Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-21


Owing to the fact that no organized
effort has ever been made in this
state" said one of the visiting job
bers, ''the liquor dealers have never
been enabled to receive the recogni.
ton to which they feel they are EMIT
led and for this reason the organiza-
ton was effected. I'VE think" con-
tinued the wholesaler, that with all
the liquor men in Iowa working for the
same end, there is no doubt but that
the desired legislation can be secur-
ed"
The Delegates.
The following is partial list of the
jobbers from out of the city who at
tended the convention:
VIM. Haase, Henry Strune, Oscar
Koehler Davenport; George A. Bow
man, Marshalltown Anton Heb, Du-
buque; G. Geiss, Council Bluffs; J. l..
Sommers, L. c. Stevens, John Arens-
dorf, Sioux City; A. W.DeBruyn, Pella;
]. F. Daugherty, John Leisy, Keckuk;
B. Richers, Fort Madison; A. S. Kirk
hart, John Weber, Jr, ]. B. Shuster, G.
j. Huglin, Lorenz, ILL.,; ]. c. Hanson,
Matt Kane, Des Moines; E. E. Nugent,
Fred Blattner, H. Pletscher, Oska-
loosa; w. A. Mathes, G. Wedertz and
Martin Moehn, of Burlington. S. R.
Cheadle, w. v. Silvers, 2. A. Frazier,
were the representatives from Ottum-
wa, and to them credit is given for
bringing about the organization.
$25O,000 to Be Used by Lobby.
Sioux City, Aug. 1.-two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars in cash, and
the influence of a close organization
of all the liquor interests of Iowa, are
to be thrown into the scale at the next
meeting of the legislature, in hope of
getting the mulct law liberalized
There was time when the big IL
quor interests of Dubuque, Davenport
and other principalities on the eastern
border were wont to smile at the sug-
gestion of cooperating with the rest
of the state. 1t occurred to them that
so long as their communities were a
law unto themselves. they had no rea-
son to help the slough-gress counties
out of trouble. Ask Dubuque NAL
ster to assist in liberalizing the state
law and he would put his thumbs in
the armholes of his vest, assume a
debonair attitude, smile cheerfully,
wink the off eye, and reply:
whats in it for me? l can make
beer and sell it, state law or no state
law. They don't enforce Iowa law in.
the state of Dubuque. 1t looks to me
as if l was doing WELL Waterloo and
Fort Dodge, Mason City and Marshall
town, can't make beer; | can sell it
to 'em. though Where am l going to
gain by helping them to get things
loosened up. Not on your wrinkled
old daguerreotype."
And so, before there was a syllable
Of manufacturing statute on the books,
Dubuque and Davenport built great
breweries and developed immense bus
mess through them. Those towns en-
joyed monopoly that made the Stan
dard oil look like small pair. But
at length the manufacturing bill pass
ed. the counties began to secure more
and more saloon petitions. and the
brewers in the border counties decid-
ed their interest was in promoting lib
erality and encouraging consumption.
The State Association.
This time, not only the manufacture
ers of the state-every one of them
but also the big concerns of Milwau-
kee, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and the
rest of the brewing and distilling cen
tiers, are enlisted. They are ready to
give money and influence if the state
will show an organization worthy of
assistance.
1.-The plan" said Sioux City liquor
dealer today, is to get every manufac-
turer, wholesaler, retailer and agent in
the state, into the organization.
Wholesalers and manufacturers will
probably be assessed S. each per
month; retailers, 81 and So each, to
make common fund to handle legis-
lation. We figure that we can raise
$150,000 inside the state in this way;
the outsiders are good for 100000
more when we show them such a fund; ;
and with that much money, cash in
hadn, and subject to check, Il guess we
can interest legislature Why, the
railroads get the whole works by dis
tributing a few mileage books each ses-
sion. Don't you think we can transact
some business with grand S250,000
cash prize distribution? Well rath-
er guess.
Just what will be asked, in changes
of the law, is not apparently very clear
in the minds of those most interested
in the movement I'VE want this
mulct law loosened up some, to give
us a chance" was the most accurate
and specific statement to be secured.
Its too petty and technical. The
thing must be done by a united effort.
We have never had real organization
in Iowa; now we are going to have
one, with money and influence and
disposition to work together, and be-
ELGlN CRASH is ENORMOUS.