Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-10-24
MINISTER'S,
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE
Facts That May Interest Preachers
Who Have Been Misled by
False Issue Raised.

From the Creston, Iowa, Gazette,
oct. 6, 1916: E. T. Meredith, can
didate for governor, who is seeking
election as an extreme dry, made a
tour Of Union county Wednesday.
His tour was planned and managed
by the Creston men who for years
have been in control of the demo-
cratic party in this city and county.
They included DR.. J. w. Reynolds,
Is. A. Plum, J. B. Fitzsimmons, John
Golden, Perry Armitage and others.
These men distributed the bills adj
vertising the meetings, made all ar
rangements for them and from the
time Mr.. Meredith entered the coun-
ty were in entire charge Of him. I
1t isl interesting, in view Of the
fact that Meredith is claiming to be
so dry that many preachers have
been misled into supporting him, to
inquire who these men are.
DR.. J. w. Reynolds has been a
leading citizen Of Creston for years
and is a leading democratic politi-
clan. He would be insulted Il any
one called him a dry. He has been
the central figure in every saloon
fight in Creston in recent years and
always as a protagonist of the sa-
looms. Nor have his activities been
confined to Creston. A few years
ago he made a trip to Peoria for the
purpose of securing $4,000 from
the liquor interests for the demo-
cratic campaign fund and to elect as
governor the democratic candidate
on a wet platform. If the Des
Moines Register will turn to its files
it will find the story played up and
it's editorial comments would be in
teresting at this time, in view of the
fact that this same man is now run
ming Meredith's campaign in the
state. 1t is interesting also to know
that Meredith dry now, was sup
porting the wet democraticA party
and it's candidate at that time. DR..
Reynolds is chairman of the demo-
cratic state committee and is in ac-
tive charge of Meredith's campaign
in Iowa, and if there is a wetter man
in the state he has not been produce
ed.
Barney F~itzsimmons was formerly
Engaged in the saloon business. He
was popularity credited with being
the absolute dictator of democratic
politics in Union county and it is an
undisputed fact that he and his
friends and supporters were in COM
plete control of the party for years,
and are now in control.
Steve Plum was a bartender in
Creston until the saloons were clos
ed and was influential in democratic
politics. He is now working for the
democratic party in the state and is,
we understand, helping to raise
money to elect Meredith and the
other democratic candidates.
We do not mention these facts for
the purpose of attacking these men.
They are wet and are not ashamed
Of it. They are men Of ability and
force of character and they have a
multitude of friends in this county.
If it were not 80 they could never
have been so powerful and infiuen-
tial as they We're and are.
A tremendous effort is being made
to elect Meredith governor upon a
false issle and by misleading and de-
ceiving the people. Because Hard
ing's record does not please the rad
ical drys and because Harding has
some bitter newspaper enemies, ef-
forts are being made to give victory
to the democratic party, which has
always been extremely wet.
Meredith is dry at present, but ne
is dry for political reasons only. Dur
ing all the years that he has been q
member of the democratic party, the
party of the saloons in this state, he
has accepted the platforms of the
party and the wet candidates Of the
party. He has never done what he
now appeals to republicans to do
turn against their own party and
their own candidate.
The temperance people of Creston
and Union county, who know the
men who were in charge of Mere
dith Wednesday and who has charge
Of his interests at the present time.
should think long and seriously be-
fore they join with them in electing
Meredith. They are being misled
and deceived and no stronger evil
dence of this could be produced than
the fact that his campaign is in the
hands of such men as are managing
it.
This matter is not one of mere To-
cal significance. 1t is Of interest to
all the temperance people of the
state because the fact that Doctor