Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1922-07-06

The following letter was written to
Governor Ben Olcott in answer to his
request that DR.. R. c. Ellsworth re-
sign as president of the Oregon State
beard of chiropractors:
My dear Governo,: i.have for &C.
knowledgement your letter of the 7th
instant, which just reached me few
moments ago and in which you ask If
am member of the Ku Klux Klan
and if so you request my resignation
as president of the Oregon state board
of chiropractic examiners.
AS | dictate this to you, governor,
| wonder why you did not ask me il 4
were member Of the Masonic frater.
ity, the knights OF Phythias, the Elks,
the Veterans OF Foreign Wl,rs, sae
United Spanish War Veterans, or any
OF the other fraternal organizations of
which l am a member. So long as an
organization of which have the honor
to be member is law-aDiding one
and tends to the up.ift Of mankind and
the pursuit OF happiness, l question
the right OF anyone, including your ex-
.cellenty, to criticise or dictate to me
re,a.ive to my membership therein. /
have never before been advised that
1t was crime, as your letter infers,
for an American citizen to be men,
ber OF an all-American organization.
However, Il subscribing to an oath of
unqualified allegiance to the govern.
ment Of the United States of America.
its flag and its constitutional laws
above any other government, civil,
political o. ecclesiastical in the whole
world and renouncing allegiance of
any degree or nature to any foreign
government, nation, political institu-
ton, sect, people or person is crime;
II the promu.gation of free public
schools is crime; il the protection
of pure womanhood Is q crime; if the
desire for white supremacy in a white
Ian county Is crime; or the de-
mand fer American school teachers
to instruct American children is
crime; II the PRACTICAL fraternal fell
iowship OF men whose standard is
worth not wealth, character not cash,
and courageous manhood based upon
honor unlarr,S.,ed by the touch OF hy-
pocricy or the venesring OF society's
selfish social valuations is q crime:
OF, In short, IL being . member of an
organization whose criterion of char
acter Is based upon that of the living
Christ, then am criminal and thous-
ands OF the best respected citizens
from every walk in life in this good
old state are criminals and the major
ity OF officers OF the state, elective and
appointive are criminals.
NV sarvi( as for Tho lo or cavon ya, r,,
On this board have been honest, faith
full, unbiased and considerations and l
have helped to make this board the
criieiitn for similar boards in many
states, and while neither expect or
desire further Consideration a. youl
hands. feel that my resignation ten
dered On the grounds suggested by
you would, in a measure, be q cUnfes-
sion or ather an admission of wrong
dong CT ma.IeaJance, hence | ple {.
thai you proceed with my removal
from this board in the regular mode,
stating, as you will of course. your
reasons for the action.
l was not surprised by receipt OF
your letter, as was advised yesterday
that 1t was en- route. However, 1t is
beyond the comprehension of your best
friends why man who was as clean,
square and outstanding as you were
when you inherited the gubernatorial
chair, could allow himself to be entic.
ed into such filthy mess of political
garbage.
To the thinking minds Of Oregon,
you occupy one Of three positions, viz:
Either you are not familiar with the
basic principles Of the organization
which you condemn, or. being cog
nizant, you are not in sympathy with
the movement for all-American free
public schools; you do not believe
that allegiance to the United States
and the American flag should come
first; that America should. be for
Americans firct and not for the dross
from the melting pot, or else you do
know that the principles of the Ku
Klux Klan are right and just and you
are in sympathy with them, but for
reasons which are not coinmendable
you have been induced to cruelty your
love of country, justice, Americanism
and your conscience upon the cross OF
political ambition.
Summarily, 1 have absolutely no re.
grets so far as l am concerned, per-
sOnally. On the contrary, | deem it
an honor to be relegated, for the pres.
ent, to the political chain.gang to-
gether with such worthy men as Char.
ley Gates, mayor of Medford, and Bert
Anderson, late member of the state |
and game commission.
Awaiting your further aston, at your |
pleasure, Yours truly,
DIR n e. III Il ISWOPTty