Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-07
Northwest Iowa Methodist
Conference Endorses
Meredith.
GOES ON RECORD
IN PLAIN WORDS
Effort Made b.A Ono Pastor 20 Cut 0us
Reference s. Msrsdith-Hardins's
Record JisIator AND Lieutenant
; Covers eclarsd to Unfit Him For
Off $ Election Would Menace
T. ance, Resolutions Declare.
al to Times .Repuhl,caa.

81 hal to Times -Republican.
Spencer. Oct. THE report OF the
special temperance committee OF the
Northwest Iowa M. L. Conference was
presented by DR. Robert Smylie, who
moved its adoption. The resolution
was presented at the morning session
after the dispatch of some regular bus
mess. It was thought. by some that
the report would not be presented until
the afternoon session. DR.. G. II. Cline.
OF Oregon, representing the Church
Temperance society. had been intro
duced to represent his work.
Following his address DR.. Smylie
presented the report Of the COMMITTEES
and moved its adoption. G. E. Chapler
protested against the mention OF tho
name of tho democratic candidate, r..
+. Meredith. The debate had not pro-
gressed far when 1t became very evil
dent that Mr.. Chapler did not have the
sympathy OF the conference with him.
There were number of calls for tho
question The conference demanded.
however, that he be permitted to make
his speech.
Debate ls Heated.
He moved an amendment that all
reference to E. r. Meredith be left out
Of the report Robert Smylie followed
with ringing speech that will be re-
membered long years by the members
of the conference. He insisted that
the Methodist church was not an ad-
junct Of the republican party and that
the conference resented any attempt to
hold 1t In line as such: that we must
be permitted "the right OF voting our
convictions, as that right was claimed
by the liquor interests. MI Smylie
reminded the conference that he was
a standpat republican, that he voted
for Taft. amid many cries Of Hear.
Hear, but that when 1t came to q
question Of faligning so directly with
the liquor interests as voting for Har-
ding, he for ono would vote for Mere-
dith this fall. Al motion was made to
lay the amendment striking ont The
name OFF, r. Meredith On the tablo
This motion was put and carried overA
whelminglv.
Resolutions Adopted.
The main question was then put ad<
opting the report Of the committeA
and carried amid great enthusiasm
The resolutions on temperance are:
Whereas. a controversy is raging In
this state the outcome Of which may
seriously hamper the cause Of prohihi@
ton, not only in iowa but nationwide.
and
Whereas. the right Of the church to
express itself on the burning question
Of the hour In its deliberate capacity
has been called In question
And an attempt is being made to
force silence on the preachers, and,
Whereas. There has been ample op-
portunity for dispassionate consider
alton Of the record In the general as
sembly, and rs lieutenant governor of
Hon. w. L. Harding republican candi-
date for governor, together with all he
has seen fit to say for publication In
his own defense.
Therefore Be 1t resolved. BY the
Northwest Iowa Conference Of the
Methodist Episcopal church. in confer
ence assembled, Oct.7 1916. at Spencer.
Iowa: First, that we calmly but firm
ly stand on our rights as men and cit
izens and affirm that we are proceeding
along the safe and sane lines that public
agitation against the liquor traffic has
been conducted for the last fifty years.
practically the only lines open for ns
to express ourselves in deliberate way
on questions affecting public morals, we
denounce the attempt to gag the church
and deprive us OF the right OF free
speech and remind those that are so out
of harmony with the bulwarks OF our
n
speech, that silence at such time as
this would be treason to the cause OF
prohibition and would inevitably be
construed into consent that the saloon
should again be enthroned in our state.
Second: It is plain that the Hon.
w. T.. Harding In the general assembly
and as lieutenant governor was so con-
sistent or persistent and continuous in
his hostility to efficient temperance Leg
islation that in our judgment doubt as
to where he stands has no reasonable
basis. Nor has he said anything In this
utterances which indicates In
the smallest measure any change of
heart Plainly in the Judgment of those
who would reinstate the saloon he has
and deserves their confidence which,
all he has said on the
platforms Of the state, is unshaken and
They were for him in the
primary regardless Of the party lines
ailii tiiioy are Tor him now. We fo..ss
the fact that all attempts to disguise
the plain truth that he is the hope OF
the vets has been abandoned
Third: We disclaim any personal
animus or conscious prejudice and de-
clare that our objective Is as it always
has been, the complete and absolute de-
struction Of the liquor traffic for bev-
erage purposes. Then why should he at
q time like this haggle about party reg
ularity when n vote for Harding Is q
vote to encourage, the bootlegger or
call back the saloon. or both. and will
he so interpreted. While the public po-5
sition taken by the Hon. Z. T. Mere
a:th !s favorable to statewide prohibit
tioIi. =, ~ \
"F. c. TAYLOR. Chairman. !.