Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-11
OPEN LETTERS
CALLED SANDER
HUMANE ANIMAL DIRECTORS
DEFEND PRESIDENT
REPLY TO ATTACKS MADE ON
MISS MATHEWsoN
Speak Of Her in Highest Terms and
Say in No Essential Quality
of Character Is She
Lacking

Declaring they still hold their presi-
deof Miss Helen Mathewson, in the
highest esteem, in spite of attacks
made recently on her character ana her
fitness to hold the place she occupies
a quorum of the directors OF the du-
name Animal league assembled yester-
dav and approved an open letter to the
nuhlic. In this letter Miss Mathewson
is lauded in the highest terms ana the
remarks that have been made against
her in open letters signed by members
of the league and publlsheu IN the
daily papers are called malicious sia1l-
ders The letter is as follows:
.sTo the public and the press: me
directors of the Humane Animal league
very deeply regret that undeserVed ana
gross criticisms of its president, MISS
Helen Mathewson, from time TO tune
during the past few months have ap-
neared in the press of the city. Were
the criticisms just they would sun pc
coarse and cruel, but, being unjust
thew are both wanton and malicious
and are neither calculated nor lntehoeu
to serve any good purpose.
sThe manner In which their pub
licitv has been secured is as contempti-
ble as the statements; both are dls-
graceful and cowardly. In every IN
stance the interview was sought ana
solicited nv the person interviewed.
We full well know and deeply feel the
Injustice of the unwarranted ana
scurrilous attacks that have been mace
upon Miss Mathewson and the PAIN anu
modification they have caused ner'
and, knowing that neither the pupllc
nor the press desires to be fed nor
furnished slanderous reports, we now
desire. in Justice to the public and the
press. no less than to Miss Mathewson'
to state in behalf Of our worthy presl-
dent that our regard and esteem Tor
her have In no sense been diminished
bv what her traducers have said.
-'sTn a recent suit wherein the league
is defendant attempt was made TO 1olst
the letters that were afterWard PRINT
ed in The Herald in and as part OF
its account of the incidents of the trial.
The letters were not admitted in evil
dence, ought never to have been writ
ten and we are sorry they were writ
ten. In them the manifold virtues ana
great lines of character of which Miss
Mathewson is possessed are absolutely
ignored, although they are not lost
sight of entirely.
'sFrom a sense of duty, and from in
dignation, too we protest against the
cowardly ISLANDERS that have peen
spoken. written and printed against her
find a more wicked nor vicious nor,
perhaps as to them, congenial mission.
Any person who carefully reads the
letters offered and rejected in evidence
and afterward given out to the press
can but be convinced that the writers
were fully cognizant of the fact that
in no essential quality of character is
the president of this league deficient.
Tells One Truth
systematically, or for the purpose
Of parrying a counter thrust. splen-
did truth crept into one of the letters,
carrying the signatures of four per-
sons. Truth is ever at the door of ones
lips and is of course the natural prod
uct of the mind so that in describing
that nobility of character which marks
every woman whose aspirations and ef-
forts lie along the lines of benevolence
and mercy it's appearance in the letter
may be accounted for upon the ground
that it occurred at a moment when
malevolence was off guard. In any
event, four of her critics for 1t, Miss
Mathewson possesses in large meas
ure the philanthropic and charitable
and kindly attributes and has a real
desire to protect the dumb animals
1T is with a sense of humiliation we
complain of the criticisms and the
manner in which they have come to the
larger public. 1t baffled credulity and
challenged patience when first the let
tiers printed in The Herald were re-
eeived by the league that they came
from persons who had then but re-
Gently been among her companions and
our associates in the league work. Both
creduilty and patience now give way
to CONSERVATION that they have not
only permitted but procured those
vitriolic effusions to appear over their
signatures in the press. At most they
are but the mutterings and mouthings
of disconnected and enVious persons
who refuse to work unless permitted to
rule. There is not one among them
who ever has or who ever will with
one-tenth her zeal pursue any philan-
thropic purpose to it's beneficent end.
miss Mathewson's usefulness is in
no way diminished by either the con-
duct or the aspersions of her traduc-
ers, whose maudlin rawlings are devoid
of anything important if true, or true
81 important Among her traducers
there is not one who has the means OF
insight to her true character. With
confused pertinacity each of them in
sists upon using his own half bushel,
and hence failure can but attend.
Miss Mathewsons critics complain
that the work of the league has not
been advanced. That the work has not
stopped is the more wonderful, for how
could it advance? Indeed, how were 1t
possible for our work to advance as
1t ought with such rancorous spirits,
each clamoring for pre-eminence
Viewed in the light of their own raw
ings, the wonder is that 4our ship was
not scuttled while they were of her
crew.
knowing the lady as we do, and as
her friends and associates know her,
to be lady of marked philanthropy
and goodness, whose good works are
her own best credentials, we do hereby
attest and confirm our complete con-
fidence and high regard for Miss
Mathewson, whose name we mention
with respect due to her virtues and
talents. We love her none the less for
the enemies she has made.
Done by order and vote of the board
of directors of the Humane Animal
league, quorum being present, all
present voting and the vote being
unanimous
Emperor Joseph in Good Health
VIENNA lime 10 -Vy7raro,. IT,a,,oi-