The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-06
Ogden Betterment League Man
Resigns and Gives His
Reasons.
SOFT.PEDAL CAMPAIGN
Is NOT TO HIS LIKING
Tired of Being Compelled to Re.
main in "Hypocritical
Silence.
Special TO The Tribune.

Special TO The Tribune.
OGDEN, Nov. 5.-Denying the right
of the Republican party to compel him
to remain in hypocritical silence dur
ing the present - soft-pedal campaign -
which is being conducted in Weber
county, and asserting that the Ogden
Bcttermcnt league, organized for the
suppression of crime and lawlessness.
has been muzzlcd into silence through
the maneuvering of the leaders OF the
party in this county. Heber j. Scow
croft, member of the wholesale firm of
John Scowcroft G. Sons company and
one OF the organizers of the league, To-
day issued Il public statement, in which
he announces his resignation as mem.
Der of the league, in which he served
as chairman of tho executive commit
Tee.
Mr.. Scowcroft also made public a
copy of his letter of resignation mailed
to Secretary John " Blnth and copy
of message forwarded to Nephi l.,
Morris last night ngratulnting hum
upon his exoneration of Brigham RI:
Roberts from the Shiny nspersions OF
the Herald Republican.
In his public statement Mr.. Scow-
croft a member Of the Republican
party, charges Utah with being IN the
grip of the liquor interests and the
present rnlcrs of the Republican party
arc responsible for that grip He de-
clares that he had intended carrying
on the work Of the Betierment league,
but that his "voice has been muffled
and his lips muzzled in this campaign
by the leaders Of the party TO which
letters to Secretary John Y. Bluth and
Nephi L. Morris follow in full:
Cannot Resist Pressure.
Unable To resist the pressure longer.
and to answer the continuous inquiries
as 10 my Inactivity and silence In this
campaign. after being. instrumental IN
organizing some thirty Betterment
leagues In Weber county:
| want To say to the citizens OF Ogden
and Weber county that my silence and
Inactivity is not Of my own volitson and
will bui am a victim of the instructionS
issued 10 close the houses IT which !
have .been preaching civic bctterment Tor
when ] left for New York on October
10, the last words spoken to me forty
five minutes before train time by G.
G Richards. first vice president OF the
Ogden Bettermen leaeue and ranking au-
thortly In the absence of David Q. Nc
Kay who left the same day for Cali
forna was to get back with all haste
that he would handle the league cam
paign az outlined the Wednesday night
before. then ! could take IT UP where he
lefl OH. leaving MN Tree allend 10 UlS
own political campaign.
] returned on October 26. and reported
TO Vice President Richards for duty. and
wes informed that my services. which
were expected TO be continuous speak
ing campaign could not be used as the
places OF meeting had been closed in my
face and the faces of those with whom
was associated in Bctterment league
work.
This refusal 10 allow ;hc use Of moot
ing places for league PURPOSES after be-
un1 fr,r fiNat fnp mo . 4
Influenced. 7 am told. by local Republi-
cans and the Republican party. some OF
whose candidates are the local rcpresen-
tativcs Of the gamblers and liquor deal
am willing to be quoted as having
q belief. which could only be strengthened
by actual observance and knowledge OF
a liquor deal. thai Utah is In the grip OF
tho liquor interests. and the present rul-
of the Republican party arc rcSpon-
sible for that grip.
My attitude and position is set forth in
tho following letter. sent 10 John Bluth.
secretary Of the Betterment itT1 !.fa7 league,
In connection with the above, please
publish my letter to Neph l.. Morris and
John V. BlUth.
1lEBER SCOWCROFT.
Letter to Bluth.
Ogden, Utah Nov 3. 1910
AIR. John V. Bulh. City:
Ny Dear John Find Enclosed my check
for tif'y ,si as per per 2r9miySe ye,, DAY or two two
the treasury Of the league. And l do
II nuw--to help -defray expenses OF the
soft pedal, campaien-thc campaign Of
is being pursued by the league. ''
Please rcsurrect the resignation ten
dered by me and read without any ac-
me the acceptance Of the same. for
am through with any attempt 10 bring
about any reform with the present forccs
and power arrayed against IT, by inl1u-
h;JI
love d lie better than the truth; that
ought 10 be IN the light, but love In move
In the dark rather than be in tho light
feel that the Betterment league has
outlived It's usefulness probably. more
properly stated, swallowed UP in dis
NV dear Bluth, when party expcdi-
ency Is made party policy, and that cx-
pedicncy demands the sacrifice Of moral
party success; when an organization
created and brought into being for the
moral uplift and Improvement of a COM
munity and for tho spread OF civic
righteousness Is brushed aside. muzzled
and its influence crushed. I think that
League workers are waging a hopeless
draw and turn my attention and time 10
less dlscouraging york. Yours truly.
tIEBER SCOWCROFT.
Message to Morris.
-, Ogden. Nov. :. 1910
utah-one thousand people. in the Ogden
ihcatcr tonight. received with prolonged
applause, and then some. the reading of
your letter 10 Hon. 3. II. Roberts yindi-
eating. him Of the sllrlv aspcrsons Of an
Ananias newspaper. but principally ap-
p'auding your heroic and manly disap-
proyai of the campaign q! dupliciiy that
is being waGed by the bosses OF the party
10 which you and | belong. Ogden tonight
re-cchoes with approval and good words
for you. II is now up to Bishop Nibley
and Hyrum NJ. TO do likewise. From one
whose voice has been muffcd and Lips
mu2zicd IN this campaign.
1IEBER SCOWCROFT.
Chsirmsn Ey-Committcc Ogden Better
Dlcnt League.