Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-09
HARDING WAS FAITHFUL.
[Sioux City Tribune.l

"
| In observing w. l.. Ha~ding's init.
| macy in 1911 with Del. c. Huntoon
political agent;ef the Iowa Liquor Deal
ers Association. it IS easy to under
stand many subsequent proceedmgs-
including the formal Endorsement o
| Harding in 1914 by II. b. Mayne. sec
rotary of the Iowa Liquor Dealers
| Association.
Mr.. Harding's own letter to Huntoor
in october, 1911. as presented in
facsimile production in the Tribune
yesterday, proves that Harding was II
the good graces of the liquor dealers
representative at that time. The cir
cular letter mailed out TO liquor dear
ers by Secretary Mayne during the
1914 campaign proves that Mr.. Hard
ing was in the good graces of the
Liquor Dealers Association at that
time.
Using a simple and natural line OF
reasoning, it is fair to conclude that
Mr.. Harding did not do anything %
forfeit the confidence of the liquor
dealers between October, 1911, and
October, 1s14--a period of three years
The Tribune recently gave the text
in the 1914 campaign by Secretary Fl.
B. Mayne, Of the Iowa Liquor Dealers
Association, but feels that the state
ment needs additional emphasis now as
a sequel to the showing of Harding s
intimacy with Huntoon in 1911.
Here is the extract from II. b.
Mayne's circular in regard TO Hard
ing's candidacy:
Il am instructed to write you IN
strict confideYite in regard to the .urg-
cncy of the political situation govern
ing the interests OF our business, Y
10 absolutely necessary for every liduor
dealer in Iowa TO be united and active
in working for the same candidates
for state offices. You are urged 10
forget your political Affiliations and
unanimously support those who are
recognized as our friends and upon
whom we can all agree in quiet way.
The office of lieutenant governor ~
the most important Office Of them all,
even more important than governor,
becaus the lieutenant governor appoints
the committee in the senate who report
on all measures 10 be, rored on by the
senate The democratic candidate for
lieutenant governor is dry, and would
,use every Influence IT his command in
favor of prohibition. 1t is most imper-
tant that he be defeated His oppo-
rent, W. L. Harding, the republican
candidate for lieutenant governor, has
always been fair and is being opposed
by the united dry forces of the state.
We want to be united in supporting
him"
Hardings confidential reports 10
Huntoon and H g Mayne's formal
Endorsement of Harding--in addition 70
the fact that Mr.. Harding never intror
duced any measure prcmotive Of moral
issues during his service in the legis-
la ture-ieave little chance for differ
encea Of opinion in classifying Mr
Harding up 10 and including October,
1914
1t is not always easy IL get dccu
mentary evidence against politicians,
and no formal expressions from liquor
dealers about Mr.. Harding are availa-
bic since 1919. 'a4aZ
The only official service rendered by
Mr. Harding since that date was as
presiding officer Of the Iowa senate in
the spring Of 1915. Did he perform then
in harmony with the confidence pre-
.viodsly placed in him By the liquor
interests
Those who have any doubt on that
point need only 10 study the record OF
the 1914 legislative session. with par
ticular reference t. the actions of the
senate committee on suppression of in-
temperance, appointed by Mr.. Harding
That committee killed twenty-six OF
the regulatory measures submitted to
Il. On some Of the measures the COM
mittee's actions were overruled by
majority vote Of the senate, but the
committee named by Harding worked
az the Iowa liquor dealers wanted It
to work.
When Mr. Harding travels over Iowa
and trie. to argue that his record or
the liquor question is being misrepre'
sented, he making unusual assump-
tions on the guiIelessness of Iowa vot-
ers. He has covered UP well on these
matters in the past, and he may b'
bic TO do so III thu present campaign
hut his success. or failure at the polls
Ibis year does not alter the facts Of his
past affiliations.
Iowa voters are showing careless
disregard of their own interests il the!
allow campaign cajoIery to hide indis
putable records.
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