Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-10-13
FRED E. WHITE
Democratic Candidate for Governor
of Iowa.

ment? Is it either or all of these that
have a tendency to produce remark
able men and women? If none of
those conditions enter in then what is
it that causes one community to be
favored above others in the production
of men, men who have risen to distinc-
ton, men who have made for them
selves and their old home more than a
state wide reputation? Years ago
when but boy remember Of cir
cumstance similar to the one about to
be described. In that case challenge
was sent forth and widely published
throughout the United States to show
a like area that had been so productive
of men and women of note. 1t was
not then met. 1t still stands undis-
puted. 1t will hold the championship
after this article has been produced.
Whatever maybe the cause there are
certain districts that seem especially
favored by the intelligence and high
character of its sons and daughters.
Within radius of half dozen miles
Of the little old town of South English
is section of Iowa soil that has pro-
duced men that stand near the front
in nearly every vocation in life.
once heard President H. H. Seerley of
the state normal school, himself dis
tinguished son of that community, de-
clare nothing like it existed in all
Iowa and he read partial list of the
productions. 1t is not the purpose of
this article to go into details. / have
in mind two men in whom the people
Of Iowa are just now particularly in
terested. Both of these belong to the
above stated area. These men are
Hon. Fred E. White, candidate for the
high Office of governor of this state;
and Cap E. Miller, candidate for state
superintendent of public instruction.
The fact that these two men were both
nominated by the same party, upon
the same day, from not only the same
county but the same township is suffic-
lent to arouse the pride of every citizen
of English River township. Then too
when it is taken into consideration that
Fred White received all the votes cast
for governor by his party at the pri-
mary and that Miller carried nine-eight
OF the ninety-nine counties there is in
deed something marvellous about the
men and the townshine
With all these thoughts in mind 1
made pilgrimage to the farm home
OF Fred E. White. wanted to tell the
people something about farmer White
and what / could not learn of Mr..
White learned of his neighbors. Fred
White is an extremely modest man and
very difficult man to interview if he
has any idea that he is to be put in
print. But | told Mr.. White that he
was running for governor and that /
wanted to know, that the people de-
manded to know more of him. that
they desired to know what sort of a
man this plain old farmer was whom
they have thrice nominated for the
highest Office in the state. Mr.. White
consented to tell me something of his
early life and of his war record. When
learned all could from him visited
with the neighbors from whom got
details that Mr.. White was too modest
to mention.
BORN IN GERMANY
Fred E. White was born in Prussia,
1 Germany in 1874. His father before
him was tiller of the soil. The
father having died, Fred Il. White. a
s younger brother, two sisters and his
mother came to America in 1857. Our
subject was then 10 years of age. They
landed in the new world with a sum
total of $50 among them, They came
to Keokuk county, Iowa the same year
and settled near where Mr.. Whites
home now is, at the place where his
mother still resides at the advanced
age of IS years.
With true German industry they
all went to work to keep the wolf
from the door and today there is nc
finer farm in all Iowa than Fred
Whites $40 acres.
HIS WAR RECORD
When the civil war broke out this
boy, full of patriotism for his adopted
country. enlisted but as he himself
Z Il y - 5 81 49,