Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-20
Iowa
PROHlBITIONISTS PULLING
A. c. Rankin and Others Say the
Money Comes Easy,
EXPECT TO SWEEP THE STATE
Workers for Prohibition Are Soon to
Hold Meeting for Organization
and VIII I'm port Noted
Speakers.
CFrom a staff Correspondent

- A''A u 1NAAA
DIES MONIES. May ls.-tspecial)-
That the constitutional amendment move
ment is going to sweep the state Of Iowa
like a clean broom is the statement Of
A c.. Rankin. state organizer for the tenn
perance forces, who arrived in Des Moines
yesterday from five meetings in small
county seats, at which he raised over 500
He says the men of the state are more
e. thusiastic over the constitutional amend
ment prospects than over any movement
in which he has been interested. Money Is
easily forthcoming and he says the cam
paign will take on proportions that will
completely overwhelm the state and bring
about a decided declaration for a constitu-
tional convention to amend the constitution
30 as to provide absolute prohibition.
There Is soon TO be a meeting of the
board, composed Of five men and women,
representing the six temperance organiza-
tons Of the state, at which time arrange
ments will be made for bringing into the
Iowa campaign some Of the strongest tenn
perance speakers in the United States. The
workers refuse at present to disclose the,
names of the campaigners, but declare
they are among the ablest men of the
country and will create a decided stir. 1t
is proposed to have a field or advance man.
who will go over the state making dates
and advertising the appearance of these
speakers. From the way the associated
temperance organizations are receiving
funds in their constitutional amendment
movement 1t is certain Iowa is 10 be
plunged into a temperance campaign which
may have considerable political signifi-
canoe.
Reports that have gone forth that there
was dissension among the temperance So
cieties in the combination are branded as
untrue and are said to nave been started
by one organization which refused to affili-
ate with the other organizations in a united
fight for a constitutional amendment.
Just what opposition will be made to the
temperance movement and what form 1t
will assume has not as yet been disclosed
OptOmetrists Are Here.
-Four hundred optometrists are in Des
Moines today for their annual convention,
which extends over a period OF three days.
The principal topics for discussion are the
new optometry law, its enforcement,
%stricter examinations. etc.
Retail Merchants Meeting.
The Iowa State Retail Merchants asso-
citation commenced its eleventh annual
convention in Davenport today. The pro-
gram includes addresses by Secretary
James Wilson of the presidents cabinet,
State Food and Dairy COMMISSIONS H. r.
Wright and Fred Mason of New York.
The session today was called TO order by
President John T.. Mulqueen OF Council
Bluffs.
WOmen's Clubs Meeting.
The Iowa Federation of Women's clubs
commenced it's annual convention in Daven-
port today. Several hundred women are
present and the three days gathering
promises to be one of the most interesting
the organization has ever had.
Newspaper Men Organise.
Des Moines newspaper men are plan
ming the perfection Of a Press club that
will be statewide in scope. admitting
newspaper men throughout the state to
nonresident membership. The club is being
modelled after the Chicago and New York
Press clubs. ,