Explanation by William Saunders

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Feb 25, 1875

Explanation.

By William Saunders

As my name has been mentioned in both the Review and Herald and the Signs of the Times without my knowledge beforehand, in connection with the publication of the latter; and as it was generally expected by the friends who were present at the last Conference and Camp-meeting that the Office material would be removed to Woodland as soon as practicable after the close of the session, where the paper was to, and I think would have been, issued weekly, but which was not done for reasons given by Elder Butler in the Signs for Nov. 12; for these reasons, and because I want the brethren, on this coast particularly, to understand more clearly than they can from anything that has been said in the paper why I did not accept the position referred to, I desire to make a statement of the matter from my own standpoint through the Signs of the Times.

When Bro. White was editing and publishing the Signs, all went well. Duty called him to another field, and since that time the paper has not, for various reasons, been published regularly; but each number was good when it did appear.

At our late Conference, Elder Butler, who was a delegate from the General Conference, presented a proposition made by Elder White to the California Conference to accept a donation of $6,000 from the General Conference, for the purpose of establishing the publishing interest on this coast, provided the Conference would assume the publication of the Signs of the Times—the donation to include the material already purchased by Elder White for printing the paper, amounting to about $800. The very liberal donation so kindly offered was thankfully accepted and the terms agreed to, the California Conference assuming the publication of the paper.

When the proper time came in the Camp-meeting, subscription papers were started in aid of the publishing fund, and within an hour nearly $20,000 were pledged by the friends of the cause. They responded nobly to the call for means to help in the work in this direction, showing a liberality and cheerful willingness to sustain the cause with their means such as has very rarely been manifested by any people.

Before we left the Camp ground, Elders Butler and Loughborough informed me that one more number of the Signs would be issued at Oakland, and then it would be removed to Woodland and its publication placed in my charge. In the meantime I was requested to engage rooms in connection with my own Office, which I did, and although the principal one was occupied as a school room, I secured the promise of it with another adjoining, the two being just what was needed for the publication of the paper as now managed, for $8.34 per month. The press-work, however, would have to be done on my hand press (the use of which would have cost nothing) until a power press could be procured, for which I was promised another room on the ground floor under the rooms above mentioned, at $8 per month, when needed. Elders Butler and Loughborough came to Woodland a couple of weeks after, saw the rooms and approved what I had done in engaging them.

Meanwhile another number of the Signs had been issued at Oakland, but was dated "Woodland," in contemplation of the removal. This would have been very proper if the necessary arrangements had been perfected and the matter carried out accordingly; but it was very unfortunate as it terminated. Of course I felt very sorry, but was not conferred with in regard to it, and consider myself blameless as to that. Neither had anything been said to me about the compensation I was to receive for the arduous position I had not sought but was asked to accept—really a four-fold one—that of printer, publisher, local editor and business man; a position, the duties of which would have occupied all my time from early morning till bed time. I have filled a less arduous one for years and know something of what it is. I felt that I could not refuse to take hold of it, being the only one of the profession in the cause on this coast, much as I might and did dread the constant and incessant labor such a position would necessarily involve. And I thought I could help to conduct the paper; and, being in the business and a practical printer, also help to conduct its labor department economically and properly.

I was requested to accompany Elders Butler and Loughborough to San Francisco, where the State Conference Committee and Conference officers were to meet and determine finally as to the removal of the paper, and I did so. The conference was held in the double tent and the persons mentioned were all present. After consultation it was determined that $12 per week was as high as could be paid to any one connected with the publication of the paper. Such a low salary I felt bound, in justice to my family, to myself, and to others who should work in the Office, to decline. I could not think it right to take such a burden upon myself for so low a salary. Such a position is worth in California three times what was offered me, or $36 per week. When asked what I was willing to accept, my reply was that under the circumstances I would work for $18 per week—just one-half. I did not base my calculations on $36 per week, however, but considered simply a foreman's position in a printing office in this State, for which is paid $30 for ten hours' labor. Thirty dollars per week for a year amounts to $1,560; $18 per week for a year amounts to $936; the latter deducted from the former amount leaves $607. This last amount, then, my brethren, I proposed to sacrifice for the cause continually, year after, as long as I should be connected with the Office, in dollars—to say nothing of my pledge of $100 at the Conference, my yearly s. B. of $65, and many other items which I have felt a privilege to give, and which has been done cheerfully—nothing of the extra time that could and would have been given—nothing of the consequent loss my own hand work would necessarily suffer.

And yet Bro. Butler's articles, if I understand them correctly, represent me as standing in the way of the progress of the publishing interest—as not willing to make my share of the sacrifice necessary to the successful carrying on of the paper. And yet, how I could support my family—a wife and three daughters—in California on $12 a week, is more than I can see; and why such a thing should be asked, in the present condition of the cause, I cannot understand. There certainly is no justice in requiring those who do the hard labor and assume the responsibilities connected with the publication Office to make so much more sacrifice in proportion than others. Does not he who works for one-half what he can obtain elsewhere, and does it year after year, do as much as the one who is rich and pledges double the amount for a single year? I can but think so. It strikes me as being somewhat like the case of the rich man and the poor widow who cast their gifts into the treasury.

But I think all the difficulty has arisen from a mistaken idea of existing facts. A very great mistake is made in putting down prices on this coast to the level of those paid at Battle Creek, Michigan. I doubt if men in a hundred on the average could be found—men who have tried both—who would not say that it costs twice as much to support a family in California to-day as it does in Michigan. I have tried both. I lived as well in Battle Creek eighteen years ago when I received only ten dollars per week as foreman of the Jeffersonian, a weekly news-paper, as in a similar position in San Francisco six or seven years ago (on a daily evening paper) upon thirty-six dollars per week. In order to do justice, it seems to me the circumstances of locality and expenses of living, etc., must be considered. Everything upon this coast is done on a different scale from the East. People get more for their labor and make money more easily in most avocations. They are consequently more liberal in their views and more generous in giving to sustain any cause they may espouse. Was not this evinced by our brethren in the matter of pledging their money in this very cause at our late Camp-meeting? It certainly was. And Bro. Butler, who had just arrived from the East, remarked it. Their money was given willingly, not grudgingly—and I believe God will bless those cheerful givers.

I farther believe the word of God teaches that the laborer is worthy of his hire—that it is positively and absolutely wrong to oppress the laborer. Besides, such a course ties up his hands from usefulness in any other direction—makes him a mere machine—prevents him from feeling like a free creature, made in the likeness of his Creator, or being a man among his fellow-men.

I want to do my part in this great work—the more the better—but I think and feel, before God, that too much has been required of me at the hands of my brethren composing the Conference Committee. The Conference I do not believe would have asked anything so manifestly unjust. And it seems to me my knowledge of, and experience in, the business, both in California and in Michigan, ought to enable me to judge what is right in the matter of wages quite as correctly as those who have not had that experience.

I feel it due me that these simple facts, be laid before the readers of the Signs of the Times, that they may be able to form a correct opinion as to the course I have taken, and to determine whether I am really deserving of the censures the articles in the late issue place upon me. I have done all in the fear of God.

In my simplicity it seemed to me I was making a very great sacrifice for the cause in consenting as I did to put in so much time and labor for the low rate (for California) of $18 per week. But my brethren think otherwise, and I am left to conclude, with them, that I am not the man for the place; and though I feel very sorrowful over it in view of all the circumstances, I agree with Bro. Butler that it “was rather providential that the paper was not removed to Woodland.”

In behalf of Truth and Justice, Wm. Saunders. Woodland, Nov. 25, 1874.