Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-08-20
al BIT OF HISTORY.
{Spirit Luke Beacon, 1

Esprit Lake Beacon.
DEBORAH. Iowa, Aug. Ia, 1900.-Hon.
A. s. Funk: In most of the dispatches
announcing the death of one of 1owa's
greatest editors Samuel NJ. Clark, ii is
said he was the father Of the mulct
tax plank which redeemed the state for
the republicans" For the sake of truth
in history this error ought to be correct-.
aeG, and you are the one TO do 1t. Mr.
Clark was the chairman of the commits
tee on resolutions that reported the
plank referred to, but you Will say With
ME that he was no more the author of it
than was any one of his ten associates.
The speech of ex-senator Harlan made
the presentation of such d plank pala-
table The committee on resolutions
met al u o'clock and debated what the
liquor plank should be for two full
hours. Eight or ten resolutions were
offered and almost as many opinions
found TO exist. After luncheon Mr..
Clark suggested it was time to get
down To business, and he put the ques-
tion 70 each member of the committees:
Are YOU in favor of or opposed to mod
itieation of the liquor law?2?' a de-
clded majority favored modification.
Then began search for common
ground Out of resolutions offered one
Was selected as best meeting the Views
of a majority. This Mas amended by
cutting out portions and making some
small additions, hut s.tiii retaining sub
stantially the original meaning, until II
Mas given the approval of the entire
committee. 1t had 10 be rewritten Jed
tied only), but no one IL smber was ems
titled 10 the credit Tor diseredit)A Of the
plank unless it IS the gentlemen Who
Mrnte the original draft. You know who
Ne MIS-, and how tbs ts'5iutipn came to
the COMMITTEES; therefore You are the
one 10 Write the whole history. Does
your recollection asre. With mine? II
not give the proper correction and print
lit in the Beacon. Ioul associate ON that
committee,
A. X. BAILEY.
iris interesting statement is b. the
veteran editor of the DEBORAH Republic
can. He is exceedingly accurate in
his record of incidents, connected With
an Important event in party history as
far as he gives them. 1t may not be im-
proper to supplement it With farther
personal recollection and reelection.
When the republicans met in eonven-s
ton al Des Moines i'm the summer OF
lSg3 the question upl,srmost related to.
the party attitude on the issue of pro-
hthitipn. The sentiment in favor of
some modification ot the party position
Mas among the delegates 50 overwhssm-
sins3 as 10 dearly foies,hadow change,
hut the difficulty WAS 70 find common
ground upon which u meet.
4 The committee Oh resolutions in dis
stlict numerical order MAS as follows: S
NJ. Clark, George Habbeli, c. w. Null
Ian a. X. Bailey, Chariss Weare. IA. L..
Waterman, T. j. Caldwell. NJ. l.. Tenn
pie. John Herriott. Thomas ID. Healy, A.
B Funk.
ClAtk Was made chairman of the CONS
mittee. He presented most. perhaps
all the platform adopted With the eX-
cep,ien OF What has passsd into history
as the thirteenth plank. Ii was easy
fs4iHng upste this point When the COM
nittse Mas asked 10 express itself upon
the question to modify or not 10 mod
~ all but two We think. Mere posi;;v-
that a change was demanded, and tree
Two made only feeble protest. The
membership was alniSa, wholly Of prac-
tseifi .egnpefanre men total abstainers
y number Of men like Senator Bailey
[ :,.d been prominent in prohibition Work.
+ There w5as,s not "a single man present
8ha Was, in any lsgree influenced b.
jai.S phase OF the liquor interest. II VAS
. as e5llEest and conscientious a body OF
.,slsil a, yer Htei n conmittes in this
STATE There Mta practical agreement
ag 10 the evil Influences and results,
elaMing gu, OF PARTISAN temperance
work. II Wfls SIMPLY a question as 10
ih9W to do thet bas,iness demanded by
1.-THE party and III. state.
senator i5igites a3ys, hire waf i.ht
isar ien qratls tpr This plank presented
- eui, i.cclieelfon that ;.flnost ,,er-
hapa every member brought in a least
ere. sanfs. brought in foua, Or FIVE and
+ bs.il boys kept bringing them every few
/ lnanIsnia II thu slavery club room.
where the meeting Was held. Most Of
4 t:lss+ Meis cast aside With little con-
sasratien
a tlraft presented by the melnbe,
irf,m tas Eleventh attracted the at3..,-
\ ton % Clark. He said. Read ths:
I5as.flii3.' aild upon second reading ~ ~
,nttASNd, tI3pSs that is ii doubls-encia..
A!,oist this time however, the YOU'RE .:
sl.efai,a 81 tbs committee proceeded ID
make littie history on his own f.c-
tceunt Senator Healy was and still is
radical temperance man. ii rrs-
.sante6 the basis Of the thirteenth PLAN:
and upon its merits and the l1riliian,
pgessiltat!on II soon became apparent
I that here WAS II be committee OK
PRECISION, After aa,ne alteration Of the
draft the COMMITTEES unanimously
8asieed g present il 10 the convention III
sEthis form.
That prohibition is no test Of repub-
alicanisn Iha general assembly has
given TO the STATE prohibitory law as
sf#stfpng as amy tiIdt has ever been enact.
LED BY any country. Like any otllel$efim-
final statute, ita retention. modification
n % repeal nua be determined by III,
lsseaaral assembly elected by and ii
3isaylnpathy Win the people. and to ii i:
I feiagated tbs aubiFet, to take such ac.
iiion az they may aeem just and best il
Il the matter. a3aiitiaining he present laN
II IN those portions ot the state whore Ii Il
now or can ba made efficient, and giyn;
Ito other localities alch methods of con
TROLLING and regulating the liquor traf
iic as Will bts'; saiNe the cause OF tenn
"a peranee and nlorality."
The reading Of this plank from tn
Z, convention platform provoked a III
4 mutt, but no prapdsition TO turn II dow
81 Vas presented, There was, however,
warm contest over an amendment pre-
scented by Judge struble of Tama coun
Y, proposing y strike out the word