The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-01-24
Editor IOun Plain Dealer.

i CISIy III 1000. III yONI lust uuIku~I
G. 4. Webster "replies to it., aud to
his mind am the recognized author.
Ever has IL been my misfortune to
be charged with all the alleged mean
things said and written In the com
munity, and II by accident or design
l have done anything praiscworthy
my friends should smother 1t sor the
sake Of peace in the neighborhood.
When accused OF writing an article
intended to benefit our society and
promote It's best interests, have no
apology to make the man who
caught me mt It. L do not propose
to wriggle or twist In order to es-
cape the wrath In store" for me.
Let the result be as IL may, l will
endcavor to be truthful. l wrote II,
ard will defend every line Of 1t, so
long as there Is sickly apologist
left to show his head.
/ The article bristled with facts,
plain, simple and direct in their ap-
plication, which no amonnt OF person
III abuse, Observation-Disclosures or
meaningless phraseology can stifle.
The more naked they may be made
by attack the more impregnable
their position becomes. II the farmers
and Others concerned for the future
prosperity Of our Society are pre-
pared to pu. y premium on avaricc
and selilshness, | propose they shall
do 1t with their eyes Open,-If | am
to 90 down-se to statc---for defend
Ing economy in the administration
OF its affairs, wish to know 1t, for
shall not be alone in my descent.
No organization relying on the good
will OF the public could reasonably
hope to survive such verdict
Personally, have no conflict with
IMr. Webster, and will not be drag
lgcd into one. have no sympathy
with that feature OF newspaper war.
fare and regret that Mr.. Webster for
whom l entertain only the most
friendly feeling us citizen and
neighbor, should have INDUCED in 1t
to the extent he did. l shall be mis-
taken In the man, il on reflection he
does not share those regrets with
me. Suppose 1t Is true--which 1t is
Inot--that run for several Offices
during my residence here and was
defeated, and granting that had
crossed the "briny ocean, which
did not, unless the. Detroit river be
that briny ocean, what has all this to
do with the matter In dispute. The
design is rs plain rs the statements
are void OF argument, and l give Mr..
Webster credit for writing as he
feels. To prove that man has
crossed the briny ocean to get here
is cquivelant to branding him Il for.
cigner aud a tit subject for native
prejudice. This country Is not for
such until the "natives" and old
settlers get through using 1t, conse-
quently they must not "sour II their
abilities are not appreciated" Who
are the natices Of this country Why
friend Webster would not feel COM
plimentel were I to charge that he
had a single drop OF natiue blood in
his veins. But I must avoid further
idigression and only refer to this
since it Is a fair sample of Mr.. Web
ster's reply to life member"
Lest some Of your readers may
not have seen the article written by
life member, I will re-state its
principal allegations.-It asserts
that the officers OF the Society in
1882, donated their salaries; that 30
per cent OF the premiums IF that
Fair were paid: that the officers OF
1884, took every cent allowable in the
shape OF salaries, and did not pay Il
cent on premiums.
Mr.. Webster Is OF opinion that
the resolution to pay 30 per cent OF
the 1882, premiums was the action
OF the new officers Of 1888, but does
not deny that the donation was
made aud the amount charged in
the indictment paid on premiums Of
1882. III he wants rh. credit OF hay
ing voted away 100 cents on the dol
lar OF his predecessors salary in pay
ment OF premiums. while stubborn
~ refusing to vote one cent OF his
own for the same purpose. he can
have 1t. l am "unseltish" enough to
concede him this sort OF credit. My
record as Secretary Ia not assailed
J except for u failure to return the
entry books used by Miss Mead In
Floral Hall, ut the same time / did
those I'm my possession. Mr.. Web
ster tells us that this "botch" requir.
led his making two whole round
. trips To my house aud Office, and
. caused him several days hard Ia
Dor"
Tho-in the legal vernaculer, this
[ charge Is entirely irrelevant, it is Al
. true as preaching. Mr.. Webster has
made a home run and il must bt
scored.
regret that this oversight should
have occurred. but there is tinge q
, relief I'm the reflection that the only
. charge perferred against me as Sec
rotary by my serutinizing successor
) Is one OF omission rather than com
t mission. and it would have given MT
) much pleasure had he left it i'm my
power 10 return the compliment and
accuse him for instance, OF having
!. omitted to draw his salary, and com
. mitted the handsomelmistake Of hav
| ing donated it for the benefit OF tht
!. Society. Had Mr.. Webster receive,
. the entry hooks handed down to me
which conveyed no evidence OF neg
lect or incapacity, on the part OF m.
prede cessor, but rather false econ
omy i'm securing unsuitable books
he would not only have been badl.
$ '.botched". but committed to thar,
4 labor" for the remainder OF his life.
r Tho resident of the county sine
; 1877 my connection with the societ
q covers but three years, and only
2 new conner not yet EMIT led to re
r eoynifian"t am willing that nv ac
+ count with the society should b
: rendered, and since l caused m,
j; friend Webster several days hare
r labor" last fall, l will try and atom
5 for it in Il small way by making GU
r and balancing his account for tn
r same length of time:
= Howard CO. Agricultural society In accour
!, with John Mcilagn.
DIR.
1851, To premiums taken and not paid sias