Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-07-09
Echo of Recent Legislature
Heard in the Nations
Capitol.
TOOL OF STANDARD OIL co.
Startling Claims Made by Sem
ators; President Sees Dan
ger to the Nation.

recent session of the Oklahoma legis-
lature was heard in Washington the
past week when the statement was
made that the powerful lobby OF the
Anti Saloon league was to be investi-
gated.
1t will be remembered that the SEN
ate of Oklahom investigated the ave-
tivities of IA. T. Laughbaum, secretary
of the Anti-Saloon league of oklahoma.
last February. after that body had
passed the Ferguson bone-dry bill.
Iaughbaum, posing as a newspaper
correspondent, sat at the press table
and kept tab" on the members who
did not seem to he in entire sympathy
with the prohibition measures. AS
soon as he discovered recalcricant
member he wired or phoned to minis
ters and others in the senator's home
town and told them to get busy. The
result was an avalanche of letters and
kilograms from the members constl-
tuents that usually resulted in swing
ing him over. Laughbaum was sue
cessful with his campaign a sena-
torial investigation started by Senator
Wanen II. snyder developed the fact
that Ianghbaum played politics just
the game. only quite bit stronger.
He received a handsome salary for his
services. The senate received the re-
port of the probe committee and voted
to cancel Laughbaums credentials.
thus denying him the privileges of the
floor Nothing daunted, he went into
the house chamber and employed the
same tactics there in putting thru the
bone-dry and other bills in which he
was interested.
Disclosures made in Washington re-
Gently during the food legislation fight
VII serve to throw much light on the
past activities of the league in Okla
homa.
Called to Time.
Speaking of the dry lobby, the
New York World says editorially:
illustrating the spirit in which the lobby
undertook to force its will upon the Ameri'
two sentences from a letter by a reverend
gentleman and printed in the World few
days age; ,-,., o. 80,
the kaiser. go ahead and don't bother
with us. We are fighting hell and the
devil and have not time for your puny
little wars
Confronting the most powerful and un'
scrupulous autocracy ever known, we are
engaged in puny little war--a puny little
war for national defense, perhaps national
existence; n puny little war for human rights,
a puny little war for international law
puny little war for the establishment of a
peace which no kaiser may break.
'If we are fighting for these iundamen-
tails of civilization don't bother The prohi'
bition lobby at Washington, for that lobby
is fighting hell and the devil'-that is to
say, the military measures of nation at
war, the revenues of the treasury the prop
erty aud employment of great industry
tha tnns nf tanS n
Pile Since congress was halted for many
days in its puny little war upon autocracy
by lobby engaged in the more, pressing
work of fighting hell and the devil as
represented by the lobby's felow'citizens,
who can wonder that the president deemed
it his duty to expostulatei'
The following story, explaining In
detail the charges against the dry lob
by, is from the New York World, YER
batim:
WASHINGTON, d. C.-The Anti
Saloon League of America, which has
conducted a persistent lobby in the
capitol for years, will be investigated.
Its leaders will be called to tell where
they get their money and about their
methods of campaigning.
The forcing to the front OF the
"bone dry" proposition at time when
the country demands action on i'm
portant war measures has focused at
tention on the activities of the league s
representatives in Washington. These
men, known by every Congressman in
Washington, are:
The Leagues Representatives.
The Rev. DR.. James Cannon. jr., OF
Richmond. Va; Arthur j. Barton OF
Waco. Texas: Wayne B. Wheeler, Co
lumbus, Ohio, and the Rev. G. Din
Widdie of Washington
These men from what is known as
the National Legislative Committee
of the Anti-Saloon League of Amer
lea" They are to be seen in the
marble room of the senate, on the
very threshold of the chamber con-
suting with senators while bills are
being considered.
They threaten congressman with
back fire movements IL the latter dc
not come to the scratch on all impor-
tant anti-liquor matters. While other
lobbyists dodge about the capitol try
ing to keep their presence a secret ex-
cept to few, the anti-saloon worker
goes into equally the senator's private
rooms or to public places to give him
orders.
The financial headquarters of the
Anti Saloon league Is at Westerville
Ohio, where great printing presses rur
day and night to get out anti-saloor
literature. The american Issue IL
the organ of the organization. 1t goe:
into every state with special items fol
each state.
Branch in Every State.
Every state in the union has 1t!
branch of the league. and 1t requires
but a brief telegram from Dr. Cannon
or the Rev. Mr.. Dinwiddie to start
backfire campaign against any mem
ber of congress.
DR.. Howard Hyde Russell Is presi
dent of the league. and DR.. Purley A
Baker general superintendent. The!
live in Ohio. If big job Is to b'
put over in Washington, Doctor Bake
comes down and helps Doctor Cannon
, and Mr.. Dinwiddie. Wayne b. Weeler
president of the ohio State league. als'
visits Washington when hot figh
Is on.
The man who makes the southern
congress dance to the music of tn
publication band is Doctor Cannon
CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR