The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-10-06
PENDLETON STILL
HOLDS THE FORT"
Anti-Saloon League Super
intendent Refuses to be
Fired"

At a meeting of the executive COM
mittee of the trustees of the Florida
Anti-Saloon League held in Jackson
vile last Friday, the committee voted
to depose Kent Pendleton as State
Superintendent.
Mr.. W. G. Tilghman of this city
is a member of this committee.
Mr.. Pendleton has defed the ac-
tion of the committee by refusing to
give up his office, and asserts that
he cannot be removed from his Off
cial place by the State executive COM
mlttse.
He says the action of the executive
committee in declaring his term Of
office expired was without authority
of the constitution of the league, and
that the executive committee has no
power to remove him or declare his
term expired, and he declares he will
remain in charge of the office and the
affairs of the State league until re-
moved by those with the power Of re-
moval, which he maintains the State
executive committee has not.
In defense of his action, Mr.. Pen
dleton quotes the constitution of the
American Anti-SaIoon League, Of
which the Florida league is a branch.
Article 10, Of the constitution of the
American Anti-Saloon League, set
ting forth the procedure for the re-
moval of a State superintendent,
states that whenever written charges
are filed against a State superintend-
ent for dishonesty, immoral or i'm
proper conduct or mal-administra-
tion, a conference shall be called for
the State headquarters committee,
the national headquarters committee
and the general superintendent of the
American Anti-Saloon League. The
concurrence of two of these factors
is required by the constitution to
reach a verdict.
Mr. Pendleton declares the action of
the State headquarters committee in
attempting to oust him is without just
ground, and that he will stand firm
on his rights and will not give up the
office until it is taken from him in
a regular manner. He declares he
has the support of the general super
of the national organization,
Dr.. P. A. Baker, and that the nation
al headquarters committee will not
such action as that at
tempted by the headquarters com
mittee Friday.
That his term Of office had not eX-
pred, except in the will of members
Of TIE headquarters committee, who
hungered for his official scalp is one
of Mr.. Pendleton's main contentious.
He asserts that when he accepted the
office, at the Tallahassee convention,
last wear. it was with the understand
ING that he might resign after the
June primaries if he saw fit, but that
there was nothing in the agreement
giving the State league power to take
the place away from him at such time.
It was declared at the meeting Friday
that Mr.. Pendleton's term expired in
July.
Mr.. Pendleton remains in posses
sion of the office of the league, 6O6
Oval Upchurch building. Funds
have been cut off by the State organ
ization, he says, but the national
headquarters is still providing its pro
rata of the sinnew of war, which is
sufficient to pay expenses of the Of
fee, but does not allow for extensive
work throughout the State.
Pendleton's Statement.
Mr.. Pendleton on Wednesday issued
The following signed statement re-
yarding the situation:
"Kent Pendleton is not out of office
md cannot be until charges are pre-
rerred. The State trustees can va
,ate with the aid of the State head
quarters committee, according to the
State resolutions, but the State can
not supercede the constitution of the
National League. To put a State
out of office requires
examination and vote, from
which there may be an appeal, but IN
10 case can a State superintendent
,e nut out without the concurrence Of
me of the national factors; national
or national head
uarters committee. Tis true there
,an be a secession of the. State or
ranization, which could set up local
;, o+;o,, b,,t secession based on an act I