until 1t was read on the conference floor Yours truly
 Eugene l.. Crawford.